This will be a weekly review by myself (Crow) to judge (maybe prematurely) of who won the trade. We will look at the talent involved, prospects, salary-cap implications for each team and judge each on a basis for THIS year and going forward. Feel free to disagree…

This Week’s Highlighted Trade:

(For the initial installment, we will review the Orioles-Marlins trade since I was involved in it)

The Basics:

Orioles Receive:
SS Trea Turner 89 – 28 years old – 11.8 until ‘22
C Gaetan Galeano 70/89 – 24 years old – arbitration
Marlins 3rd Round Pick (71) and 4th (101)

Marlins Receive:
SS Willy Adames 93 – 26 years old – 15.6 until ‘26

Season Implications:

Baltimore is rebuilding, they great a great defensive stopper at SS. Galeano gives them depth in the minors and sometimes gems can be found in the 3rd and 4th, they also shed almost 4 million in salary during a season where they aren’t expected to really compete as they are rebuilding.

Florida is trying to find their mojo again and wanted to add a big bat or at least a medium-sized one. Their rotation should be their main concern, but they’re hoping offense can help carry them. Galeano was their best prospect, but they saw him as a gamble.

Long-Term Implications:

Baltimore picks up a decent prospect and also add the 3rd and 4th rounders from the Marlins in a deep draft. The Orioles should either be able to use those picks or trade them to get something better in the long-run.

Florida continues to trade draft picks and farm assets to try and compete. The past two years they haven’t seen results using this strategy. However 3rd and 4th round picks are gambles anyhow. Gaining a younger SS in Adames may be beneficial to the team who will continue to be under team control for the near future.

Who Won?

In the long-term the Orioles win this trade…they were able to shed about 4 million in salary while getting an above average catching prospect as well as picks to help rebuild the farm for future trades.

Adames is a great SS, yet he doesn’t have the defensive prowess many teams need up the middle. It looks like the Marlins traded for a bat and are hedging their bets they will be able to out-score teams. Adames makes sense in the short-term, but not for the horrid farm they have now.

Final Verdict

For both teams it's a PUSH...they both have their short-term and long-term values, yet I think each team won for what they're looking for now.