Which near-the-deadline acquisition will play the biggest role in the 2008 pennant race & post-season?
| Jason Bay (BOS) |  26 (11.35%) |
| Joe Blanton (PHI) | 1 (0.44%) |
| Ken Griffey Jr. (CHW) | 0 (0.00%) |
| Rich Harden (CHC) | 41 (17.90%) |
| Manny Ramirez (LAD) | 41 (17.90%) |
| Arthur Rhodes (FLA) | 1 (0.44%) |
| Pudge Rodriguez (NYY) | 14 (6.11%) |
| CC Sabathia (MIL) | 62 (27.07%) |
| Mark Teixeira (LAA) | 42 (18.34%) |
| Other (who?) | 1 (0.44%) |
229 votes | 7 featured comments
I think Sabathia already has four wins for Milwaukee. That is a pretty good head start on most of the others. From the rest, I would pick Rodriguez as I think the Yankees are going to keep rolling along.
Only one player per team listed (sorry Casey Blake, sorry, Xavier Nady)
and only players on teams with at least a reasonably projectable shot
at the post-season (sorry, Andy LaRoche) ...
Question was worded carefully -- this is not "best deal made" or "best long-term acquisition" -- who will have the biggest impact on this season's race? That's why Arthur Rhodes is as legitimate a candidate as Manny or Pudge or whoever.
I went with Harden. I think he makes the Cubbies champs for the first time in a century -- not him alone, of course, but he puts them over the top. There's not a single obvious future Hall of Famer on that team, but they are baseball's best -- right now and in late October.
Question was worded carefully -- this is not "best deal made" or "best long-term acquisition" -- who will have the biggest impact on this season's race? That's why Arthur Rhodes is as legitimate a candidate as Manny or Pudge or whoever.
I went with Harden. I think he makes the Cubbies champs for the first time in a century -- not him alone, of course, but he puts them over the top. There's not a single obvious future Hall of Famer on that team, but they are baseball's best -- right now and in late October.
The best 4-5 teams in baseball are in the American League, but in a short series anything can happen. Harden certainly improves the Cubs' chances. I went with Teixeira, who could reasonably be the key for the Angels in the playoffs.
I think it's Manny, easily. He's the difference between the Dodgers winning their division or not. The Yankees probably had the best week overall, but that doesn't boil down to one player.
I have to agree with Dan -
The difference between Manny Ramirez and whoever he takes at bats from (Pierre, Jones, Kemp or Ethier) is pretty large. Given that the Dodgers and Diamondbacks are neck and neck, it seems like this will be pretty important.
I'd have voted for Sabathia second, I think.
The difference between Manny Ramirez and whoever he takes at bats from (Pierre, Jones, Kemp or Ethier) is pretty large. Given that the Dodgers and Diamondbacks are neck and neck, it seems like this will be pretty important.
I'd have voted for Sabathia second, I think.
It's a great, great day for the Yankees. A pretty good one for the Dodgers.
Gregg Zaun was probably a better fit, but Ivan Rodriguez addresses the biggest problem in the everyday lineup. But even better for the Yankees, this might be a dreadful day for the Red Sox. It might not, and I understand why they felt they had to do it - but there's nothing good about taking that bat out of the lineup. They're hoping to repeat 2004, when they traded away Nomar and went on to win it all. It's not quite the same - Nomar was not at all a big part of the 2004 team. And Jason Bay goes to a tougher league, gets tossed into the first pennant race of his career, and is asked to replace one of the greatest right-handed batters who ever lived. Tough gig.
It's a good day for the Dodgers, if only because Manny with something to prove can be a sight to see. Dodger Stadium raises the bar a little, but he's Manny Ramirez. The bar being set a little higher doesn't matter as much when you can jump ten feet off the ground anyway.
Gregg Zaun was probably a better fit, but Ivan Rodriguez addresses the biggest problem in the everyday lineup. But even better for the Yankees, this might be a dreadful day for the Red Sox. It might not, and I understand why they felt they had to do it - but there's nothing good about taking that bat out of the lineup. They're hoping to repeat 2004, when they traded away Nomar and went on to win it all. It's not quite the same - Nomar was not at all a big part of the 2004 team. And Jason Bay goes to a tougher league, gets tossed into the first pennant race of his career, and is asked to replace one of the greatest right-handed batters who ever lived. Tough gig.
It's a good day for the Dodgers, if only because Manny with something to prove can be a sight to see. Dodger Stadium raises the bar a little, but he's Manny Ramirez. The bar being set a little higher doesn't matter as much when you can jump ten feet off the ground anyway.
Frank Robinson spent a year with the Dodgers at age 36 in 1972 and hit .253/.352/.442 for an OPS+ of 127, but those were the days when the NL was the stronger league. Manny will put up an OPS+ of 145 or so in LA, but it's really too bad that they can't DH him.