Why Cleveland and Pittsburgh Are The Trade Deadline Winners

Getting Ublado Jimenez shows Cleveland
 really wants the AL Central title

The Indians and Pirates are not usually buyers at the trade deadline but this year is an exception. Cleveland needed to upgrade both their pitching staff and Pittsburgh needed to add to their line-up. Both teams did just that.

First lets start with the Cleveland Indians. Their pitching rotation was not playoff ready. They needed an ace to be the be the top guy in the rotation. They got Ubaldo Jimenez from the Colorado Rockies for minor leagues  pitchers Joseph Gardner, Matt McBride, and Alex White. Jimenez is going to be that guy. I believe that he will be a great down the stretch for the Indians.

The Indians also picked up OF Kosuke Fukudome from the Chicago Cubs for 2 minor leaguers and OF Thomas Neal from the San Francisco Giants for 2B Orlando Cabrera. Both will help Cleveland's outfield which includes Grady Sizemore and Shin-Soo Choo, who both are on the DL.

Ryan Ludwick is great addition to the Pirates

The Pirates have not had a real power hitter all year. Now they have 2, 1B Derrek Lee and OF Ryan Ludwick. They got Derrek Lee from the Baltimore Orioles for minor leaguer Aaron Baker. They received Ryan Ludwick from the San Diego Padres for a player to be named later or cash. Both Ludwick and Lee will make the Pirates more of a threat in the NL Central. Putting them in the line-up moves Andrew McCutchen to the lead off spot and puts less pressure on him to hit for power. 

The losers of the the trade deadline is no doubt, the Houston Astros. Houston traded away its 2 best players, RF Hunter Pence (Pence was traded to Philadelphia) and CF Michael Bourn (Bourn was traded to Atlanta). Houston now has no one the fans can support. Look for Houston to be the worst team in baseball very soon.

All in all, the surprise teams of the 2011 MLB season, the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Cleveland Indians, are the winners of the 2011 MLB Trade Deadline. The losers, the Houston Astros, are on a total decline after the deadline.