Trade deadline winners and losers (cont.)

Losers

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TEXAS RANGERS

They're loaded with talented young players like Neftali Feliz, Derek Holland, Justin Smoak and Martin Perez and they have had financial constraints, but it's difficult to understand how they could sit just 1½ games out of the wild card and three games out in the AL West and not make a deal, especially when they haven't been to the playoffs in 10 years and have never advanced past the Division Series. They're one of just three teams to have not made any trades in the past two months, but if there's a silver lining it's that one of the other two is the Angels, whom Texas is trying to catch in the West. The starting pitching remains shaky, but if Josh Hamilton returns to form, they'll have essentially gotten another bat that they haven't had to this point.

BALTIMORE ORIOLES

Added: Cla Meredith, Josh Bell, Steve Johnson

Traded: Oscar Salazar, George Sherrill

Orioles president Andy MacPhail had vowed that his team would not be a farm system for anyone else, but they may not have done enough at this deadline to help themselves for the future. Sherrill brought back a decent pair, third baseman Josh Bell and pitcher Steve Johnson, both of whom should start learning the Oriole Way at Double-A. But with a handful of other players who could have been traded to accelerate their building program that has begun already with players like Nick Markakis, Matt Wieters and Adam Jones, it's a little surprising that they only made one trade to strengthen their farm system.

SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS

Added: Freddy Sanchez, Ryan Garko

Traded: Tim Alderson, Scott Barnes

Their punchless offense ranks last or next-to-last in the NL in home runs, on-base percentage and slugging percentage. In other words, it needed severe help, and while the Giants did get Pirates All-Star second baseman Freddy Sanchez and Indians first baseman Ryan Garko, neither looks like a true difference-maker. Sanchez hasn't even played since he was traded a few days ago because of a sore knee and Garko has gotten off to a slow start with just one hit in his first 12 at-bats. Garko hit just 14 home runs a year ago, and Sanchez has hit just 37 homers total over the past five years. He's a career .300 hitter, but his .336 OBP and .421 slugging percentage are underwhelming. His defense is a plus, as is the fact that he has a club option for next year, but he's not going to help solve their biggest weakness. In addition, they dealt Tim Alderson, one of their most highly-touted pitching prospects to get Sanchez.

PITTSBURGH PIRATES

Added: Tim Alderson, Ronny Cedeno, Jeff Clement, Aaron Pribanic, Brett Lorin, Nathan Adcock, Charlie Morton, Gorkys Hernandez, Jeff Locke, Casey Erickson, Eric Fryer, Lastings Milledge, Joel Hanrahan, Argenis Diaz, Hunter Strickland, Kevin Hart, Jose Ascaio

Traded: Freddy Sanchez, Jack Wilson, Ian Snell, Eric Hinske, Nate McLouth, Nyjer Morgan, Sean Burnett, Adam LaRoche, John Grabow, Tom Gorzelanny

After seven trades that gutted their 25-man roster and landed nearly 20 -- 20! -- players in return, most of them young prospects, it's clear that the Pirates are starting over in a way they've never fully committed to throughout their 16 previous losing seasons. They were just six games out in the NL Central when the fire sale began, and now they've conceded any chance at competing not only this year but for the foreseeable future as well. The series of trades have given a boost to their farm system, especially in the pitching department, and there is talent on the way to Pittsburgh, most notably Alderson and Jeff Clement, a former No. 3 pick in the draft. But few if any of the prospects they've received are considered top-tier guys and many are years away from the majors. For instance, the three pitchers they received from the Marines -- Aaron Pribanic, Brett Lorin and Nathan Adcock -- are all at A ball. Perhaps the Pirates could flip some of their new acquisitions in future deals, but as always, their future remains uncertain.

MILWAUKEE BREWERS

Added: Felipe Lopez, Claudio Vargas

Traded: Roque Mercedes, Cole Gillespie

This last spot could just as easily have gone to any number of teams, but the Brewers are the choice because they pulled off the biggest deal of the year last season by getting CC Sabathia and because general manager Doug Melvin had been looking to make another big deal this year but couldn't pull it off. They've managed to hang around in the NL Central, trailing the Cubs by four games, but with just a .500 record they need to do something to get back to the postseason. The most glaring area is starting pitching; the Brewers have the worst ERA among starters in the National League. Newly-acquired Claudio Vargas won't help in that department as he's more likely to pitch in the bullpen.