Trade Deadline Report Card

The All-Star break is nice, but the trade deadline really marks the beginning of the playoff push. With roughly 2/3 of the season gone, I think it's a good time to evaluate the major roster moves the team has made:

Marlon Byrd for Endy Chavez: Byrd's down in AAA, and Chavez plays mostly as a pinch-runner and defensive replacement for the Phillies. Basically, each took on the other's role. Grade: C

Claudio Vargas: It seemed like a good idea at the time. I, Claudio sucked in DC. But the much maligned former Nat turned in a solid July for the D-backs, with a 2.01 ERA in 5 starts. Hopefully that will be a career highlight, not the beginning of a trend. Grade: TBD

Junior Spivey and Ryan Drese for Tomo Ohka: The Spivey-Ohka trade wouldn't have happened if Drese hadn't been available on waivers. For my money, Drese and Ohka are basically a wash, and Spivey was a capable fill-in for Jose Vidro, then he had the decency to get hurt so we could give his roster spot to someone else. Grade: B-

Zach Day and J.J. Davis for Preston Wilson: We've already beat this trade to death. Wilson has added speed to the team, but he hasn't been the big bat we needed, and he's been mediocre at best on defense. Remember that he was also supposed to be the everyday CF to take some of the wear and tear off of Wilkie. But now Brad's back in center with Preston in left. I can't shake the feeling that we maybe could have gotten Matt Lawton or Jacque Jones in a package for Day. Grade: C -

Mike Stanton: Certainly the best of J.B.'s waiver-wire work. A solid veteran, Stanton hasn't been lights out, but he's given us two established left-handers in the pen for the first time this season. Grade: B+

Wil Cordero for Kenny Kelly: Not a trade, just a pair of waiver moves. Wil was picked up by the Mets, and is down in Norfolk playing for the Tides. Kenny's providing OF depth in New Orleans, where he has 3 walks and a stolen basen in 2 games. Kenny's 26, Wil's 33 and I'm all in favor of youth movements. Grade: B