Grade the overall trade deadline 2024

[CaptainRedbeard]

29 minutes ago, Frobby said:

That said, I’ll predict that Jimenez only lasts 3-4 weeks before we cut him and bring up Mayo.  By the way, since coming off the IL on June 23, Jimenez has an ISO of .042.   I have serious doubts that he’s healthy.  

Do we know how much money they are taking on for Jimenez? This would make sense if it were basically league minimum, but I assume it is more than that. If so, that would indicate they view him as more than a 3 week stopgap. 

[Moose Milligan]

8 minutes ago, dystopia said:

Call me crazy but I think we could see a rejuvenation. He could use a change of scenery, Chicago is a team that’s not worth getting out of bed for. 

No lies detected here.  

[interloper]

I voted A- because all 4 pitchers are clear upgrades on the guys they are replacing, and all are/can be under control in 2025. In a playoff-bound year where we were decimated by pitching injuries, and given the insane cost of pitching at the deadline and how comparatively little we gave up, I think that's enough to give Elias an A-. 

I don't particularly love McGough for Jimenez - that's very much in the same realm as Duquette's Davies for Parra deal - but Jimenez is younger and has way more offensive upside. And McGough is a reliever not a starter. 

Edited July 31 by interloper

[RVAOsFan]

I vote B/B+.  I admit I was little salty after the Rogers trade giving up Norby and Stowers but that was mostly because I have been a fan of Norby since college and was really hoping he would some how stick around Baltimore and have a nice career here.

Elias did a great job of trading from positions of depth to improve the major league roster where there were weaknesses.  This team was rolling during the stretch prior to when Bradish, Means and Coulombe went down.  I don't know if Eflin is as good as Bradish but he isn't a bad alternative.  Rogers and the 2 BP arms we acquired should go a long way in improving our overall pitching.  We no longer really have any rotation holes, with our offense we should have a good chance of winning everyday with our rotation.

[waroriole]

1 hour ago, Frobby said:

No doubt Mayo is much better than Jimenez.  I think they got him instead of promoting Mayo for two reasons:

1.  Like you said, service time issues.   They’d rather preserve Mayo’s rookie status for 2024 by keeping him down at least another 2-3 weeks.

2. The role here is basically part time DH vs. LHP.   They’d rather have Mayo in Norfolk playing defense every day than sitting on the bench 2/3 of the time.

That said, I’ll predict that Jimenez only lasts 3-4 weeks before we cut him and bring up Mayo.  By the way, since coming off the IL on June 23, Jimenez has an ISO of .042.   I have serious doubts that he’s healthy.  

It seems strange to spend so much money on the off chance that preserving Mayo’s rookie status for next year gets you an extra draft pick in 2026. Not sure how much the White Sox are kicking in, but it’s an odd choice. I can somewhat understand the not wanting Mayo to be here only in a platoon role, but the thing is he doesn’t have to be in a platoon role. He can start taking some ABs from Mountcastle too. This never ending cycle of having the top ranked farm system and being scared to death to use them is getting old. It’s exacerbated by the fact that the guys playing ahead of the top prospects are mediocre vets. 

[btdart20]

Eflin is a strong B+.  Only SP better that moved is Flaherty.  But he's already squatted here once.  A bit costly, but not a back breaker.

Rogers is OK for a #5.  I figured we would only get 1 SP, but see the need for depth and team control.  Final grade due issued at the end of the term.

Dominguez and Soto or solid but was hoping for better.  A on the trades, but B- on the get.

Eloy - I like the value.  His ceiling is pretty high as a hitter (compared to other trade options).  Hate the fielding aspect...  I can't imagine him actually giving Cowser or Mullins a day off in the field.  Round peg in a square hole IMO, but need to see how they plan to use him.

Pache, Slater...  one will probably stick as a platoon toon. They other?

Glad to see that trading vets is on the menu.  Hays already liking Philly.  Have to think Norby and Stowers will get some play in MIA.

I like the Cook/Reilly portfolio rebalance too.

We should see some MiLB promotions when the dust settles a bit here.

NYY got better with their trades.  But Cole's health might trump all that...

BOS tweaked the edges.  I need to look at them a bit more.  They are trusting their young position players.

[interloper]

1 hour ago, Frobby said:

No doubt Mayo is much better than Jimenez.  I think they got him instead of promoting Mayo for two reasons:

1.  Like you said, service time issues.   They’d rather preserve Mayo’s rookie status for 2024 by keeping him down at least another 2-3 weeks.

2. The role here is basically part time DH vs. LHP.   They’d rather have Mayo in Norfolk playing defense every day than sitting on the bench 2/3 of the time.

That said, I’ll predict that Jimenez only lasts 3-4 weeks before we cut him and bring up Mayo.  By the way, since coming off the IL on June 23, Jimenez has an ISO of .042.   I have serious doubts that he’s healthy.  

Mayo is better long term than Jimenez, obviously, but is he better down the stretch against tough lefties that he has never seen before in his life? I honestly would push back against that. 

I would have been in favor of promoting Mayo much, much earlier in the season and letting him get acclimated. But Elias didn't do that, so now I think I'd rather have the experience, pitcher knowledge, and lower heart rate of a veteran like Jimenez in a big moment. 

And if that doesn't work out over the next month, you promote Mayo. Nothing to lose really. 

Edited July 31 by interloper

[LookinUp]

12 hours ago, Birdland in NC said:

I gave it a D because we didn’t get a closer, and we really don’t have any chance in the playoffs with Kimbrell closing games. So I feel like we kind of gave up on this season and are looking to regroup next year.   
 

I docked the grade a little for this reason too (I'm B-), but I do think the O's got two guys with very live arms, one of which was a 2 time all star closer as recently as 2 years ago (Soto). That's low key very well done without paying the exorbitant price the Padres paid.

Overall, we added 4 arms. That improved 2 SP spots and 4 relief spots. That's a very consequential deadline, and we have all 4 for next year too. Just thinking about that makes me think I'm way under grading this deadline.

Then there's Jimenez. I get that he's expensive and having a "down" year. That said, his hard hit % is toward the top of the league and his exit velos are too. He's just hitting too many ground balls. While this might end up being a waste of money, he's also the one guy who could turn into a real impact bat. Crazier things have happened, so I see what Elias sees. 

And Holliday's up, and Mayo will be. I see Slater and Urias as guys who likely won't be around much in September. I also think that at this point, Elias is just going to earn the extra year on Mayo and hope he's impactful when he gets here. 

[LookinUp]

Jimenez is hitting .304 against LHPs this year, fwiw. The issue is he's not hitting for power even though he's hitting the ball very hard. His fly ball data is pretty bad, so he's basically hitting hard ground balls.

[CaptainRedbeard]

24 minutes ago, LookinUp said:

Jimenez is hitting .304 against LHPs this year, fwiw. The issue is he's not hitting for power even though he's hitting the ball very hard. His fly ball data is pretty bad, so he's basically hitting hard ground balls.

He has a 59.6% ground ball rate - third highest among all players with 200+ PAs this year - and 6th percentile sprint speed. Wonderful combination.

He definitely hits the ball hard but if they don’t figure out how to get him to elevate the ball again, he’s going to be nothing more than an empty batting average GIDP machine. 

[waroriole]

I know this thread is grade the Orioles trade deadline, but I’d be furious if I were an A’s fan, knowing they held on to Rooker and Miller. I don’t see how Rooker’s value will get higher than right now. And Miller, despite the finger injury to his non throwing hand, is unlikely to see his value increase. I know they want to try him as a SP, but that’s risky considering his injury history. Considering the returns that selling teams were getting, I don’t know how the A’s couldn’t pull something off there. 

[dzorange]

2 hours ago, Moose Milligan said:

I think Eloy is pretty washed, even at 27.  I'd love to be wrong and see some sort of a rejuvenation here but I wouldn't bet on it.

I think I disagree. In his five other seasons, he's been at worst a league average-ish hitter in each of those five. This year he's been terrible, but he's still hitting lefties. Decent power. He's an interesting platoon.

Aaron Hicks was randomly effective for the O's last year, but they've found something with O'Hearn. There may be something here.

Edited July 31 by dzorange

[dzorange]

30 minutes ago, waroriole said:

I know this thread is grade the Orioles trade deadline, but I’d be furious if I were an A’s fan, knowing they held on to Rooker and Miller. I don’t see how Rooker’s value will get higher than right now. And Miller, despite the finger injury to his non throwing hand, is unlikely to see his value increase. I know they want to try him as a SP, but that’s risky considering his injury history. Considering the returns that selling teams were getting, I don’t know how the A’s couldn’t pull something off there. 

If I were an A's fan, I'd be going from being a furious fan to being a furious fan.

[waroriole]

37 minutes ago, dzorange said:

If I were an A's fan, I'd be going from being a furious fan to being a furious fan.

Yeah I don’t know how much more I could take as an A’s fan. Such a shame what MLB has allowed to happen to one of the more iconic teams. 

[Orioles West]

15 hours ago, ChicagoTerp said:

Gave it a C.

Eflin: A

Dominguez: B

Rogers: C

Jimenez: D

Slater: F

G. Soto: B

This is about where I rated each move, Jimenez and Slater as the big head scratchers -- B-/C+ overall for me.