The Ichiro Deal

If you haven't noticed, there was a huge trade yesterday between New Jersey and Las Vegas. New Jersey, with a sparse roster of keepers traded away star outfielder Ichiro Suzuki and a draft pick for seven players. It was a trade reminiscent of the old Brooklyn/Stanhope or Scranton/Arkansas deals that have been scarce lately. A look at some similar deals...

In 2003, the Brooklyn Bean Counters were in a similar situation as New Jersey and traded away Mike Lieberthal and a pick for four players to Stanhope. It didn't really work out too well for either team as all the players were either mediocre or useless.

In 2002, the Harrison Rats (now known as the Vegas Rat Pack) dealt lefty Al Leiter to Vancouver for three players. Leiter went on to have a good year and the Rats got a good year out of Javier Lopez, so it worked out for both teams.

Another Brooklyn/Stanhope deal occurred back in 2001 when the Bean Counters, in their inaugural year, dealt Todd Helton and Rich Garces to the Mighty Men for six bums -- OK, that's not really true. Bobby Higginson had a very nice year for the Beans and Lieberthal was serviceable, but the rest were bums. Garces was tossed aside, but Helton had an impressive season and has been the Mighty Men's first baseman ever since.

In 2000, the Hawaii Volcanoes made a trade with their fraternal (and unbeknownst at the time, satellite) team, the Arizona Rattlers to restock the Arizona roster. Hawaii acquired Brian Giles and Armando Benitez, both of whom had stellar seasons in 2000. Arizona got some help, but overall it looks like a bust for the Rattlers. Raul Mondesi and Dante Bichette had solid seasons, but the relievers made marginal contributions and the two draft picks netted zero results.

Ok, one more for shits and giggles. In 1998, the Wilkes-Barre Barons (who became the Keystone Gamblers) traded Moises Alou and a draft pick to Philadelphia for Carlos Perez, Garrett Anderson, and Mickey Morandini. Philly quickly traded Alou to New York in part of a ten-player mega deal and used the pick to select Dwight Gooden. Anderson and Morandini were solid if unspectacular and Perez and Gooden were both disasters.

Who knows what the future will hold for Vegas and Jersey after this blockbuster? It'll be fun to find out though.