Charm City 2053.5 - The Trade Deadline

[DaveB]

We went into the trade deadline looking to add players this season for the first time since I took over as the GM of the Jimmies. Last season I was a bit hesitant to add because I wasn't completely sold that the team could/would be a contender. They surprised me and we had a solid 2052. I went into the deadline hoping to possibly add at catcher and centerfield. I also was interested in adding a starting pitcher if the right one became available. We ended up adding none of those positions, but added to our bullpen. The bullpen was actually the area where I felt we had a solid amount of depth.

The Trade:

We added relief pitcher Clarence Pritchard in exchange for two low lever minor league prospects To-wai Phan and Vanya 'Greeves' Elliott. I didn't go into the trade deadline looking to add in the bullpen as I mentioned earlier, but adding Pritchard I feel was the right now. It was a move that was made as much for this season as it was for next year. This offseason I'm expecting to lose Wayne Dorsey and Pat 'Muscles' Waites to free agency. Both of those players had been staples in the back of our bullpen at different times the last two seasons. I'm hopeful that with some work with our pitching coach Neil Barclay that Pritchard will be able to rekindle his solid performances of his first 4 seasons.

What Didn't Happen:

Pretty much everything else. I looked hard to add. The asking price for the free agents to be was a bit high due to the rebuilding teams seeking the equivalent of sandwich picks. For a month and playoff baseball I felt it was in our best interests to keep our prospects and try to make this team an annual playoff contender instead of loading up for a season or two then falling back. We're still hoping to make the push for the division title this year.

[BaseClogger]

If the drafts are as bad as the old timers make it sound those sandwich picks are less valuable than ever. I do like that comp drives up the price of rentals a little because trading good players to the good teams for basically no prospect return is depressing.

[Dington]

If the drafts are as bad as the old timers make it sound those sandwich picks are less valuable than ever. I do like that comp drives up the price of rentals a little because trading good players to the good teams for basically no prospect return is depressing.

I’m not sure they’re less valuable than ever. They’ll be alright relatively when the mega stars are retired.

[Trebro]

If the drafts are as bad as the old timers make it sound those sandwich picks are less valuable than ever. I do like that comp drives up the price of rentals a little because trading good players to the good teams for basically no prospect return is depressing.

I’m not sure they’re less valuable than ever. They’ll be alright relatively when the mega stars are retired.

I think this is going to be one of the most interesting pieces of the BBA in a few seasons: How the talent "decrease" plays out. I have some Thoughts but I don't want to tip my own strategic hand more than I have already with regards to how I think it will go and how I think GMs should approach things!

[Trebro]

We went into the trade deadline looking to add players this season for the first time since I took over as the GM of the Jimmies. Last season I was a bit hesitant to add because I wasn't completely sold that the team could/would be a contender. They surprised me and we had a solid 2052. I went into the deadline hoping to possibly add at catcher and centerfield. I also was interested in adding a starting pitcher if the right one became available. We ended up adding none of those positions, but added to our bullpen. The bullpen was actually the area where I felt we had a solid amount of depth.

What Didn't Happen:

Pretty much everything else. I looked hard to add. The asking price for the free agents to be was a bit high due to the rebuilding teams seeking the equivalent of sandwich picks. For a month and playoff baseball I felt it was in our best interests to keep our prospects and try to make this team an annual playoff contender instead of loading up for a season or two then falling back. We're still hoping to make the push for the division title this year.

I wish we'd have chatted earlier, but I honestly wasn't planning much in free agency. Next time!

[BaseClogger]

If the drafts are as bad as the old timers make it sound those sandwich picks are less valuable than ever. I do like that comp drives up the price of rentals a little because trading good players to the good teams for basically no prospect return is depressing.

I’m not sure they’re less valuable than ever. They’ll be alright relatively when the mega stars are retired.

Sure, but they're not retired yet and I was responding to their value during this past trade deadline. Relative to free agents, their value is (as I understand it) at an all-time low.