MLB's 13 Most Lopsided Midseason Trades

[GA Russell]

Have I posted this before? If so, I couldn't find it.

Of course, this list is just one man's opinion.

I think I disagree with the John Smoltz/Doyle Alexander trade. As I recall, the Tigers would not have won the World Series without Alexander. In my view, no price is too dear if you win the World Series.

http://www.thepostgame.com/blog/list/201107/mlbs-most-lopsided-midseason-trades-ever

[Blue Train]

The Tigers won their last WS in 1984. According to the link you provided...Doyle only helped them win that year's pennant. He got shelled in the playoffs. I checked and he went 0-2 in that year's ALCS and had an era of 10.0. He then went 20-29 over the next 2-years with the Tigers.

Smoltz had just turned 20 a couple months earlier and was still in the minors. He didn't make the majors and become a full time starter until the next year. The Tigers didn't have a prospect that could compare to Smoltz until Justin Verlander. That's 19-years.

[GA Russell]

OK, thanks for doing the research. I see that the Twins were the American League champs in 1987, so I guess my recollection is completely wrong.

By the way, I lived in the Atlanta area from 1985 to 2001. Some time in the early 90s, Atlanta had an indoor soccer team called the Attack. They hosted the league's all-star game that year, so I took a date to it. During the halftime intermission, a couple of young Braves pitchers were seated at a table signing autographs, so I got them for my niece. They were Tom Glavin and John Smoltz!

[Blue Train]

You're welcome.

In my lifetime (and possibly ever) the worst/best depending your point of view....would be the David Cone trade to the Yankees for 3 pitching prospects. Only one of whom made the majors and only for 11 starts.

Cone had just won the previous year's Cy Young with KC and was traded to the Jays. It was his second time with the Jays. He was with them a total of 3 months before the 1995 trade.

It would lead to the start of the Yankees turnaround and their first WS in 18-years in 1996...and 4 in 5-years

P.S. Give you and idea how long ago this was...Pettitte, Rivera, Posada, and Jeter were all rookies in 1995...and I was in elementary school. haha

Edited September 20, 2013 by Blue Train

[Tim McG]

I have a problem with buying the WS.

Where I get that MLB is a business, it simply isn't fair play for a team with deep pockets to out spend the rest of the league for talent. At that point, it becomes a financial venture not a sport.

[Blue Train]

I have a problem with buying the WS.

Where I get that MLB is a business, it simply isn't fair play for a team with deep pockets to out spend the rest of the league for talent. At that point, it becomes a financial venture not a sport.

I guess, it wasn't fair what the Giants, Red Sox and Phillies did as well? Somewhat interesting the Giants only won both their two WS when they started throwing around the benjamins.

Edited September 20, 2013 by Blue Train

[Tim McG]

Top ten biggest trade deals:

http://www.bloguin.com/theoutsidecorner/2012-articles/august/the-ten-biggest-trades-in-mlb-history.html

Looks like the Giants weren't involved in any of them.

Funny, the Giants aren't ranked high in this category either.

Ten highest spending teams:

http://www.examiner.com/article/ten-highest-spending-teams-major-league-baseball-2013

$18 million will go away with Zito. So, really, it's more like $119 million. That would be near the bottom on this list and pretty average overall.

Edited September 20, 2013 by GoodSpeak

[Blue Train]

The Giants went from a payroll of $75 million to $131 million in 4-years (in the process going from middle of the pack to top 5 in payroll) and won 2 WS in the process, but they're somehow different the others.

You can't make that up.

P.S. Lincecum will either be coming off the books as well, or greatly reduced from his current $22 million....as well as others pushing them back to $84-90+ million...and back to normal. It would be lower if not for the idiotic 9-year contract for Posey.

Edited September 21, 2013 by Blue Train

[Tim McG]

On six big contracts: Zito, Pence, Cain, Lincecum, Bumgarner and Posey.

Only Pence was the new pick-up.

Edited September 22, 2013 by GoodSpeak

[Blue Train]

75 million to 131 million in the weakest division in all baseball in the weaker league to 2 WS in 4 years.


Now they're going back to every so often they're relevant....unless as you consider it....they once again decide to buy a WS.

Edited September 22, 2013 by Blue Train