Examining Past Deadline Deals

Alot of us are hoping the Twins do something to improve the team before the trade deadline.  Let us look back in Twins history to see what midseason trades we've made.  I'll only list the pre-trade deadline moves, June-July, similar to the period we are in now.

2008: no moves made

2007: traded Luis Castillo to the NYM for Drew Butera and Dustin Martin.

7 games out of first with a record of 54-51, we were sellers here, trading our starting 2B for two minor leaguers who are currently at AAA in the MN system.  OF Martin may develop into an avg OF for MN, whereas Butera's ceiling appears to be a backup MLB catcher, or perpetual AAA'er. We finished 2003 17 games out of first at 79-83.

2006: traded Juan Castro to CIN for Brandon Roberts; traded Kyle Lohse to CIN for Zach Ward.

Again, we were sellers.  Trading a few square pegs for minor leaguers who are still in our system.  OF Roberts is currently looking average at AA for the Twins.  Relief pitcher Ward is in his second season at AA and appears to be struggling.

2005: traded cash to SEA for Bret Boone.

Boone lasted 14 games with MN and was released.

2004: As part of the 4-team Nomar Garciaparra trade, the Twins traded Doug Mientkiewicz away and received Justin Jones from the Cubs.

Again, sellers.  Jones pitched until 2006 in the Twins system before moving on to other teams.

2003: traded Bobby Kielty to TOR for Shannon Stewart and Dave Gassner.

Here's the last trade we've made where we were buyers trying to improve the current team.  We traded a potential piece of the future for an established veteran.  This trade was made at the all-star break with the Twins sitting 4 games under .500 at 44-49, 7.5 games out of first place.  We finished that season 90-72, winning the division before falling to the Yankees in the playoffs.

So you can see that we have to go back to 2003 to find a move made by the Twins intended to improve the team in it's current season.   Otherwise we've been sellers.  No player we've aquired has made it to the big club yet, with only one looking like he has any kind of MLB potential.