MLB.com article on the 10 worst deadline deals.

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LINK

 

First off, I don't know why there was a need for the article now and not at the deadline. Maybe they wanted to illustrate playoff implications of trades, I dunno. However, I don't think the writer really put much time and thought into it. Take for example:

8. Octavio Dotel -- The Braves needed bullpen help at the trade deadline this year, so they swapped pitcher Kyle Davies to the Royals for Dotel. He pitched in six games and then went on the disabled list with a strained shoulder.

Really? This is the 8th-worst deadline deal of all time? This is the Davies with a 6.16 career ERA in 283 IP? Sure, he's young and has had minor league success, but Davies is no blue chip prospect.

 

9. Ted Lilly -- The A's were involved in a three-way deal with the Yankees and Tigers on July 5. They got Lilly, who was a decent No. 4 starter. They gave up Jeremy Bonderman.

OK, so Lilly was pretty mediocre in Oakland, but he wasn't a complete disaster. Bonderman is young and was rushed to the bigs. He could be a very good pitcher someday, but considering he has thus far produced ONE above-average season (in OPS+), it's too early to say this was one of the dumbest trades of all time. Five years from now, maybe you can look back and say this was moronic. For now it just looks like a lot of other dumb trades.

 

 

10. Sidney Ponson -- The Giants traded pitchers Damian Moss, Kurt Ainsworth and Ryan Hannaman for Ponson. He went 3-6 with a 3.71 ERA in 10 starts, then lost his only playoff start to the Marlins in the first round.

Is this guy really that stupid? Sounds like Ponson did his job to me. He never had a season with an ERA that low. Ainsworth was horrible for Baltimore, Moss was garbage. Who is Ryan Hannaman? SF fleeced Baltimore in this deal, and I can see no way you could see it the other way around.

 

In my opinion, none of these are even as bad as Vaughn for Florie, Newfield, and Villone. Vaughn wasn't great the year after the trade, but in '98 he had a .960 OPS (158 OPS+) and finished 4th in the MVP race while SD went to the world series.