The off-season is coming to a close.
Pitchers and catchers need to report to Spring Training in less than a month.
While the free agent market was red-hot all winter, there is has been a noticeable lack of trades.
It got me thinking about what have been the biggest trades since 2000.
I don’t necessarily mean the most lopsided but the ones that ended up having the biggest impact.
This trade makes me so sad.
In his eight full seasons with the Reds, he only averaged 105 games a season.
The Reds didn’t make the playoffs once with Griffey.
Before this trade, the Royals hadn’t won 85 games in 26 seasons.
The next three seasons would have the Royals winning the pennant twice and the World Series in 2015.
James Shields was very good for the Royals but the key piece of this trade was Wade Davis.
From 2014-16, Davis had an ERA of 1.18 (not a typo) in 185 games.
Not only that but in 25 post-season innings with the Royals, he had an ERA of 0.36.
(7/31/2015) Detroit Tigers trade Yoenis Cespedes to the New York Mets for Michael Fulmer and Luis Cessa.
But in those first seasons, he turned that lineup into something to be feared overnight.
As for Michael Fulmer, he wound up winning Rookie of the Year in 2016 for the Tigers.
Sale has obviously broken down the last few years.
Moncada and Kopech have both been decent but underwhelming.
But this trade has to be at least be mentioned because of Sale’s first two seasons in Boston.
In 2017, he went 17-8, 2.90 and a league leading 308 strikeouts.
Sale wound up being runner-up to Corey Kluber for the Cy Young.
The following season, he was dominant before getting hurt as the Red Sox won the World Series.
Sale started the All-Star Game in both seasons.
Here are the Top 10:
10.
I had to include this trade on the list because it’s such a heist.
It would have been even worse if the Indians didn’t give up on Brandon Phillips too early.
Phillips went on to win four Gold Gloves for the Reds.
All that for a half season of Bartolo Colon.
(12/21/2007) The Cincinnati Reds trade Josh Hamilton to the Texas Rangers for Edinson Volquez and Danny Herrera.
This wasn’t even the first time Rizzo was traded.
He was drafted by the Red Sox but got dealt to the Padres in the Adrian Gonzalez trade.
From a career perspective, Rizzo is one of the weaker players on this list.
This was the rare trade that worked out for both teams.
Hanley Ramirez was fantastic with the Marlins.
He won Rookie of the Year and eventually a batting title.
Anibal Sanchez was even a nice pitcher in Miami and threw a no-hitter there.
But the reason this trade makes this list is the Red Sox haul.
Both Beckett and Lowell were major contributors to the 2007 World Series title.
Beckett was the ALCS MVP and Lowell was the World Series MVP.
It didn’t end great for either guy with Boston.
It’s hard to comprehend how quickly the Diamondbacks got so good.
They had already won 100 games in 1999 but couldn’t get out of the NLDS.
They needed Curt Schilling to pair with Randy Johnson to get them over the top in 2001.
A-Rod left the Yankees a broken down cheater who was just short of 700 home runs.
He won two MVP’s in his time with the Yankees and had 100 RBI’s seven times.
If Miggy won a World Series in Detroit, he’d be number one in this list.
Cabrera has been incredible for the Tigers for a very long time.
This is the greatest example of the Marlins trading away great players far too early.
The less said about Dontrelle Willis with the Tigers, the better.
This has to be the most lopsided trade of the century, right?
Verlander has won two Cy Youngs and the first two titles in Astros history.
His ERA in Houston in 102 starts is an amazing 2.26.
Breaking the Curse of the Bambino.
Winning ANOTHER title in 2007.
Curt Schilling is the only guy on this list twice and he’s not in the Hall of Fame.
