Breaking down the trade: Mike's side

Mike was at one point the punching bag of the league, but we have to admit he has drastically improved the squad.

Getting Delmon Young as a throw-in to his last trade turned out to be a great move, and now he acquires (what we think) is his third keeper for next year.

If Mike's roster doesn't change from this point forward, we think he'll have Jon Lester, Jered Weaver and Ian Kinsler. The first two he can keep for as many years as he wants.


"The team has definitely improved over the last month," Mike said. "But we still needed to best prepare ourselves for next year."

Mike was making a run toward an improbable playoff spot, but he will lose this week, making it that much more unlikely.

Even he admits that the trade was made with the future in mind. Weaver is 9-7 with a 3.19 ERA and 1.09 WHIP and 155 strikeouts. Great numbers, and now he joins a rotation with such names as Lincecum, Verlander and Lester. Pretty dirty.

"We viewed Jared as a top starting pitcher and hopefully someone to help us get into the division race next year," Mike said.

All things considered, Mike has to be happy with the direction of his team now than five or six weeks ago.
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Breaking down the trade: Andy's side

For the second year in a row, Andy and Mike swung a deadline deal, and for the second year in a row it was similar.

Andy is making a run for hitting this season, while Mike is trying to restock his pitching for the future. Andy sent Jered Weaver and Bobby Abreu to Mike for Vlad Guerrero and Marlon Byrd.

It's the second time this month Andy has traded a strong pitcher. First Tommy Hanson, now Weaver.


"Six losses in a row, so I had to do something," Andy said. "The division is still up for grabs."

Andy acquired two outfielders having good years, but both are in big slumps. Guerrero hasn't homered since July 9, and his average has dropped 31 points this month.

Byrd has just six hits and three RBIs since July 16.

Still, assuming those players end their slumps at some point, it's an obvious upgrade in hitting for Andy.

"I don't know what happened to my team," Andy said. "I was hitting the crap out of the ball earlier in the season, and now all I do is hit singles."

Whether his pitching is good enough to survive is a different question. Andy went this route last year, when he traded Tim Lincecum to Mike. And he ended up losing in the first round of the playoffs - because of pitching.

Only time will tell this year.
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