Baseball’s trade deadline came and went Sunday, leaving some contenders better off and others still looking for some help during the August waiver period. Here are three teams who clearly improved entering the season’s final eight weeks.
Philadelphia Phillies » Led by fearless general manager Ruben Amaro Jr., the Phillies added a perfect complementary piece in Hunter Pence. The price was high; two top prospects went to the Houston Astros along with two less heralded minor leaguers. But for now, Pence plays the role of Jayson Werth, the right-handed bat whom Philadelphia let go in free agency to the Nationals last winter. Pence will start in right field, balances the lineup with decent power and is an above-average defensive player. For a team making a run at another title, it was worth the cost.
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Texas Rangers » You already have a good team that played in the World Series last season and is in solid shape to make the playoffs again. What’s the best way to improve? Get as many quality relievers as possible and build a bullpen that can wade through the lineups of Boston and New York — and maybe even Philadelphia — in the playoffs. Texas did that by adding Orioles setup man Koji Uehara and Padres setup man Mike Adams. That’s two relievers who will take pressure off closer Neftali Feliz. One minor concern: Adams and his 1.13 ERA are leaving Petco Park, a pitcher’s haven, and moving to Rangers Ballpark at Arlington, a notorious hitters’ ballpark.
Atlanta Braves » The Braves needed both a leadoff batter and a center fielder and at the last minute grabbed Houston Astros center fielder Michael Bourn without giving up any of their elite pitching prospects. And the Braves have a few. Bourn, a better option than B.J. Upton or Denard Span, is a demon on the base paths. He’s an elite defensive player. He gets on base at a reasonable clip. The only negative? He’s a free agent after 2012. But Atlanta had to move to keep pace with the Phillies. The Braves also made themselves heavy favorites to win the NL wild card.
