Winners and Losers at the Major League Baseball Trade Deadline

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By: staff Posted: August 3, 2009

Winners and Losers in Trade Deadline

The deadline for trading in MLB just passed and we've seen blockbuster player movements. Fantasy players for MLB are now scrambling to make some changes in their roster because this year's deal was more than just simple player movements. Some teams actually came out a lot better after the deadline while others are a little bit worst after the trade.

Cliff Lee of the Philadelphia Phillies

Trade Deadline Winners:

Phillies - clearly the runaway winner after the dust has settled. The Phillies didn't get Roy Halladay, which could have been perfect for the Phillies' system but they might end up spending too much. They settled for second best - but still great Cliff Lee. After the deadline, the team still has Kyle Drabek and Happ which places the team in a better position without spending too much. Lee is not that experienced but his continuous solid performance should be an improvement for the team.

Red Sox - this year's player movement for Red Sox is more of an improvement in what they already have rather than an upgrade of new skills. The acquisition of V-Mart (Victor Martinez) will help the team significantly improve not because he has added something new but improved what the team already has. The batting average and other offensive percentage are small but significant contribution. It's expected that V-Mart will be first base with Red Sox which will allow other players to focus on other positions.

Cardinals - the trade of Matt Holliday for Brett Wallace is often seen as a gamble for the Cardinals. But it's better to gamble a bit rather than stay in a situation where you know you'll still be mediocre. The presence of Holliday should boost the team's chances of reaching the playoffs. Staying with Wallace is still good for the playoff run but nothing much after that.

Matt Holliday of the St. Louis Cardinals

Losers after Trading Deadline

Rays - the Ray's techniques in trading to improve their team is a little bit confusing. They did have a good chance of improving their team significantly as they have attracted Halliday and V-Mart. But they decided to stay put and let the trade deadline pass them.
Angels - the case of Angels is a mix of what they have right now and what they will have in the future. The team will be having three free agents after this season (Lackey, Guererro and Figgins) and their bullpen has been very inconsistent. They also had opportunities in getting Heath Bell or Michael Wuertz but opted to stay put.

Brewers - the team is still in good hands since they want to build a team around Escobar and Gamel. But they could have added support personnel instead of adding Vargas. Of course, Vargas is a good addition but might not be enough because other teams are getting Holliday and Grabow.

These teams will definitely feel the pinch as new players are now adjusting with their new teams. The winners will most likely display an improvement after a few weeks while the losers - well, they just have to make some adjustments to prevent further damage.