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What deadline?

Top players still trade places after July 31

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Posted: Thursday August 05, 1999 10:23 AM

The July 31st trade deadline has come and gone, and there's plenty of talk about which teams were winners and which were losers. But remember, trading season isn't over yet.

Players like David Cone, Jose Canseco, Denny Neagle and Rickey Henderson had been dealt after the July 31st deadline, they just slipped through waivers to do it. And while teams are becoming more aggressive in using waiver claims to block players from going to their opponents, like the Padres did with Randy Myers last year, a seemingly minor trade in August can turn out to be huge.

For example, in 1985, when I was with St. Louis, we picked up Cesar Cedeno from Cincinnati to fill in for the injured Jack Clark. Cesar hit .434 for us and propelled us into the World Series.

Watch for teams to reassess their playoff chances come mid-August, and for plenty more trades to be made.

Last year's biggest deadline deal was the one that sent Randy Johnson to Houston for three minor leaguers. Seattle GM Woody Woodward got blasted for the trade, but it's turned out to be terrific for the Mariners. Those minor leaguers were Carlos Guillen, who was the M's starting second baseman before a knee injury knocked him for the season after just five games, and pitchers John Halama and Freddy Garcia. All they've done is gone 20-8 this season.

Pleasant surprises

Halama has been especially good since moving from the bullpen to the starting rotation, and he's not alone.

So has Hideki Irabu, who has quietly become the Yankees most consistent starter. Minnesota's Joe Mays is 4-1 with a 1.80 ERA since joining the Twins rotation.

Then there are the guys who have gone the other way. Boston's Tim Wakefield was 3-6 with a 5.73 ERA as a starter but has been nearly perfect in relief. And Toronto's Billy Koch had never pitched in relief before this season. He's already over the 20 save mark.

Toronto and Boston are fighting for the American League wild card spot. That race could very well come down to whichever pitcher continues to thrive in his new role.

Ozzie Smith, a 15-time All-Star, is a baseball analyst for CNN/SI, the 24-hour sports news network from CNN and Sports Illustrated. His column appears each week during the baseball season, exclusively at CNNSI.com.

 

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