[tacklesspoem8]

I admit it. As the 16 season came around I got a little impatient with all the losing in the Lou and that led too me making some trades to aquire vets at positions of need that maybe were not the best ideas for the long term health of the franchise.

I did look back at those deals towards the end of the 17 season and here is what my thoughts on them were by then.

St. Louis offseason trades in review

I thought it would be interesting to see how the trades i made this offseason have worked and what my view of them is a year removed

Trade 1: St. Louis and Brooklyn

St. Louis gets

Albert Pujols: .312/.346/.426 1.4 war
Larry Slaughter: 6-8 5.61 era with 1.1 war

Brooklyn gets

Jose Silva AAA Sp 2.33 era 13-3 record 4.9 war ( #5 rated prospect in USOB
Jesus Rivera AAA SP 4.11 era 8-4 record 2.5 war
Juan Vazquez AAA OF .297/.374/.646 4.1 war(at AA)

I am obviously fustrated with Slaughter performance so far as he has been a huge disappointment. He had averaged roughly 4 war a season up until this year when he goes out and lays an absolute egg for me. I honestly don't think Silva is as good as he looks on paper but still Brooklyn wins this deal hands down. Pujols has been very good for me though. Winner: Brooklyn

Trade #2:

St. Louis and Calgary

St. Louis gets
Felix Hernandez SP Usob 8-8 4.32 ERA 3.5 WAR
George Kelly CF AA .288/.394/.426 2.3 War


Calgary gets

Ken Byrne CF USOB .347/416/615 5.4 WAR
Sung Hwa Hung Sp Usob 8-7 4.55 1.4 WAR

This trade is much more balanced as both teams are benefitting from the players they got. That being said Byrne has been an absolute stud for Calgary and while Felix has been better as the season went on I don't know that I can say he has been worth the projected 8.6 WAR Byrne is
on pace for. Kelley is more valuable in my opinion than Hung as I feel he will have a better overall career and long term I feel I am satisfied with this trade as it got me a top of the rotation guy to pair with Braun. Winner Even slight edge to Calgary cuz of Byrnes amazing year


Trade #3

St. Louis and Scottsdale

St Louis recieves

Rapheal Bridges SP USOb 5-5 5.04 era 1.2 War

Scottsdale recieves

Lorne Abbott SS #13 prospect in usob A ball .236/.292/.350 .8 WAR

Johnny Williams A- AA Cl 10 sv 3.21 era

This is the deal that 5 years from now i will hate myself for, but I knew that when I made it. Due to the amazing play of Carrol, and the projected studliness of Brewer, Abbot was the odd man out in the middle IF. He is a stud we all know that but he is developing fairly slowly and I felt my window
to win will be in the next 3 years when he would still be learning the ropes in the minors. Williams is the same way, a young guy i didn't want to wait on.That being said I still think we have not seen the best of Bridges and I do expect his numbers too come down quite a bit next year as he gets more exp. If I am right I should be in position to compete next year and that is worth any talented prospect too me and the fans in the Lou
Winner: Hard to say me when Bridges has a 5 era

Trade # 4

St. Louis and Havana

ST. LOUis got
Fernando Vazquez OF USOB .278/.334/.476 2.0 WAR

Havana got

Steve Carlisle SP A-AA 2.2 WAR 3.62 War

Chris Douglas CL A .2 WAR 4.50 ERA

I feel this trade has been my best of the offseason as Vasquez has filled in nicely for the departed Byrne and he has been a key cog in my offense this year. Carlisle is pitching well and may possibly make it into a rotation but I still would make this trade any day

Winner ST. LOUIS (for now)


Overall we are now on pace to have a winning season in the Lou and we are still in the playoff talks come the trade deadline. Which is a major step forward for the 3 year old franchise. I honestly feel we have the pieces in place to make the jump next year from pretender to contender and we did that by aquiring pitching options that were ready now. I hope I am right as if not I will be kicking myself over Byrne, Abbott, and Silva for a long time but it was still time to make a push and I don't regret the choices I made, well (Byrne 8.4 war ) not too much lol .
+ - 0


I also made a deal to aquire yet another starting pitcher and potential stud in Pablo Cubi but i will talk about that in the 2017 post coming soon.

Sorry about all the catchup and history reports but i am getting close to being caught up with the league now and hope you all are able to bear with me until we get caught up in real time