Deadline musings

The Cubs paid a lot for Chapman but it was the kind of trade that you make if you are the Cubs.  The three prospects they gave up (not counting Adam Warren, the 4th player in the deal)  are relatively far away from the majors, even though Torres is a top prospect.    This for a rental in Chapman who likely could and I would bet WOULD end up back with the Yankees this winter as a free agent.   The Cubs would not get a draft pick for him as they acquired him in the middle of his free agent walk year.    So, it is all or nothing this year for the Cubs but in doing this trade they really didn't hurt the next 2-3 years of the ML team as none of these guys would likely have impacted the Cubbies in that time period.   In fact, as we know about prospects, these guys are as likely to underwhelm as overwhelm as they move up the latter.

On the other hand, I think the Blue Jays got a steal in the Melvin Upton trade.   The Padres essentially gave him away paying a lot of salary and getting back only an OK prospect for a guy under contract through next year.   Maybe the Padres figured they sold high on Upton.   I think they got robbed on this one and I am a little upset the Tribe couldn't have easily bested the Blue Jays offer and still not put any size dent in their farm system.

But this is the way of the August 1st deadline trades.   Some teams overpay, some teams underpay.  As fans we just scratch our heads at the underpayment and hope our team doesn't overpay the way the Cubs did for just a rental. 

For those of you who would consider doing this kind of deal, if we had done one last year we night not have Lindor, or Ramirez or Naquin right now.   I can't imagine anyone else we could have gotten who would make me think that we had gotten a good deal had we traded one of these three.    So maybe PLAY the young guys and forget the deadline deals.  Remember that all teams have warts.  I can't believe some of the guys I see being starting players for contenders.  So maybe we just run with our warts and hope for the best.   Hey, if we could get Braun, Lucroy and a reliever and not completely gut the farm system I would be all for it.   But how to do that and who we would have to give up is the question.