With the 2015 MLB trade deadline in the books, here are three takeaways based on the moves made and not made over the past week.
Social Media Can Make Things Awkward
Social Media has played a major role in changing the way fans keep up with sports and other forms of entertainment. For baseball, fans no longer rely on the announcers to tell us every little bit that’s going on in a game anymore. Fans look up what writers are tweeting live during the game, and are constantly fixated on other social media mediums to see what others are saying about the game.
Even though this has added value to the fan experience, it has also provided for some awkward moments due to information getting out and changing quicker than it takes to verify its validity.
This past Wednesday, MLB probably had the most awkward moment yet in the social media era. While playing in a game against the San Diego Padres, the Mets’ Wilmer Flores began hearing buzz from the fans at Citi Field that he had been traded along with Zack Wheeler for Carlos Gomez of the Brewers.
Being with the organization since age 16, Flores was absolutely floored and took the field in tears in the top of the 8th inning.
Besides the fact that he was crying, mass confusion took over as many, including the Mets home TV announcers, began questioning why the organization would send Flores to his position at shortstop if he had in fact been traded.
After the game, it came to knowledge that the deal fell through, and the Mets front office made it clear that it was everyone else’s fault but theirs that Wilmer was crying. Mets manager Terry Collins said in the post game press conference that he had no idea that any trade was about to happen, and made clear his opinion on how social media has affected today’s game.
Even though it’s a valid point, that social media did contribute to the mass confusion, the intensity of the confusion would have been mitigated if the front office would have filled in Collins and Flores in anticipation of the deal going through. At that point, Collins could have justified a move to pull Flores, and Flores would have had some time to reflect on what was about to happen.
The front office of the Amazin’ will never cease to amaze.
The San Diego Padres aren’t hitting the reset button just yet.
While teams like the Houston Astros have done nothing but amaze everyone with their incredible unexpected success thus far this season, the San Diego Padres, who were heavily favored to at least be a contender in the NL West this year, have by far been the biggest disappointment of the season.
This led to many predicting a fire sale in San Diego at the trade deadline, especially with players like Justin Upton, Craig Kimbrel and Matt Kemp on the roster. Not to mention that the San Diego Padres also have three expiring free agents in Ian Kennedy, Joaquin Benoit, and Will Venable.
In a shocking move by a team that just couldn’t stop dealing in the off season, the Padres held their ground and didn’t make a single move.
Stranger things have happened besides a team like the Padres sneaking into the playoffs, right?
The Dodgers Are Buying For Everyone
The last few years around the trade deadline have been a busy time for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Many thought the Dodgers would trade another outfielder like Yasiel Puig or Andre Ethier in hopes to get another ace to add to their rotation.
However, after many thought the Dodgers would go all in for Cole Hamels, the Dodgers instead made a less news making three way trade with the Marlins and Braves that shuffled around 13 players.
The Dodgers without question got the best part of the deal, landing seven players including pitchers Alex Wood of the Braves, and Mat Latos of the Marlins. However, the Dodgers didn’t just give up Paco Rodriguez , Cuban infielder Hector Olivera, and Zachary Bird.
In the deal the Dodgers gave up an insane amount of player compensation, consisting of the sunk cost of Olivera’s initial signing bonus, Mike Morse’s 2016 contract, and part of Bronson Arroyo’s contract. Olivera never did make it to the Dodgers and is now on the Braves, Morse was DFA’d and traded to the Pirates, and Arroyo is on the disabled list and may never wear a Dodgers uniform.
According to Bill Shaiken of the LA Times (http://www.latimes.com/sports/dodgers/la-sp-dodgers-salary-chart-20150731-story.html ) , the Dodgers have officially committed $85.75 million for players that are no longer on their team.
To put it into perspective, via Spotrac ( http://www.spotrac.com/mlb/payroll/ ), that’s enough to cover the payrolls of the Miami Marlins, Tampa Bay Rays, Arizona Diamondbacks, Houston Astros, and the Cleveland Indians.
Good thing they got that TV deal, huh?
