Arrived in San Fran at about 11:30 local time Sunday night, prepared for more Barry Bonds coverage. At the same time, I'll continue to monitor trade discussions around the industry, tame as they seem.
I'm in the middle of a new book from the Baseball Prospectus folks, titled, "It Ain't Over 'Til It's Over." Gotta deduct points for the Yogi-esque title, but it's another great effort, anyway. One essay covers the most lopsided trade-deadline deals, and it gives the all-time nod to the 1964 Cardinals, whose acquisition of Lou Brock (and Jack Spring and Paul Toth) from the Cubs for Ernie Broglio (and Bobby Shantz and Doug Clemens) paid huge dividends both in the short term and the long term.
What deadline trade do you remember the most? Perhaps it gave your club the edge it needed, or perhaps it killed your team. Personally, I'd have to go with the Yankees' swap of Jay Buhner (and Rich Balabon and Troy Evers) to Seattle for Ken Phelps on July 21, 1988. At the time, EVERYONE agreed it was a horrible deal for the Yankees. And it has been immortalized, thanks to "Seinfeld."
So what comes to mind for you? Kazmir for Zambrano? Doyle Alexander for John Smoltz? Whatever it is, it's looking like it won't be surpassed this year.
Comments (7)
Who told you to put the balm on? Did I tell you to put the balm on?
Although it happened prior to the July 31 deadline, the Mets trade of Tom Seaver will forever go down in the annals of Mets infamy !
Ah, but Poppy, that was a deadline deal, as the deadline back in those days was June 15.
THESE PRETZELS ARE MAKING ME THIRSTY!
The absolute worst trade in Mets history was:
June 18 1989 N.Y. Mets trade OF Lenny Dykstra and P Roger McDowell to Philadelphia for OF Juan Samuel
Dykstra was the spark of the team and McDowell was the anchor of the relief core...
Samuel was an absolute bust in NY gerry curls and all...
That trade was the beginning of a long stretch of suffering for Mets faithful and you know what? Every Mets fan knew that this trade was a huge mistake at the time it happened...
David Cone for Jeff Kent and Ryan Thompson. That trade officially burned the bridge of the winning 80's Mets to the pathetic early to mid-90's teams. Thompson was a bust and Kent turned out to be a very good player (though a terrible guy) for other teams. Cone kept on being a dominant pitcher, though he never looked as comfortable in any uniform other than Mets. (Sorry Yankee fans!)
One of the most notable last second deals of all time was Ray Sadecki for Orlando Cepeda