Here is a quick summay of all the major deals that have happened in Major League Baseball the past few weeks as teams rush to add players fro the playoff hunt.
July 9th
Texas Rangers Accuire Righties Cliff Lee and Mark Lowe from the Seattle Mariners for Righties Blake Beavan and Josh Lueke, Infielder Matt Lawson, and top first base Prspect Justin Smoak.
July 25th
Anaheim Angels Accuire RHP Dan Haren from the Arizona Diamondbacks for RHP Rafael Rodriguez, Lefties Joe Saunders and Patrick Corbin, and a player to be named.
July 29th
Texas Rangers Accuire 3B Jorge Cantu from the Florida Marlins for Righties Evan Reed and Omar Poveda.
Philadelphia Phillies Accuire Star Righty Roy Oswalt and cash for LHP J.A. Happ, OF Anthony Gose and SS Jonathan Villar.
Chicago White Sox Accuire RHP Edwin Jackson from the Arizona Diamondbacks for RHP Dan Hudson and LHP David Holmberg.
After, Cliff Lee, the top pitcher on the trade market was swapped from the Seattle Mariners to the Texas Rangers for a load of prospects including the highly touted Justin Smoak, teams in the hunt for a pitcher to add a little something to their rotation had to look elsewhere. Luckily for those teams another top of the line starter is out there for the picking. That starter is Roy Oswalt of the Huston Astros. This season has been a down year Astros (39-56) and Roy Oswalt, although is 6-11 record doesn't show it, is having a very good season. So far to go with the pretty pathetic record Oswalt has an earned run average of 3.12 and only allows an average of just over a baserunner an inning. He also strikes out just under a batter per inning for good measure.
Although the teams are thrilled that a pitcher of his caliber is on the market they are less than happy over his demands and the demands of the Astros. What has delayed any deals from happening so far is Oswalt's demands that the team that picks him up exercises his $16 million option for 2012. This has had a big impact on team's abilities to trade for him to the two teams that have the most interest in him, the St. Louis Cardinals and the Philadelphia Phillies, don't know if they can pick up the option because of how much money they have had to and will continue to invest in players that are already there. The teams are also wary to invest three good prospects, the price the Astros are asking for a pitcher that is nearing the end of his prime (he is about to turn 33).
If a deal cannot be made for Oswalt teams have plenty of other decent options that can make a significant impact to a borderline playoff team in a tight race. These pitchers include Dan Haren (Diamondbacks), Ben Sheets (A's), and Ted Lilly (Cubs). Haren could be a #1 starter for pretty much any team in the league and although he is not having even close to his Cy Young Caliber performance last year (he is 7-8, 4.60 ERA) that is a lot in part to bad luck. This batting average against on balls in play has jumped 70 points to .350 from just .280 last season. Ben Sheets, like Haren is off his form this year too. Usually a stellar pitcher, Sheets just hasn't had his stuff this year since returning from surgery. He is 4-9 with an ERA above 4.5 but if he has a new chance with a contender, I would not be surprised to see his season turn on its heels. It is also very likely that he is traded because Oakland picked him up pretty much only so they could get prospects in return for him. Unlike the other three pitchers listed above, Ted Lilly of the Chicago Cubs has never been, and never will be a great starter. What he can promise you though is very good production from the middle of the rotation (he has an ERA well under 4.00 and a WHIP of 1.12) and he can pitch over 200 innings a year providing some much needed relief for your bullpen in a tight pennant race.
Even though they didn't have a chance to land Cliff Lee if your team lands one of these solid players you can be sure that they will have much better production than your #5 starter (except for in St. Louis with Jamie Garcia), but only time will tell who made the move that helps propel their team to a postseason berth, through the playoffs, and to a World Series Championship.
-A
