MLB Trade Deadline: Fantasy Killer or Aid?

By Dip Donnelly

Oliver Perez is a solid middle reliever for a bottom-feeding team today. But could he be a closing games for a contender tomorrow?

Well, we are approaching that time of year in Major League Baseball; front offices are talking to scouts and reviewing their rosters, and trying to determine whether they are buyers or sellers... and fantasy owners are waiting to see if there teams will be be shaken up, for better or worse.

It's the time of year wher you may see some of your pitchers, who are the #2 starter today become a #4 on theirteam, which means less starts, and diminshed stats. 

It’s the time of year when one of your closers on a celar-dweller become the set-up man for a contender, rendering them close to useless on your fantasy squad.

It’s the time of year when owners of NL Only squads sit by their computers waiting for their elite players to be traded to an American League team.  “Giancarlo Stanton to the New York Yankees for six prospects;" good for the Yankees... bad for you. Bye, bye Stanton means adios to first place in your division!  Luckily for owners, this is a made up scenario in which the Yankees would actually have six prospects to worthy of a trade.

I mean, imagine you were in an NL Only keeper league and kept R.A. Dickey, last year’s NL Cy Young winner now with the Toronto Blue Jays in the American League.  How did that work out?

Real life general managers can also make some moves that will positively affect fantasy. Like when Seattle realizes that being 12.5 games back a week before the All-Star break is not a good sign for winning the AL West, they will be shopping 41 year old Raul Ibanez and his 22 homers.  If you own him and he gets to hit in  the heart of a lineup for a team that has a penchant for getting on base, then we are talking a major upswing in your squad's RBI total.  Unfortunately, the more likely scenarios is that Ibanez stays put, and Seattle trades away some of the surrounding players; giving Raul no protection and fewer RBI’s.

So buckle up for the trade frenzy and watch the waiver wire.