MLB Trade Deadline Passes

By: Tyler Ward

Well, the MLB trade deadline has officially passed and there have been some big trades that could affect some potential playoff races. Some teams like the Yankees and Dodgers won at the deadline, but teams like the Red Sox and the Rays lost out. There were also a few players that were expected to get traded (i.e. Adam Dunn and Jayson Werth), but nothing ever transpired.


- Chicago trades P Ted Lilly & INF Ryan Theriot to Los Angeles for INF Blake DeWitt, P Brett Wallach, & P Kyle Smit


The Dodgers announced at the trade deadline that they have acquired consistent pitcher Ted Lilly and young infielder Ryan Theriot in exchange for infielder Blake DeWitt and two young pitching prospects.

Lilly has had an up-and-down season so far and has failed to get run support with the Cubs. In the Natrional League, Lilly has the second-worst run support in the league, only in front of newly-acquired Phillies pitcher, Roy Oswalt. He is 3-8 on the season, but has a steady 3.69 ERA. The acquisition of Lilly adds much-needed depth to the Dodgers pitching staff, which has been inconsistent this season. He adds a valuable left arm to a staff that already includes Clayton Kershaw, Hiroki Kuroda, and Chad Billingsley. Lilly signed with the Cubs before the 2007 season and was 45-34 in a little over three seasons with the team. The Dodgers also get infielder Ryan Theriot in the deal, who is an above-average hitter, along with a fantastic base runner. However, Theriot is having one of the worst seasons of his career, only batting .284 with one home run and 21 RBI. He is expected to fill a back-up role for the Dodgers. The Cubs will also send $2.5 million to the Dodgers to help with Lilly's $4.25 million salary.


For the Cubs, they receive once highly-touted prospect Blake DeWitt, along with two minor leaguers. Although a natural third baseman, DeWitt has been playing all over the infield and is thought to be Theriot's replacement. He will more than likely be placed in the starting lineup for the Cubs. Chicago already has Aramis Ramirez penciled in at third base, which means DeWitt will be the starting second baseman. DeWitt has played in only 82 games this season and is hitting .270 in 256 plate appearances. He also has just one home run with 30 RBI.


- Houston trades 1B Lance Berkman to the New York Yankees for P Mike Melancon and INF Jimmy Paredes


As speculated, Berkman was traded at the deadline, but many did not expect him to go to the New York Yankees. Berkman, who has been with the Astros his entire career, will play the rest of the season in New York. He is looking to get his first World Series ring - he came close once, but the Astros got swept by the Chicago White Sox in the 2005 World Series. The Astros will also receive cash considerations from Houston to help with Berkman's contract. He is in the final year of a 5-year/$85 million contract that he signed a few years ago - he is making $14.5 million this season.


Berkman is expected to be the Yankees' new designated hitter. He had spent his entire career at first base, but with Mark Teixeira holding down the fort, Berkman will have to be the DH, which is non-existent in the National League. He immediately adds a potent bat to an already-stacked Astros lineup. The Yankees acquired Nick Johnson in the off-season, but it is uncertain if he will return this season. He was placed on the disabled list on May 8 with a wrist injury. He had to have surgery on the wrist, so it is highly unlikely that he will return.


The Yankees lineup already includes players like Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Robinson Cano, and Mark Teixeira. The addition of Berkman just adds another bat to the lineup and the Yankees could very well win their second straight championship.


Berkman has a $15 million club option for the 2011 season, with a $2 million buyout. With the money remaining on his contract this season, the Astros will pay $4 million of his salary, with New York paying a little over $3 million.


- St. Louis trades OF Ryan Ludwick & cash considerations to San Diego; Cleveland trades P Jake Westbrook to St. Louis; San Diego trades P Corey Kluber & P Nick Greenwood to Cleveland


In the only three-team trade of the deadline, the Indians, Padres, and Cardinals have completed a trade involving two former All-Stars.


The Cardinals traded outfielder Ryan Ludwick to the surprising NL West-leading San Diego Padres. Ludwick immediately adds more power to the lineup that already includes underrated first baseman Adrian Gonzalez. He is available for free agency after this season - the Padres are hoping that the addition of Ludwick will help lead them to the NL West crown. Ludwick, 32, played his first season with the Texas Rangers in 2002, but is best known for his 3+ quality seasons in St. Louis. He was an All-Star in 2008 with the Cardinals, also. The Padres currently sit atop the division, 2.5 games ahead of San Francisco. Entering Saturday, the Padres have a 60-41 record and were the first NL team to win 60 games this season.


St. Louis acquired up-and-down pitcher Jake Westbrook from the Indians as part of the deal. Considered a very inconsistent and injury-plagued player, Westbrook has spent the majority of his career with the Indians - his rookie season was spent with the Yankees in 2000, but only lasted one year in New York. Even when he is not down with an injury, Westbrook has shown that he is not a capable front-of-the-rotation pitcher. Since his debut in 2000, he is only 69-71 with a sub-par 4.34 ERA. He will be the 4th or 5th starter on a team that already includes Chris Carpenter, Adam Wainwright, and Jaime Garcia. His best season came in 2004, when he posted a 14-9 record with a 3.38 ERA.


The Indians got two minor league players in the deal, pitchers Nick Greenwood and Corey Kluber. Greenwood is 4-4 with a 4.15 ERA with Single-A affiliate, Fort Wayne. Kluber is 6-6 with a 3.45 ERA for Cleveland's Double-A affiliate. He also leads the Texas League in strikeouts.


- Washington trades RP Matt Capps to Minnesota for C Wilson Ramos & RP Joe Testa


Also at the deadline, Washington traded All-Star Matt Capps to the Minnesota Twins in exchange for highly-touted prospect Wilson Ramos and pitcher Joe Testa.


In a small relief pitcher market, Capps was highly-prized - he was used as a closer this season and since the Twins lost Joe Nathan for the entire season, Capps will fill that void for the Twins. Capps was named to his first All-Star team this season and has posted excellent numbers. He is 3-3 with a 2.74 ERA this season and also has 26 saves in 30 opportunities. Relief pitcher Jon Rauch has been used as a relief pitcher, but since Nathan had Tommy John surgery, he has been used as the Twins' closer. Rauch has been nothing short of great this season, with 21 saves in 25 chances.


Capps spent 2005-09 with the Pittsburgh Pirates, but signed with the Nationals after the 2009 season. He is considered one of the best relief pitchers in baseball, albeit a 22-22 career record. He also has a career ERA of 3.47 in a little over five seasons.


The Nationals receive catcher Wilson Ramos in the deal, who is thought to be one of the best prospects in baseball. Earlier in the season, trade rumors were swirling around Ramos, as many people thought that he would be involved in the trade that would have brought Lee to Minnesota. However, if Ramos would have stayed in Minnesota, he would not have gotten much playing time behind reigning AL MVP, Joe Mauer. For Triple-A Rochester, Ramos hit .241 with five home runs and 30 RBI. Ramos was called up in May when Mauer was out with an injury, but he only went 8-for-27 in that stint.


- Baltimore trades 3B Miguel Tejada to San Diego for P Wynn Pelzer


In a not-so-surprising move a couple of days ago, San Diego acquired third baseman Miguel Tejada from Baltimore for Double-A pitcher Wynn Pelzer.


The Padres were rather busy at the deadline, acquiring outfielder Ryan Ludwick from the Cardinals. Tejada, who has played at shortstop for most of his career, will more than likely go back to that role. The Padres already have Chase Headley as their third baseman, with Jerry Hairston Jr. lining up at shortstop. If Tejada makes the starting lineup, Hairston will be the one to get replaced. Apparently, the Padres could also use Tejada in the outfield - and even confessed to power-hitter Adrian Gonzalez that he had played in the outfield during the winter.


San Diego has heavily relied on shortstop Everth Cabrera, but his season has been lackluster and his batting average has sky-rocketed down to a Mendoza Line-capable, .199. To make room for Tejada, Cabrera could be the one to get sent down to the minors.


Before the 2010 season, Tejada returned to the Baltimore Orioles for the second time. His second stint in Baltimore didn't last long after signing a 1-year/$6 million contract in January. Tejada hasn't been to the playoffs since 2003, when he played for the Oakland Athletics. Since then, he has played for the Orioles and Astros and is still looking for his first championship. He signed a 6-year/$72 million contract with Baltimore in 2003, but was dealt to Houston in 2007 for five players.


Tejada is scheduled to make a little over $2 million for the rest of the season and San Diego is expected to only pay a little less than half of it. The Padres will also pay Tejada $150,000 because of a clause in Tejada's deal that said he will receive the bonus in case he got traded.


Pelzer was taken by the Padres in the ninth round of the 2007 draft. He was 6-9 this season with a 4.20 ERA.


- Kansas City trades OF Rick Ankiel & RP Kyle Farnsworth to Atlanta for RP Jesse Chavez, OF Gregor Blanco, and P Tim Collins


In a five-player deal, Rick Ankiel and Kyle Farnsworth were traded to Atlanta - this marks the second time Farnsworth has gone to Atlanta, as he was dealt there from Detroit at the trade deadline in 2005. The Royals receive three minor leaguers in the deal and will also send cash considerations to Atlanta to complete the deal.


Ankiel joins an already crowded outfield in Atlanta that includes rookie Jason Heyward, ex-Yankee Melky Cabrera, and Eric Hinske. They also have Nate McLouth, but sent him down to the minors a few days ago. If Ankiel breaks the starting lineup, he will probably replace journeyman Hinske in left field.


The Royals signed Ankiel to a 1-year/$3.25 million deal before the season, after not being re-signed by the St. Louis Cardinals. Since being drafted in 1999, Ankiel only played in only 4 out of 6 seasons from 1999-2004. He also played in a total of 55 games in that span and sat out from 2005-06. After returning in 2007, Ankiel has hit 51 home runs and 163 RBI - his best season came in 2008 when he hit 25 home runs with 71 RBI and helped the Cardinals to another playoff appearance. However, he has been limited to only 27 games this season, batting .261 with four home runs and 15 RBI.


Farnsworth, one of the hardest throwers in baseball, will likely be the eighth inning set-up pitcher for the Braves. Atlanta has one of the best bullpens in baseball and Farnsworth adds even more consistency to the NL East-leading Braves. Their bullpen leads the National League with 21 wins and places second in ERA, only behind San Diego. He is also 3-0 with a 2.42 ERA this season with the Royals.


Kansas City got three players in the deal and are hoping they will benefit in their rebuilding stage. Chavez has played only one season in the majors, which was with Pittsburgh last season. Blanco has spent a total of eight season in the minor leagues - his first full season in the major league was in 2008, when he competed in 144 games, hitting one home run along with 38 RBI. He has played sparingly since that season, playing in a total of 60 games the past season and a half. For Collins, this is the second time in three weeks that he has been traded, as he was part of the trade that sent Yunel Escobar to Toronto. The pitcher is 1-0 with a 2.29 ERA in the minors this season.

- Arizona trades P Edwin Jackson to Chicago White Sox for P Daniel Hudson and P David Holmberg

The Diamondbacks reported that they had traded pitcher Edwin Jackson to Chicago for two minor leaguers, Daniel Hudson and David Holmberg.

Jackson, who pitched a no-hitter earlier this season, needed a change of scenery after having a few dismal performances. Jackson is 6-10 with a 5.16 ERA on the season. The White Sox are hoping that Jackson can be a pitcher, albeit a 4th or 5th starter for the contending Chicago team. Jake Peavy is out for the season, so Jackson will have to fill the void Peavy left behind.

- Cleveland trades P Kerry Wood to New York Yankees for a player to be named later or cash considerations

Wood barely even got the chance to come off the disabled list before he was shipped to the "Evil Empire" on Saturday. The Yankees pretty much got the former phenom for nothing, as they can send a player or $500,000. Cleveland will also send New York a little over $2.1 million - New York will also pay $1.5 million of the $3.6 million he is due to make for the rest of the season. His contract also includes an $11 million team option for 2011.

The former Cub was once supposed to be the best pitcher in baseball, but injuries derailed any chance he had to become a Hall-of-Famer. The Indians took him off the disabled list on Saturday - it was Wood's 15th trip to the disabled list since his career began in 1998, and the second time this year.

Starting the 2007 season, the Cubs named Wood as a relief pitcher, effectively ruining his days as a starting pitcher. He has not started a game since that season.

Before the 2009 season, Wood left the Cubs and signed with the Indians. Since his arrival, Wood has made 81 appearances, posting a 4-7 record. He hasn't fared to well this season, posting sub-par numbers of 3-3 with a 6.30 ERA.

The Yankees would like to use him as a setup man to Mariano Rivera, a position that Joba Chamberlain has failed to do this season. The other pitcher, David Robertson, could also be that setup man, but they will likely choose Wood to take advantage of that role.

- Florida trades INF Jorge Cantu to Texas for P Evan Reed & P Omar Poveda

In a deal prior to the deadline, the Rangers acquired Jorge Cantu from the Marlins for two minor league pitchers, Evan Reed and Omar Poveda. In order to make room for Cantu, the Rangers recalled pitcher Brandon McCarthy and then placed him on the 60-day disabled list.

Although going on a hot streak at the beginning of the year, Cantu has cooled down and perhaps wore out his welcome in the sunshine state. Cantu's biggest flaw is his errors, as he has committed 16 of them this season. He has shown he can bat really well, but his fielding has become a problem. The Rangers are hoping they can work on it and transform Cantu into an error-less infielder.

Cantu has played the majority of the season at third base, but has also played a small amount at first base. Throughout his career, he has been utilized as a second baseman, but he hasn't played at that spot since 2007. Since the Rangers sent first baseman Chris Davis down to Triple-A, Cantu will probably spend time at first base - Davis has been an inconsistent hitter this season, thus leading to his demotion. The addition of Cantu means that the Rangers have upgraded their batting against left-handed pitchers, as Davis has hit poorly against them.

Evan Reed is considered by most to be one of the best relievers in the minor leagues, as he has posted a phenomenal 1.62 ERA for Florida's Double-A affiliate, Frisco. Poveda hasn't pitched this season, as he is recovering from Tommy John surgery.

- Kansas City trades OF Scott Podsednik to Los Angeles for C Lucas May & P Elisaul Pimentel

The Dodgers got much-needed help before the deadline, acquiring Scott Podsednik from the Kansas City Royals. The Dodgers have been plagued with injuries in the outfield, as Manny Ramirez and Reed Johnson are both out of the lineup.

The speedster, Podsednik, had been a bright spot for the Royals this season, stealing 30 bases and batting .307. He can virtually play all three outfield spots, but is particularly known as a center fielder. Although he isn't a home run machine, he can still contribute by stealing bases and helping the team with his veteran leadership. However, Podsednik can be considered a "journeyman", as he has played for Seattle, Milwaukee, Chicago White Sox, Colorado, Kansas City, and now, Los Angeles - he has only been in the league since 2001. He won a World Series ring with the White Sox in 2005.

This winter, Podsednik signed a 1-year/$1.75 million deal with the Royals, including a $2 million team option for the 2011 season. He is roughly owed $750,000, including the $100,000 buyout option - Podsednik could void the contract if he wants to, which would make him a free agent.

But, the Dodgers give up one of their best prospects, Lucas May, in the deal as well. May, who many consider a top catching prospect, was thought to be the successor to Russell Martin. For Triple-A Albuquerque, May batted .296 with 11 home runs and 45 RBI. A.J. Ellis will probably be Martin's backup after the trade.

- Cleveland trades 3B Jhonny Peralta to Detroit for P Giovanni Soto

In another pre-deadline deal, Detroit acquired third baseman Jhonny Peralta in exchange for minor league pitcher Giovanni Soto.

Peralta will serve as Brandon Inge's back-up until he comes back from his broken hand injury. The Tigers have also been injury-plagued as of late, with Inge, Carlos Guillen, and Magglio Ordonez all being placed on the disabled list.

Peralta is in the final year of his 5-year/$13 million contract, with a $7 million club option for next season. He is supposed to make $4.6 million this season. To make room for Peralta, the Tigers designated outfielder Wilkin Ramirez for assignment and proceeded to trade him to the Atlanta Braves on Saturday.

The former Indians player is batting .249 this season with 9 home runs and 46 RBI.

Other Notable Trades:

- Pittsburgh trades P Octavio Dotel to Los Angeles for RP James McDonald and P Andrew Lambo

- Detroit trades OF Wilkin Ramirez to Atlanta for a player to be named or cash

- Texas trades C Jarrod Saltalamacchia to Boston for 1B Chris McGuinness and 1B Roman Mendez

- Arizona trades RP Chad Qualls to Tampa Bay for a player to be named

- Baltimore trades P Will Ohman to Florida for P Rick VandenHurk

- Arizona trades C Chris Snyder and SS Pedro Ciriaco to Pittsburgh for INF Bobby Crosby, OF Ryan Church, and P D.J. Carrasco

- Cleveland trades OF Austin Kearns to New York Yankees for a player to be named

- Washington trades INF Christian Guzman to Texas for P Tanner Roark and P Ryan Tatusko

Lou Piniella Retiring At The End Of Season

By: Tyler Ward

Chicago Cubs manager Lou Piniella announced Tuesday that he will retire at the end of the season. He has spent 40 years in the majors, 18 as a player and 22 as a manager.

This is the last year on Piniella's contract that he signed in October 2006 with the Cubs. So far, he is 307-271 as the Cubs' skipper, capturing two NL Central titles in 2007 and 2008. Chicago has performed dismally since then and they are currently struggling this year under a new owner, the Ricketts family. The Cubs are also in the midst of going 102 years without a World Series title, and looking at it now, they are going to be waiting longer. They are currently fourth in the NL Central, with a 42-52 record.

"I'm proud of our accomplishments during my time here and this will be the perfect way to end my career," Pinella said. "But, let me make one thing perfectly clear: our work is far from over. I want to keep the momentum going more than anything else and win as many games as we can to get back in this pennant race."

Entering Tuesday's game against the Houston Astros, Piniella is 1,826-1,691 as a manager and he trails only Bobby Cox, Tony La Russa, and Joe Torre in victories among active managers. He will also retire as the 14th winningest manager in MLB history.

Piniella won AL Rookie of the Year honors in 1969, playing for the Royals - he batted .282 with 11 home runs and 68 RBI. In 1973, he was dealt to the New York Yankees and ended his career there in 1984.

He had only been retired two years before George Steinbrenner hired him as the Yankees skipper in 1986. He lasted three seasons in the big apple and also played the role of General Manager for New York for a brief amount of time.

In 1990, he was hired by the Cincinnati Reds to become their next manager and led the Reds to a World Series title in his first year with the team, sweeping the heavily-favored Oakland A's four games to zero. In 1991, the Reds went 74-88, their only season that they didn't go to the playoffs under Piniella. Even though the Reds posted a 90-72 record in 1992, he left and began a long tenure with the Mariners.

Piniella was hired by Seattle before the 1993 season and won the AL Manager of the Year in 1995, when the Mariners posted a 79-66 record. In 2001, he won the award again after the Mariners won 116 out of a possible 162 games. They safely won the AL West crown that year, but they dropped the first two games in a series against the Yankees. At a press conference, Piniella showed his distraught and said that they would win two out three games at Yankee Stadium, but that was not the case and New York went on to win the series, 4-1. Seattle has not been to the playoffs since that season.

Following the 2002 season, Piniella left the Mariners to manage the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. As compensation, Tampa Bay traded outfielder Randy Winn to Seattle for infield prospect Antonio Perez. In his first few seasons, Piniella helped Tampa Bay slightly improve and they won 70 games in 2004, a franchise record at the time. They also did not finish last in the division for the first time since their inception in 1998. During the 2005 season, Piniella began butting heads with Tampa Bay's front office, accusing them of focusing too much on the future instead of trying to help the team win immediately. The Devil Rays started the season with a $30 million payroll, almost seven times less than the high-spending New York Yankees.

On September 21, 2001, Piniella stepped down as Tampa Bay's manager, even though he had one more year remaining on his contract. Both sides agreed to Piniella receiving a $2.2 million buyout and $1.25 million in deferred salary from 2003.

Before signing a contract with Chicago in 2006, general manager Jim Hendry announced that Dusty Baker, the manager at the time, would not be retained. Piniella ended up being his first and only choice for the position. Piniella left a brief stint of announcing for the managerial job, signing a 3-year contract worth about $10 million. In the following weeks after the hiring, Hendry and the Cubs committed over $300 million to players, hoping they could end their long World Series drought.

Chicago gave Aramis Ramirez and Alfonso Soriano humongous deals, but they were never able to help the Cubs get back to the biggest stage in baseball. They won the NL Central division in back-to-back years (2007-08), but failed to reach the postseason last year and it isn't looking too good this year. Through Monday, the Cubs are 10.5 games back of the division-leading St. Louis Cardinals and are 10 games under .500.

Latest News On Carlos Zambrano

By: Stephen Patterson

Since his suspension last month for getting into an altercation with teammate Derrek Lee, there hasn't been much news on Carlos Zambrano of the Chicago Cubs. It has now been learned that Zambrano will pitch in a simulated game on Monday in Arizona. He is then expected to start pitching for Triple-A Iowa later in the week. He will probably make a few appearances there before returning to the Cubs.

As a condition of his suspension, Zambrano had to complete anger management treatment before the team would consider allowing him to return. He has had a tumultuous season to say the least. Zambrano has been back and worth between the starting rotation and being a reliever. He had been Chicago's ace for the past few seasons, and was rewarded with a five-year/$91.5 million extension in August 2007. 

This season, in twenty-two appearances with the Cubs, nine of which he started, Zambrano has gone 3-6 with a 5.66 ERA. Upon his return to Chicago, he will return to the bullpen as a reliever. If he has any more outbursts during the season, I would expect the Cubs to suspend him for the remainder of the year. 

Unfortunately for Chicago, getting rid of Zambrano will be difficult. His extension included a full no trade clause, meaning he has to approve any move they attempt to make to rid themselves of the troubled star. He is also still owed $35.875 million on the remainder of his deal. If you're a Cubs fan, be prepared to deal with the high tempered pitcher for at least two more seasons.

Zambrano Suspended Indefinitely

By: Stephen Patterson

Chicago Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano has been suspended indefinitely following a dugout meltdown and confrontation with teammate Derrek Lee during todays game against the Chicago White Sox.
The source of the dispute between Zambrano and Lee is not known at this time, but the two had to be seperated by teammates in the visitors' dugout following a poor 1st inning for Zambrano in which he gave up 4 runs. While Zambrano has been well behaved so far this season, there is a history of such episodes with his temper. In 2007, Zambrano and former teammate Michael Barrett got into a fight in the dugout and continued it in the clubhouse. Last season, he was suspended by the league for 6 games following an outburst against the Pittsburgh Pirates. In the middle of a 5 year, $91.5 million extension, Zambrano has already had a rocky start to his season even before today. Following a poor start to the year, the Cubs moved him to the bullpen, only recently bringing him back into the starting rotation. While the Cubs probably couldn't move to terminate his deal over today's tirade, they should explore the option of benching him for the remainder of the season. These short team suspensions apparently haven't taught Zambrano to learn to control his temper, so keep him away from the team until he makes a serious effort. Being upset over a bad inning and ranting to his teammates is one thing, having to be seperated from one of his own is another story. While GM Jim Hendry said it would be hard to keep a player away from the team in today's league with a "long, long-term suspension", the Cubs should ask Bud Selig for an exception. I'm all for a guy yelling at his team to pump them up, but there's no excuse for starting a near fight with a player on your own team. Even if the team has to pay Zambrano the remainder of what he is owed this season, it would be worth the money in my opinion to make the next 2 seasons a little more tolerable with him around. Selig and the Cubs need to set an example that this kind of behavior, especially repeated poor behavior, won't be tolerated.