2012 trade review

[Astros]

After blowing up my team in 2011 to rebuild, I only made 2 trades in 2012. Sitting on Colby Lewis to trade him at the deadline turned out to be a bad idea once he needed TJ in July.


Pirates trades Jaff 0-Decker, Tyler 9-Skaggs, Juan Nicasio, Trevor 9-Rosenthal, to Cardinals for Jon Garland, Adam Wainwright, Marc Krauss, Mike 10-Foltynewicz

Wainwright was one of my few remaining guys that I could spin for big time prospects, so I decided to deal him before the season instead of waiting until the deadline. I think everyone knew JP would end up getting him and sure enough that is what happened. I dealt WW, 2 draftees I would've ended up cutting (Krauss has power but has never clicked, I know Folty has had a great year this year but I'm not a believer) and Garland, who I just didn't have the heart to release after being with me since like 2004 and leading the franchise in every major pitching category.

In return I got Skaggs, who has shown flashes of brilliance and is only 22, Nicasio who is probably a back of the rotation guy at this point but had a much higher ceiling then. Decker has been released because he can't hit. Rosenthal is a big time weapon and either my closer of the future or a future fixture in my rotation, depending on what the Cards do. I'm happy with my return.

BlueJays trades Sean 10-Nolin, BlueJays Draft Pick 3, to Cardinals for Seth Smith, Cardinals Draft Pick 5

With Lewis down for the year, one of my personal favorites, Seth Smith, was the only guy worth a crap I had to deal. Nolin is having a great year in AA, ignoring the fact he got torched in his cup of coffee start for the Jays. The pick turned out to be Kevin Plawecki, who has put together a nice year so far in A ball as an offensive minded catcher. I'll take it