The Rangers also acquired OFs David Murphy and Engel Beltre in the Gagne deal. Murphy is not an impact player and projects as a platoon player or 4th OF. Beltre is a 17-year-old who is the lottery ticket in this deal. One of the more highly coveted players in last year’s International signing period, Beltre will start climbing our annual prospect lists. He is too far away to even project as a probable major leaguer, but he does have impact potential. The problem is that we may not know what he is going to be until Fenway turns 100 in 2012.
The Mariners acquired Jesus Merchan from the Phillies in exchange for Julio Mateo on Tuesday, the baseball equivalent of the philosophical question about trees falling in the woods. You hear anything? Me neither.
It was bizarro trade deadline trading in the AL East on Tuesday. The Red Sox passed on getting a bat and traded for a reliever and the Yankees passed on a reliever and got a bat. The Bombers gave up Scott Proctor to the Dodgers for Wilson Betemit. This is small help for the Yankees and Betemit will only register on the fantasy impact meter if a Yankee goes down somewhere along the line. Otherwise, he’ll scavenge for ABs vs. RHP at first base.
Joakim Soria returns to the closer role in KC as a result of the trade of Octavio Dotel to the Braves. Joakim is 10- for -13 in save opps this year with a 2.44 ERA and 1.04 WHIP in 44.1 IP. His 10.3 K/9 is closer worthy, as is his 0.4/9 HR rate and .199 OBA (with a fairly neutral .281 BHIP%). He does walk 3.0/9 and sports just a 0.85 GB ratio but those could be worse. Most importantly, he has been handed the Royals primary closers job with only Zach Grienke around to apply pressure. Soria should be owned in all formats.
The Rangers finalized the much-anticipated Mark Teixeira deal on Tuesday receiving Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Elvis Andrus, Neftali Perez, Matt Harrison and Beau Jones in return. Jon Daniels did fairly well in this deal if all of these players turn into who we think they can be. Again though, I fall back on the Braves’ uncanny ability to trade prospects who seem better than they are. Andrus (SS) and Perez (SP) are teenagers with tremendous up side. Andrus should develop into a terrific MLB SS but he may not be a terrific fantasy property unless he maximizes his offensive potential. Starters Harrison and Jones are good solid MLB prospects but they have not yet gained a ton of traction.
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