Most of the well known baseball writers have posted their Winter Meetings Preview over the last two days discussing where each free agent will sign. I will give you something different. I have 6 trades that make sense for both teams involved.
- San Diego trades Jake Peavy to Milwaukee for Angel Salome and Alcides Escobar. Milwaukee gets the ace starting pitcher they need to compete in the competitive NL Central, and San Diego gets a catcher and shortstop of the future....err....present. Escobar replaces the recently traded Kahlil Greene, while Salome platoons with C Nick Hundley.
- Cinncinnatti trades SS Alex Gonzalez to Los Angeles Dodgers for CFer Juan Pierre. The Reds get their CFer and leadoff hitter to boot. The Dodgers get a serviceable SS with a good glove....and rid themselves of Pierre's contract. Pierre reunites with Dusty Baker. AGonz2 holds down SS till Ivan DeJesus Jr. is ready.
- Pittsburgh trades Nate McLouth to the Yankees for Ian Kennedy and a low level pitching prospect. The Yankees get a leadoff hitter with some pop. The Pirates get another young arm to continue their youth movement. Andrew McCutchen is ready to take over CF for the Buccos.
- Florida trades 2Bman Dan Uggla to St. Louis for OFer Ryan Ludwick. This deal allows the Marlins to play recently acquired Emilio Bonafacio at 2b everyday with Ludwick playing LF. St. Louis gets the 2bman they need and a cleanup hitter to hit behind Albert Pujols.
- San Diego trades RP Heath Bell and OFer Brian Giles to the Mets for Fernando Martinez and RP Aaron Heilman. The Mets get their LFer and an on-base machine in Giles to hit in front of Beltran, Wright and Delgado. They get Bell to set up one of K-Rod/Fuentes. The Padres continue to slash payroll and get their CFer of the future, and slot Heilman in their starting rotation where he could thrive in that ballpark.
- The Washington Nationals trade LFer Lastings Milledge to the Phillies for pitching prospect Carlos Carrasco and 2b prospect Jason Donald. The Nats open up a spot for Adam Dunn, get their future 2bman and a pitching prospect who could start for them in 2009. The Phillies get a LFer to replace Pat Burrell.