First Half Trades

With the All-Star break finished and the first half of the season behind us, it is time to review the moves that have been made.

Two AL East clubs have made quite a few moves in the 2 weeks prior to the break. The Philadelphia Black Lightning, who made numerous moves to bolster their pitching staff, which features 3 new starters and the Burlington Black and Blue Brachiosaurus who dumped a big contract and have moved to a much more defensive oriented club.

The Lightning made many moves in the last few weeks. Rumors had been swirling that team had, at first, been trying to move All-Star lf Walter Miller, with the Pittsburgh Pranksters being the top franchise to land Miller, but the deal feel through when both sides couldn't agree on who would pay the remainder of Miller's salary and which prospects would be exchanged in return for the money. The team then turned to two other All-Star players in 2b Ed Donovan and ss Che Kim. Donovan was the first to be traded to the Trenton Generals, in return for possibly the top 2b in the league Philly received three players, 2b Scott Tankersley, sp Joaquin Santos and closer Tom Owens. A good trade for both sides as Philly improved their depleted farm system by acquiring a top notch closer prospect in Owens and a potential front line starter in Santos, while Trenton added a huge bat, which would make them a Wild Card favorite. In the Kim deal Philly added rf prospect Alex Alfonseca, who were both sent to Portland Hippies and got in return Kim's ss replacement in Nick Hunter and sp Valerio Javier. Another good trade for both sides as Kim gives Portland one of the top hitting ss and makes them a good bet as a Wild Card winner, while Philly improved their starting pitching. Philly then made a move with conference rival Hartford Yellow Jackets. The teams swapped players where Hartford received sp prospect Emilio Limon, who's lack of control had made him fall out of favor with GM zhawks who got in return Ed Donovan's replacement in 2b speedster Brooks Fasano. A good trade for both sides as Fasano wasn't the everyday starter in Hartford, who needed starting pitching help.

But Philly wasn't done there as only two players received in those first two trades are still in Philly. The team sent 2b Scott Tankersley to the Florida FlyTekks in return for lefty starter Brian Baek. Another deal where Philly addressed their old starting rotation which has already seen 2 injuries this season. Florida got a stud young 2b/of in Tankersley, who adds another big bat to this young and getting younger franchise.

The team also dealt three players to the Nashville Nerd Herders in recently acquired sp's Joaquin Santos and Valerio Javier along with the big bat of 1b Vic Cedeno for ml pitchers Wayne Anderson and Wilt Pagnozzi and 1.5 million in cash. Nashville got the slightly better end of this deal as the pitchers were all fairly equal and they also landed the solid bat of Cedeno.

But Wilt Pagnozzi wasn't done there, Philly was his 4th team of the year and it wouldn't be his last. In the biggest trade of the year for the Lightning they acquired the Ace they had been sorely needing in Ted Phillips. They had to part with Pagnozzi (who has been on the Boise Spudchuckers, Burlington Black and Blue Brachiosaurus, Nashville Nerd Herders, Philadelphia Black Lightning and now the Louisville Long Balls) and 2 young position players in lf Don Atkins and 1b James Morton. Philly got the better end in the now as Phillips could be the player that helps them the most in the Playoffs of all the players they acquired but Louisville got a solid deal with two solid position players and Pagnozzi who can still be a frontline starter for the club.

The Burlington Black and Blue Brachiosaurus went out and traded for a plethora of good fielding players, in the hopes that their good pitching and good fielding could boost them into contention for one of the Wild Card spots. They acquired starting cf Troy McGowan from the Salem Witch Doctors in exchange for a couple of prospects. The team also acquired utility player Ismael Santos from the Fresno Griz in exchange for a prospect.

The teams biggest trade was in dealing the 'bad contract, he just doesn't fit into our park', as GM indiansrck27 called it, of 1b/c/dh Nick Philips to Salem for sp Jerry Liniak, 1b Hooks Womack and lf Moises Pizzaro. Burlington also gave up sp Arthur Olerud and paid part of Phillips contract.

The Dover Devils acquired lefty starter Austin Durbin from the Tacoma Amber Flashlongs for ss Frank Kim and lr Gerald Glover.

The Salt Lake City Polygamist, who look to be starting a rebuilding process while still being a competitive team, dealt sp Deivi Escobar to the Montreal Royals for three players in big league starter Greg Regan, 2b prospect Chip Hudson and big league reliever Robert Cairncross. A good deal both ways as Montreal added another pitcher in their quest to take home this seasons title and Salt Lake City added depth to their farm system and added a suitable replacement for Escobar in their rotation.

The Cincinnati Sinners dealt ss Roland Rivers to the Salem Witch Doctors, where he will play 2b, for sp prospects Santiago Tarraga and Timothy Vaughn. Great deal for both clubs as Salem is in a win now mode and Cinncy got good value for Rivers, who they had been looking to trade during this rebuilding project.

As the 2nd half starts up it will be interesting to see which of these trades proves the most important as the 4 top contenders in the AL have all made serious moves to improve their clubs over the past 2 weeks.