Who Won The Trade? Angel Zalapa(OMA) for Eric Wagner(LOU)

[HerbD]

It took less than two months of baseball for Omaha to realize that aging superstar Angel Zalapa could no longer cut it as a short stop. With Cyclones legend James Monger entrenched at second there was no where for Zalapa to go but the bench or to another team. On July 7 Louisville held a slim 1/2 game lead in the Heartland Division when they sent a single prospect to Omaha for Zalapa.

The Trade:

Louisville received: IF Angel Zalapa

Omaha received: OF Eric Wagner

Winner: Zalapa played better for the Sluggers than he did for Montreal and Omaha combined. He posted a 2.4 WAR in 288 PA for Louisville compared to 1.4 WAR combined the rest of the season. He upgraded the defense at second base significantly for the Sluggers while also upgrading his game at the plate in the post season(.278/.381/778 in six games). Zalapa has a team option for $27 million that Louisville, without making significant moves, cannot pick up. Omaha went on to win 92 games and eventually the Brewster championship so again, it's hard to pick a winner. Wagner is a 55 potential player who will never hit lefties well but is a leader in the clubhouse at 18 years old. This one I will call a wash as both team's did really well and Zalapa was certainly not the reason that Louisville didn't advance in the playoffs.