Deadline Drama

As usual, the days leading up to the MLB trade dealine were crazy. Big names were moved, and we saw many contending teams get better. I take a look at the top 5 deals made before the deadline passed.

1. Hunter Pence to the Phillies : The Phillies now look to be set for a World Series run with the addition of the All-Star Pence. Pence isn't a power guy, but he is one of the game's better contact hitters, hitting .308 this season with the Astros. For the Phillies this season, their main problem has been hitting, their average as a team is only .251 which is 16th in the league. The right-handed Pence should help bring up the team average, and help the team in their quest to reach the World Series.

2. The Tribe gets Ubaldo Jimenez : Jimenez has not been at his best this season, compiling a record of 6-9 as a starter this season. However, since starting the year 1-7, Jimenez has pitched well, earning a record of 5-2 since then. Jimenez, who won 19 games last season, will join the Indians who are fighting with the Tigers right now for command of the AL Central. He should help a team who's ERA ranks 20th in the majors right now.

 

3. Mets send Carlos Beltran to the Giants : Beltran is not the long term solution for the Giants at Right Field, but the 34 year old will certainly have an impact on the team. Beltran was an All-Star with the Mets this season, hitting .289 while in New York. The main goal for Beltran is to improve a Giants offense that has difficulty with hitting. The Giants rank 28th in Runs, 27th in Batting Average, and 28th in On Base Percentage. Beltran will also have to fill the void left by C Buster Posey, who is out for the season with a broken leg.

4. Braves get the other Astros Outfielder, Michael Bourn : Unfortunately for Astros fans, the team decided that it would be best to ship the team's two best players out of town. The Braves were heavily criticized for not making a move on Hunter Pence or Carlos Beltran, but on the day of the deadline they got the next best guy, Michael Bourn. Bourn is currently hitting .303, with an OBP of .362. The hitting for the Braves has not been terrible, but it's obvious that pitching has carried this team. The Braves are currently hitting .244 as a team which is 25th in the league. However, Bourn most likely won't improve power numbers, he has only hit 1 Home Run this season, to go with 33 RBIs.

5. Rangers Restructure the Bullpen with Adams and Uehara : I had these two deals tied for 5th, and it just worked out that they both involved the Rangers. Not a lot of people know about these guys because of the teams that they played for, but they are two of the great relievers in baseball. Mike Adams worked as a set-up man with the Padres and has been sensational. This season, Adams has an ERA of 1.29 while also compiling 50 strikeouts. But the Rangers made another move, acquiring Orioles set-up man Koji Uehara. Uehara has pitched 48 innings this season and has struck out 64 batters, while only walking 8. Combine these two with last year's AL Rookie of the Year, Neftali Feliz, and the Rangers bullpen is looking pretty good.

Written on August 3rd