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At this time every season, the contenders indirectly separate themselves from the pretenders. The top teams deal to strengthen their weaknesses; the teams with the playoffs in their reach make a move to find the missing piece that will put them over the top; and teams in the cellar unload high-priced veterans in hopes of bringing in young talent for the future. While baseball fans and analysts across the country endlessly debate which teams "won" and "lost," I think it's too early to make such conclusions. Instead, I put teams into one of two categories: "Help" or "Hurt." In the following paragraphs, I will evaluate the moves made by several teams.
Texas Rangers: Big Help
Of all teams involved in the mid-season bartering, the Rangers helped themselves the most. Nobody believed that the Rangers would be in first place at this point in the season, and the team made big trades that would give them the best chance to remain in first the rest of the way. The first move, and by far the biggest, was trading for star pitcher Cliff Lee from the Mariners. Lee is arguably the best pitcher in the game. His strikeout to walk ratio is absurd. He dominates in big games that matter (ask the Yankees). And he's been dealt at this point before in the season, so he can make the appropriate adjustments to joining a postseason race and playing with new teammates and coaches. Anytime you land someone of this caliber, it would come as no shock to think that you instantly upgraded your team. But why is Lee such a valuable addition? Because the Rangers need pitching more than any other first place team. The Rangers are in first for two reasons. First, they have a juggernaut offense led by Josh Hamilton, Vlad Guerrero, and Michael Young. And second, they have gotten surprising pitching contributions from C.J. Wilson and Colby Lewis. But to win down the stretch, or at least have the confidence to win, you need proven players. The veteran arms on the Rangers staff--Harden, Feldman, and Holland--have either been hurt or simply underachieved. So Lee not only gives you a dominant Game 1 starter, but he gives you presence, confidence, leadership, and experience. This will take pressure off of Wilson, Lewis, and Tommy Hunter down the stretch, not to mention the bullpen (Lee is among the league-leaders in complete games).
In addition to Lee, the Rangers went after veteran contributors on offense and in the field. Bengie Molina is a seasoned veteran behind the plate who has shown some life with his bat as of late. Jorge Cantu is a guy who can play first or third and drive in runs. And Cristian Guzman is a good defender who plays both positions in the middle of the infield, makes contact at the plate, and has some speed on the base paths. Ultimately, the Rangers shored up their biggest weakness in the best possible way and gave themselves more flexibility at the plate and in the field with proven veterans.
New York Yankees: Enough Help
Anyone who has followed the pinstripes this season knows that their biggest hole is in the bullpen. Joba has been a disappointment, Chan Ho Park has been relatively worthless, and whenever you have to rely on Chad Gaudin to bridge you over to the 9th, you have to be concerned. Well the Yankees took a gamble on a back-end guy and brought in Kerry Wood. Although Wood has struggled a bit so far this season as a closer in Cleveland, the potential is there. I think the Yankees should have gone after someone like Matt Capps (went to the Twins) instead, but Wood was what they got.
The Yanks don't really have any weaknesses in their lineup, unless you count a disappointing Curtis Granderson, who is finally showing signs of life. They passed on big prizes like Adam Dunn and Jayson Werth and instead traded for Lance Berkman and Austin Kearns. Berkman is a proven offensive monster who may benefit from a change of scenery and the chance to win it all. Kearns will likely spell Granderson when the Yanks face lefties. Ultimately, this just gives the Yanks some extra depth, which can never hurt.
Minnesota Twins: Needed More Help
Each of these three teams are in the thick of division races and had obvious missing pieces/holes to fill. The Twins needed a starting pitcher, the Rays needed a bat, and the Giants needed offensive help as well.
Supposedly the Twins could have gotten Cliff Lee for highly touted prospect Wilson Ramos. They declined. Then they turned around and traded Ramos for Matt Capps. I understand how important the bullpen is, an Capps has had a solid year closing in Washington. But the Twins already have Jon Rauch, who has stepped in nicely for the injured Joe Nathan. And the Twins had a chance to put together a starting rotation that could lead them to the World Series. Imagine throwing Lee, Pavano, and Lirano for the first three games in a series. With the Twins' potent offense, that would be a recipe for success. But instead, they will have to settle with Scott Baker or Kevin Slowly instead of Lee.
San Francisco Giants/Tampa Bay Rays: Helpless
Finally, both the Giants and Rays needed a bat in the middle of their lineups. Both teams were rumored to be pursuing Adam Dunn, but Dunn didn't move because the asking price of was too high. The Rays pursued Jayson Werth as well, but Werth was taken off the market after Victorino went down in Philly. The Giants were supposedly going after the Blue Jays' Jose Bautista, but nothing came of that. I just cannot fathom why neither team brought in a bat. The Giants made the most of things by bringing in a mediocre relief pitcher from the Pirates. But I wouldn't be so easily fooled if I were a Giants fan. That team, along with the Rays, blew their opportunity.
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