Deadline winners and losers

Trade deadline day at the Jackrabbits' headquarters.

This year's trade deadline was a bit quiet, but that doesn't mean some big names aren't switching places. Let's break down deadline day's winners and losers:

Winners

MattroStars - Injuries have been the Stars' toughest opponent this year, as everyone's man crush Chase Utley went down, as well as pitchers Rich Harden, Randy Johnson and Kenny Rogers. Huston Street's injury has prevented him from taking back his full-time closer gig, and while up-and-comer Shaun Marcum (10-4, 3.31 ERA, 1.07 WHIP) has held the spot quite nicely, a temporary closer could make a big difference and help the Stars' SP depth. Adding RP Todd Jones (31 saves, 4.38 ERA, 1.40 WHIP) and 2B Placido Polanco (.344/.389/.466, 7-51-4) should temporarily fill two holes (however both missed games with the flu this week). Jones will likely be worthless next year and Polanco will never see the lineup with Utley in town, but it's a move the Stars needed to make. The biggest deadline catch was 29-year-old SP Brad Penny (14-3, 2.61 ERA, 1.22 WHIP). The Stars are hoping his second-half woes of 2006 (6-7, 6.25 ERA) are more of an aberration than reality. Along with Halladay, Oswalt, Smoltz, and the Kings (Felix and Vazquez), he should help replace some of that storied MattroStars pitching depth. The Stars nearly traded Marcum and Jose Tabata for Slum Lords SP Mark Buehrle, but balked after the Lords demanded a draft pick. "A blessing in disguise," owner Matt Grisafi said of the negotiations. "We'd rather have Penny than Buehrle, and keeping Marcum was icing on the cake."

Daddy's Little Boys - Looking to keep pace with the Evil Empire, the DLB went with a rock solid veteran in 32-year-old Tim Hudson (14-5, 3.02 ERA, 1.15 WHIP). Yes, he had a bad '06, but this year's numbers are right in line with the rest of his career. Hudson is a model of consistency and his month-by-month career ERAs are all under 3.70. Dealing him for Ryan Dempster and pitching prospect Jacob McGee could turn out to be a bigger addition than Penny. The injury to SS Edgar Renteria was niftily filled with Orlando Cabrera off the waiver wire without much drop-off, and SP Ben Sheets return will only add to a nasty staff of Johan Santana, CC Sabathia, Curt Schilling, AJ Burnett, Kelvim Escobar and Hudson.

Bashful Satanists - Hudson could help for the next couple years, but to seriously contend, they need future studs and McGee looks like he could be that, having K'd 145 in 116 games at high-A. He was recently promoted, and after a rocky debut (2 IP, 4 ER, 5 H, 6 BB, 4 K), he rebounded with a more McGee-like line of 6.1 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 7 K. Dempster is just 30 and may return to the rotation next year if the Cubs turn to Marmol and/or Howry at closer. Trading Chipper Jones would have been a help, but there was simply no market for him. Ryan Braun nearly brought the Satanists a huge haul from the Lynchmob, but they ultimately backed off their pursuit of the young phenom. Likewise The Herzogs reportedly were "as close as possible" to dealing Scott Kazmir, Noah Lowry and a second-round pick for Braun.


Could have done more

Norris Slum Lords - In the end, gone are Tom Glavine, Mike Mussina, Trevor Hoffman and Bill Hall. In are Ian Snell and Dave Bush. Snell (7-10, 3.87 ERA, 1.30 WHIP) will make or break this deadline for the Lords. Still, it's a better deadline plan for them than last year, which saw them dealing a promising youngster (Jeff Francoeuer) for an average catcher (Ramon Hernandez). Turning down a deal as minor as Ryan Garko for one of their three second basemen (Orlando Hudson, Aaron Hill, Dustin Pedroia), was just plain dumb, especially with two teams in need of 2B (MattroStars and Lynchmob), and especially when you're starting one of those 2B at utility every week.

Elephant Balls - The aforementioned Garko (.304/.374/.494, 14-44 in 342 AB) was worth taking a chance on when your other option is Lyle Overbay. The difference between Polanco and Iguchi is minimal, especially with Ian Kinsler on board. To get anything for Todd Jones at this point in his career is a bonus for the E-Balls. Wade Davis (7-3, 2.44 ERA, 148K/140 IP) is a big power thrower whose secondary pitches will determine whether his future lies in the rotation or bullpen. Still being in the hunt made it tough to deal away a Gary Sheffield, Carlos Guillen, Andy Pettitte or Mariano Rivera, but there's still no reason to be carrying both Jorge Posada and Kenji Johjima.

T-Baggers - Too little, too late. The 22-year-old Ian Kennedy (12-2, 1.87 ERA, 150K/134.2 IP), 19-year-old Tabata (.307/.371/.392, 5-54-15) and a first-round pick were a solid enough haul for Penny, but the fire sale started entirely too late, making Penny one of the few remaining trading chips the team had left. Guys like Todd Helton, Ty Wigginton, Mike Lowell, Raul Ibanez, Jermaine Dye, Bob Wickman, Jeremy Accardo and Kevin Gregg should've been gone weeks ago.


Losers

AC's Gun Show - Nick Markakis is the 15th-best fantasy OF in just his second MLB season. To trade him for the LaRoche brothers was just foolish. Markakis, 23, is not the kind of player you get rid of for a prospect, least of all one at a loaded 3B position. When you already have Chase Headley there, it makes it look even dumber. The Gun Show have done well to rebuild (adding Gio Gonzalez and Lastings Milledge for marginal starters), but they just took a significant step back with this move. That Eric Byrnes for Conor Jackson deal is looking pretty bad too.

Limerick Lynchmob - The 'Mob have been awfully quiet lately, and while they added depth in Glavine and Mussina for Dave Bush, they still have glaring holes at second base and catcher. That staff is hardly to built to battle the likes of the DLB and MattroStars, and you could argue they could use another bat at the utility spot.

Jackrabbits - You can tell they haven't played with the big boys before. The Rabbits sat on their hands and watched the Stars and DLB separate themselves from the rest of the pack. The mid-season addition of Byrnes was big, and they're still deep on young talent, but a move to add a guy like Chipper Jones for the stretch run could have been huge for this team.

The Blunted Stophers - Your playoff hopes are a pipe dream, so what do you do? If you're Sal Goldstein or Randy Stopher, you trade one of your best young starters for a 40-year-old closer. Brilliant!