For the Shadow team, if I'm the Padres, I'm jumping in on the Angels deal to pick up David Murphy, using Will Venable. As of now, both are .5 WAR Players this year. Venable is a little younger and is a FA at the end of the season, while Murphy has a $7 million team option next year, which I suspect the Angels will decline. As such, I'm dealing off Will Venable for Eric Stamets.
This means I'm forgoing whatever deal gets offered in the next 2 hours on Will Venable, after all, you can't deal away an asset you don't control.
I've been on the Stamets bandwagon for a while. He's a ++ defender, who reminds me a lot of the guy who I'll introduce as the backup MI on my all time team in the next couple weeks. He's also exceptionally fast, making him a perfect punch runner. When the downside of a player reads something like "let's you carry a player like Dan Murphy as an offensive minded 2b, can slot in with a good D minded SS to for a terrific DP combo, and can also be a very good pinch runner"... we have a winner.
Remember, while most people think of quality platoons as LH/RH... there's also the option of Off/Def platoons too.
Long term, I'd like of Stamets as a guy who could end up starting a couple games per week (especially with a GB pitcher on the mound), giving regulars at 2b and SS a break, and also being a killer weapon off the bench in close and late situations where a team needs a pinch runner.
Also, given the reports out there that the Marlins could consider moving Marcell Ozuna, I'm keeping my eyes open. He's a young, cost controlled, 5 tool player, and he's only 24. If he gets moved, there's an excellent chance my fake Padres team will pounce to match the deal the Marlins get (remember, players like Max Fried and Jace Peterson are still in my system... I'm no AJ Preller).
Moves I like
Moving on to real life. I have to say, I really like what the Mets have done so far. I know they're getting killed for the Wilmer Flores debacle (as I said in a Facebook comment... People shouldn't be mocking Flores.. most players cry when they get traded TO the Mets), but I appreciate that the team stood by their doctor's recommendation, and made an unpopular decision. Also, they've added a quality 3b Platoon (with Johnson and Uribe, 3b is covered adequately) while also adding length to the bench. They added a quality pitcher in Tyler Clippard to extend their bullpen. Sandy Alderson is a smart guy, and I think he's playing things perfectly.
The Orioles held on to their best young players, but also added a quality OF who can play all 3 spots, and has hit out of his mind this year. While Toronto went All-In, Dan Duquette made a super smart pickup without mortgaging the future too much. (and yes, I WILL always be a Duquette apologist... Even if his media savvy could stand to improve, I adore the guy as a GM)
Kudos are deserved in Kansas City, where stat heads' least favorite GM, Dayton Moore, made a pair of aggressive moves to show his team and fanbase that he's serious. Cueto is a phenom, and Zobrist makes any lineup he's a part of better. If Alex Gordon comes back healthy in time for the final couple weeks and the playoffs... the Royals would be a super legit competitor to make their second straight world series.
As of this writing, the Cubs have simply added Dan Haren. A discussion I regularly have with people stems from something I learned at SOSH, the easiest improvement is moving from awful to league average. If the Cubs, now 2 games out of the wild card, make the playoffs, there's a great chance it will be because they have one of the better number 5 pitchers in baseball, in Dan Haren. Good move Theo.
Moves I'm on the fence for
I like that the Blue Jays went all in, but goodness, they've lost a TON of talent over the long term. Jeff Hoffman has potential-ace capabilities, and Matt Boyd is a personal cheeseball (H/T John Manuel from BA for the 'Cheeseball' title). I see a lot of Alan Embree there. That said, Toronto has proven in the past to be a baseball town, and the idea of waking a sleeping giant of a fanbase, with the goal of kicking off a sellout streak like the days of old and being able to add payroll was a good gamble.
Moves I don't like
If you're the Phillies, you needed to add young talent with every move. For Cole Hamels, they didn't get a single guy that, to my eye, will be a core member of the next great Phillies team. Getting Joey Gallo instead of a couple extra lottery tickets is something I would have tried to do.
Cincinnati- What are you doing kids? Walt Jocketty has a FAR more extensive resume than I do, so he deserves the benefit of the doubt. But, in total, he's dealt away Johnny Cueto and Mike Leake for Brandon Finnegan, John Lamb, Cody Ross, Adam Duvall and Keury Mella. It's a classic "quantity over quality" approach, and one I'm not smitten with. If the return is Finnegan and Mondesi from KC and Christian Arroyo from SF, I'm FAR more on board. I didn't love what he did here (I'm sure he'll bookmark this post and send me a nice note when 4 of those guys are all-stars).
As of this posting, it's 2:38 ET, and word on the street is that we'll see many, MANY more deal at the deadline. I'm sure there will be more to discuss.
