It’s July 31st, and it’s Harry Potter’s birthday. The baseball world, however, cares little about JK Rowling’s fictional character’s fictional birthday as the 4 PM trade deadline approaches. With millions of dollars on the line, history to be made, and trends to be broken, big league general managers are working at their hardest. What follows is a chronicle of how one baseball nut attempted to enjoy his deadline day while putting off actual “work.” Here’s to hoping that none of my bosses read this.
7:27 AM: Caught up on the Twitter from last night. No trades. This trade deadline will suck.
7:49 AM: Out of the shower freshly shaven. Refresh the Twitter. No trades. This trade deadline will suck.
8:50 AM: Done responding to emails that I got late at night. Open Twitter on the computer. No trades. This trade deadline will suck.
9:46 AM: Friend in the office sits down in my office to discuss business development strategies. I am uninterested.
9: 46 AM: Jon Heyman thinks that Oakland may have traded for Lester. He uses #mysteryTeam. I like it, but this guy is still in my office.
9:49 AM: Alex Spier confirms, I am rapidly hitting refresh obviously losing interest in business development ideas. This trade deadline will not suck!
[colored_box color=”blue”]The Trade: Oakland Athletics send Yoenis Cespedes and a competitive balance pick to the Boston Red Sox for Jon Lester, Johnny Gomes, and cash money.[/colored_box]9:53 AM: I really like this trade for the Red Sox. The A’s can’t resign Lester for the type of money that he’s going to want. They get a year of Cespedes for a rental. Guy still here.
9:56: I ask Max who plays the outfield for the A’s now. Wondering if Billy Beane asks himself the same question at the same time.
9:57: Max suggests Samardzija on his off-days.
10:00: Source confirms that Billy Beane will be using two outfielders the rest of the year with a ninth player serving as a rover.
10:18: Sportscenter provides a worthwhile tweet. The A’s rotation: Lester, Samardzija, Kazmir, Gray, Jason Hammel. That’s really good.
10:28: The blog officially unfollows @GammonsDaily citing repeated use of #ATMreports. Sources unsure what #ATMreports means.
10:45: I pay rent. Today sucks again.
11:11: I lose interest in the conference call that I was on. There’s been another trade!
[colored_box color=”blue”]The trade: Twins OF Sam Fuld is traded to the Oakland A’s for Tommy Milone.[/colored_box]11:20: I am choosing to believe that Billy Beane did not have this Sam Fuld trade considered until after he made this Lester trade. I am choosing to believe that he realized it at 9:56 – the same time that I did.
11:23: Ken Rosenthal saying that Royals and Phillies close on an AJ Burnett deal. I like that a lot. I do not like long conference calls.
12:45: Return from lunch. Lunch was unsatisfying- Ramen and salad. 41 new tweets. I wonder what transpired….
12:48: Lackey to the Cards? I missed it by about 12 minutes. Everything I wrote yesterday about Justin Masterson seems even weirder today. Masterson was seen as a bullpen arm for them? No way that’s correct. Do the Cardinals know that their offense sucks?
12:51: Gammons is reporting that the Red Sox are getting Joe Kelly and Allen Craig for Lackey. Wow. Love that deal for the Red Sox. Craig got MVP votes each of the past two seasons and is signed through 2018 at reasonable salary ($39.5 Million total).
12:53: MLB At Bat app all over the trade deadline. Send out a blast two minutes after Gammons’ tweet.
12:53: Immediate text from Max: “WHAT? Craig and Kelly?????”
12:59: Yankees fan Max not happy about these trades that the Red Sox are making. Middle of the order now: Pedroia, Ortiz, Cespedes, Craig.
1:07: On a conference call. Wish these didn’t exist on trade deadline day.
1:22: Tigers and Red Sox apparently “getting close” on a deal for Andrew Miller. Means that the Red Sox leaked this out as an attempt to get the Braves to improve their offer. I would not be happy with the Braves giving up a big package for a LH reliever. Johnny Venters will hopefully be back in the next few weeks.
1:56: Successfully complete cybersecurity training by using the password “JIMBOWDENisAWFUL98&”
[colored_box color=”blue”]The Trade: Gerardo Parra to two prospects I’ve never heard of.[/colored_box]2:00: I hope he replaces Ryan Braun in RF.
2:12: I see this tweet: “Amazing performance by Jim Bowden to have his worst trade deadline when he wasn’t a GM.” and am very, very happy. Must investigate further.
2:18: I ponder if Chris Denorfia is worth one of these breakout “Trade boxes”. Decide he is not and text my friend the Padres fan.
2:31: Padres fan says he’d be really good on a good team. Maybe he was worth a “Trade box”
[colored_box color=”blue”]The Trade: Chris DeNorfia is traded the Mariners for outfielder Alberto Almonte and prospect Stephen Kohlscheen[/colored_box]2:35: I’ve been doing a cyberAwareness Challenge for an hour and I keep failing. I want to be a GM. Do they have to do stupid training?
3:00: Still no left handed relievers have been traded.
3:04: Orioles have traded for Andrew Miller because Buck Showalter wants them all
[colored_box color=”blue”]The trade: Orioles trade for Boston LHP Andrew Miller for prospect Eduardo Rodriguez. [/colored_box]3:05: Asdrubal Cabrera has been traded to the Nats? Whaaat? That makes very little sense. Ian Desmond has had a fine year and Anthony Rendon has established himself as a star.
[colored_box color=”blue”]The Trade: Asdrubal Cabrera gets sent to Washington for INF Zach Walters.[/colored_box]3:49: The world is melting.
3:49: The Red Sox traded Stephen Drew to the Yankees. TO THE YANKEES?!
3:49: David Price to the Tigers??!
3:50: Our editor just posted on my timeline that our site is down. The baseball world is melting.
3:50: Ahhhhh! A’s v Tigers?!
3:53: The Braves are getting Bonifacio and/or Russel?!
[colored_box color=”blue”]The Trade: Boston Red Sox trade Stephen Drew to the New York Yankees for Kelly Johnson[/colored_box]3:54: I’m dead. Bonifacio is one of my guys. I wrote about him here two years ago and may or may not have a crush on Emilio.
3:55: Wait, who was traded for David Price? Austin Jackson and Drew Smyly? And Seattle is in it? Austin Jackson is pulled from the field. That has to be among the most bizarre, surreal feelings imaginable.
3:56: The Rays get Nick Franklin? They have to be getting lots more.
3:59: I hope Bonifacio is on the Braves.
4:00: Co-Worker here talking to me. I have left headphones in. No time to talk now.
[colored_box color=”blue”]The Trade: Tigers get David Price; Mariners get Austin Jackson; Rays get Nick Franklin, Drew Smyly and prospect Willy Adames.[/colored_box]4:06: Still no word about Bonifacio. I am worried.
4:12: Mariners involvement is strictly Nick Franklin in exchange for Austin Jackson. Have to like that for Mariners…
4:13: Martin Prado to the Yankees as Max said about 4 months ago here.
4:14: Jared Cosart to the Marlins.
4:14: Kurt Suzuki worked out a contract extension. That’s exciting, I suppose.
4:15: Braves have not dealt for Brian Duensing, which I think is a good thing.
4:17: I am very happy that Twitter did not break over the last half hour.
[colored_box color=”blue”]The Trade: The Diamondbacks send INF-OF Martin Prado to the Yankees for minor league C Peter O’Brien[/colored_box]4:23: James Russell saying his goodbyes in the Cubs dugout. Usually a sign that he’s going somewhere.
[colored_box color=”blue”]The Trade: Marlins send Collin Moran, Jake Marisnick, a comp pick, and Frances Martes to the Astros for Jarred Cosart, IF Enrique Hernandez and Austin Wates.[/colored_box]4:27: The Cubs broadcast booth have some rockstar in the booth and it’s just brutal. Fitz from Fitz and The Tantrums is recapping his favorite venue.
4:28: Somebody reported no prospects involved in Tampa deal, but apparently a highly regarded shortstop prospect named Willy Adames is also in the deal.
4:32: Braves have officially acquired Emilio Bonifacio and James Russell. I <3 the world.
4:37: MLB confirms the Marlins/Astros trade.
4:38: Resolve to do a post about every trade tonight.
[colored_box color=”blue”]The Trade: Braves get Cubs LHP James Russel and UTIL Emilio Bonifacio for 3B/C prospect Victor Caratini.[/colored_box]4:45: Check my work email. Nothing important in the last two hours. Life is good. This trade deadline did not suck.
-Sean Morash
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