All's quiet in New York as trade deadline passes

At 4:01 p.m this afternoon, all was quiet in Flushing and the Bronx, except for a minor deal that brought utility man Jerry Hairston Jr. over from the Reds to the Yankees in exchange for minor league catcher Chase Weems. The blockbuster moves happened elsewhere. Jake Peavy finally decided he wants to win, as he lifted his no trade clause to accept a trade to the White Sox. Victor Martinez is now a Red Sox. The Detroit Tigers acquired LHP Jarrod Washburn in exchange for Luke French and a pitching prospect. So at 62-40 the team with the best record in the AL decided to stand pat, and at 49-52, the Mets decided now wasn't the time to trade what few prospects they have left.

I am not surprised, and am pleased as a Yankee fan that GM Brian Cashman decided not to pull off a major trade. This team is arguably the best team in baseball right now, having won 11 of 13 since the All-Star Break. So the Red Sox got Victor Martinez. I still think the Yankees have a better lineup and better pitching, and in my opinion are the favorites to represent the American League in the Fall Classic. There was no need to acquire someone like Roy Halladay, who would have cost the Yankees either Joba Chamberlain or Phil Hughes. Manager Joe Girardi also didn't feel the team needed to make a move, saying this just the other day before the deadline:

"I'm not sure we'll do anything. As of right now we're playing very well and...there's always ways that you're trying to better your club, but sometimes things don't work out and you sit tight. I don't think there's a sense of urgency."

Girardi is right on the money. There is no sense of urgency right now. Remember, teams can still make trades through August 31st, except those players must now clear waivers. The Yankees could still pick up someone like Reds starter Bronson Arroyo, should they feel the need. With this team rolling the way they are, the Yankees can win the World Series with the pieces they already have in place.

The Mets however, seemed more inclined to make a move than the Yankees, and they didn't pull the trigger on a deal. The Amazin's have won 6 of their last 7, catapulting them back into the playoff conversation. At 49-52, and sitting just 6.5 games back of the Rockies for the wildcard, the Mets had been linked to such names as Victor Martinez, Nick Johnson, and a slew of left handed relievers. Speaking to reporters at Citi Field today after the deadline, GM Omar Minaya had this to say:

“The cost would have probably been too high… You have to take in to account where you are in the standings, and you have to take in to account the prospects you have… One thing that has been good about this process has been that I got a good feel for a lot of the teams and how much they like our prospects. But, some of those prospects that some teams wanted were too high to give them, and we have some pretty good young prospects… Unless it is someone we were going to hold on to beyond one year, we’re gonna hold on to as many prospects as we can.”

Give Minaya credit for acquiring OF Jeff Francoeur a couple weeks ago, as he looks like a player, and a steal for what they gave up in OF Ryan Church. However, it has to be frustrating for a Mets fan to watch the deadline go by, and see Victor Martinez get traded to the Red Sox, and Nick Johnson get traded to the Marlins. Judging by the players given up for Martinez and Johnson, the Mets certaintly could have pulled off a move. In the quote above, Minaya talks about the Mets good young prospects. These players he is referring to, like 22 year-old RHP Brad Holt and 19 year-old Jenry Mejia, were probably the prospects other teams would have wanted.

The Mets have one of the weaker farm systems in baseball, so I can understand why Minaya would want to keep onto the few prospects he does have. However, if Minaya's job is in jeopardy, I would think that he would pull the trigger on a deal to acquire someone of Martinez's caliber, in an effort to sneak into the postseason as the wildcard. The Met's can still make a trade during the waiver period, but it remains to be seen just who is out there that can really give this team a lift down the stretch. More importantly for the Mets is that they get some of their injured players back, like Jose Reyes and Carlos Beltran.