My Trade Deadline Winners and Losers

An eventful 2011 trade deadline season has come and gone. Many high-profile stars switched uniforms in the past week, highlighted by outfielders Carlos Beltran, Hunter Pence, and Colby Rasmus and ace starter Ubaldo Jimenez. And it was great to see several of the usual deadline sellers, such as the D'Backs, Indians and Pirates, become aggressive buyers.

Now we're left to sift through the madness. But, as is the case with every season, there are a few clear-cut winners and a few that find themselves squarely on the other side of that token.

Here are my picks for each.

Trade Deadline Winners

1. Texas Rangers: The Rangers acquired two of the more sought-after late-inning relievers when they traded for the Orioles’ Koji Uehara and the Padres’ Mike Adams. They missed out on Heath Bell (the Padres were asking way too much for him), but Uehara and Adams should bolster the back end of the Rangers' bullpen as they streak toward the postseason. The only negative may be the questions surrounding Uehara’s ability to pitch in high temperatures, but hopefully the air in Arlington will cool off as we approach October.

2. Toronto Blue Jays: The Jays were extremely active leading up to the deadline. When the dust settled, they found themselves with several interesting pieces, none more so than center fielder Colby Rasmus. The Cardinals were a little too willing to part with their five-tool outfielder, perhaps due to some internal issues with manager Tony LaRussa, and the Jays were waiting with open arms.

3. Philadelphia Phillies: Hunter Pence became the biggest offensive prize at the deadline, and though it cost them a lot of young talent, the Phillies pulled the trigger on acquiring an impact, right-handed bat. He’ll slot into the middle of the order and take over right field. The best part of the trade for the Phillies is that they didn’t have to give up prized outfielder Domonic Brown.

Honorable mentions: San Francisco Giants, Baltimore Orioles, Atlanta Braves

Trade Deadline Losers

1. St. Louis Cardinals: As discussed above, for whatever reason, the Cardinals decided their team was better without Colby Rasmus. The worst part is, if they were resigned to getting rid of him, I would have expected them to bring in a little more in return. Starting pitcher Edwin Jackson is a solid option in the middle of the rotation, but he has also shown a penchant for being erratic. They also acquired shortstop Rafael Furcal from the Dodgers, which would have been a great pick up…five years ago.

2. New York Yankees: This may be a knee-jerk reaction, simply because I can’t remember the last time the Yankees simply stood pat at the deadline. While many of the other contenders added minor, and sometimes major pieces, the Yankees (shockingly, in the opinion of many) decided it was more important to hang on to their developing minor league talent. It leaves many wondering if the Yankees may have chosen a bad time to suddenly become invested in their future, considering their bullpen and rotation could use some help.

3. Houston Astros: Mired in the worst season in franchise history, and staring down 100 losses, the Astros traded away their most popular player, and the face of the franchise, in Pence. The hope is that the four guys they received from the Phillies make this day worth it five years from now, but in the interim, it’s a sad day in Houston. The Astros also dealt arguably the league's best defensive center fielder, Michael Bourn, to the Braves without receiving a significant prospect in return.

Dishonorable Mentions: Boston Red Sox