The Best of the Rest: 2023

Up until yesterday, this was a post with a ton of question marks.

I started this draft on Thursday, and that was when there was only like 2 sure things in the wild card races, and a lot of teams that I wasn't sure whether or not were out yet. And then yesterday happened, all the elimination outcomes happened and now we have a playoff picture, including a Game 162 that honestly doesn't mean much other than...happy last day of the season everybody. One or two people might hang it up after today, who knows. 

But with that suspense gone, that means it's clear who's in, and it's clear who's out. Which means what once was a very live 'Best of the Rest' post is now tamed and ready to be dissected. Because boy do we have some interesting losers to dissect. Boy howdy do we.

As per usual, I use this post to highlight the other 18 teams that did not make the playoffs and won't finish with any title or achievement, and give them high school-esque superlatives, in the same vein as 'most improved' or 'best personality' or 'most likely to work here after graduation, ya failure'. Some of these will have an undercurrent or promise, others an undercurrent of misery. All in all, every season needs to be remembered for something.

So, without further ado, here are the eighteen teams that were still standing when the music stopped, and how they'll be remembered:

Most Likely to Succeed [According to the Sportswriters in January]: TIE: New York Yankees & New York Mets

Team That Did Pretty Much Exactly What Everyone Expected: Colorado Rockies

Team That Peaked Too Early: Pittsburgh Pirates

Team That Peaked Far Too Late: San Diego Padres

Most Confused Youth Movement: Kansas City Royals

Best Squanderer of Hopes Their Fans Had in 2022: In a squeaker, the Cleveland Guardians. Narrowly defeating San Diego.

Best Squanderer of Hopes Their Fans Had in July: Los Angeles Angels

Most Blatantly Incomplete Team: San Francisco Giants

Best Pitching Staff for a Team That Didn't Make the Playoffs: Seattle Mariners

Worst Pitching: Oakland Athletics 

Most Inexplicably Incredible Bullpen: Detroit Tigers

Most Likely to Toy With Its Fans' Emotions: Cincinnati Reds

Worst Trade Deadline Luck: Los Angeles Angels

Most Depressing Team to Talk About Every Few Weeks: Chicago White Sox

Biggest Anticlimax: Seattle Mariners

Most Comically-Timed Injuries: New York Yankees

Most Shakespearean Collapse: Chicago Cubs

Most Fun Last Place Team: Washington Nationals. No way I was putting Boston here.

Most Unwilling to Recapture the Lightning in the Bottle: TIE: Boston Red Sox & Chicago White Sox

Most Likely to Not End Up on This List in 2024: San Diego Padres & Seattle Mariners

It was a hard fought season, and these 18 teams should hopefully be alright with coming away with some of these. Hopefully they'll have a little more to show for themselves next year.

Trade Deadline 2023: The Ones I Didn't Get

 I've already gone over the trade deadline deals I really liked, and some of the smaller ones that didn't make the list, but now it's time to discuss some of the other ones. The ones where, at the time the deal went out, I wasn't quite sure what the tactics were. My rule is if a deal doesn't need to be made, and if you're fine without making a deal, you shouldn't have to. There were too many trigger-happy GMs this deadline, and one of them was someone that has normally been very cautious. 

We've got a few of these to talk about, so let's dive in. The ones I didn't get, 2023 edition:

-Amed Rosario to the Dodgers, Noah Syndergaard to the Guardians

This was a deal, the likes of which we've seen many times, of two teams trading guys that just didn't work for each other. Rosario had some decent moments last year, but was nowhere near his Mets-era promise. Thor had some early magic but just can't throw as well as he did before the surgeries. I just...don't see why they could help each other. Yes, the Dodgers did need infield help, but was Rosario really the best choice? I can sort of see why now, cause he's been playing a lot better since landing in LA, but I question why they wanted to prioritize someone like Rosario, even getting him at the very beginning of the trade period. Thor in Cleveland I can sort of understand, though I will come back to this later, as Thor is still on the active roster.

-Paul Sewald to the Diamondbacks, Josh Rojas and Dominic Canzone to the Mariners

This is another type of deal I don't get, the lateral trade between two competitors. Maybe the Ms weren't thinking they'd compete when they dealt Sewald, but they're in the thick of the wild card race now, ahead of even the Angels, who went bigger than they did. The D-Backs, of all people, are the ones falling fast, and that's why it confuses me that it's the D-Backs receiving the most here. Sewald is an excellent relief piece and will likely be put right into the ninth. I get why Rojas and Canzone were dealt sort of, there wasn't room for them, but...it does seem like the Mariners get the net win here. Oh, now they have a decent depth infielder and another sharp outfield guy. I'm confused as to why the D-Backs gave two really good pieces up to another contender. Maybe it was just a 'suiting each other's needs' kind of thing, but it's odd to see trades between two teams in similar positions during this period.

-Paul DeJong to the Blue Jays, prospects to the Cardinals

The reason I'm so vexed by this move is that this is very much a reactionary tactic in direct response to Bo Bichette landing on the IL. Not only do we not know how long Bichette will be gone for, but we still have Santiago Espinal, who's a perfectly good shortstop and can cover that position well. The trigger finger was just really itchy, I think. DeJong getting out of St. Louis is something I figured would happen, but like with Whit Merrifield last year, the Blue Jays are making viable starters into depth options because they can. They are lucky that Merrifield became a perfectly good starter this year, but I don't know how much DeJong is going to offer them as a starter before Bichette returns. It seems like it fills a very specific and temporary need, which, yes, is the name of the game during the trade deadline, but I don't even think they intend to use DeJong in that prominent a role going into the playoffs.

-Andrew Chafin to the Brewers, Peter Strzelecki to the D-Backs

Another odd move the D-Backs made as a competitor was another lateral deal to a competitor with more leverage. Andrew Chafin was having an awesome reunion year with Arizona, he was doing so well. I really don't understand why they traded him, and why to the Brewers. It's not like they had too many people that threw with a specific arm, both Chafin and Strzelecki are both right-handers. It's not like there was something behind-the-scenes, clearly Chafin loves Phoenix. And it's the kind of deal where both are good relievers who have slightly high ERAs this year, and...neither team really wins per se, but also neither team really needed to make this trade. Why did these two need to be traded for each other? Who does this help?

-Rodolfo Castro to the Phillies, Bailey Falter to the Pirates

This is literally the Edmundo Sosa deal all over again. Falter wasn't working as a starting piece, the Bucs needed starters ready to go, that I get. Rodolfo Castro was the starting shortstop in the wake of Oneil Cruz's injury, and he was holding the position while Tucupita Marcano was hurt. There are thankfully shortstop options left in Pittsburgh, like Alika Williams and Liover Peguero, but...the Bucs clearly needed Castro more than the Phils did. Because now he's another depth infielder for us, and considering the rumor that we might go for a recently released guy I'll mention later, I'm not sure what he can do for us that, ironically Edmundo Sosa isn't already doing. 

-Garrett Cooper to the Padres, Ryan Weathers and prospect to the Marlins

Both of the next two deals that Kim Ng made vex me, and it's for one simple reason: I am not sure anything was wrong with Garrett Cooper. He was hitting .256 this season with 13 homers and 46 RBIs, that's not bad at all. Because of Yuli Gurriel he was in more of a DH type role, but he was still useful, and still had purpose in Miami. I don't know if he fits into the Padres' lineup quite as well, even if they have needed a stronger DH option. I think it's cool that Ryan Weathers gets to be the second member of his family to pitch for the Marlins, and they definitely have a swing spot for him. I just really don't think they needed to upgrade Garrett Cooper. Because, well...

-Josh Bell to the Marlins, Jean Segura to the Guardians

...this isn't much of an upgrade. Bell is not known for his defense, and he's been having a lackluster year for the Guardians. He may never hit his 2019, or even first-half 2022, heights again. I don't see how he's an upgrade from Cooper. Maybe in name recognition, but not current ability. He did just hit one out last night, but he also hit one out upon arriving in San Diego last year, and he sort of...settled after that. I also don't see why the Guardians would agree to receive Segura if they were just gonna release him immediately. This gives someone like Philly the chance to grab him and bring him back, as unlikely as that may be. It just seems like the Guardians threw out a very big contract from months ago for...nothing. And that's an alarming move, even if this does do the Marlins well going forward.

Maybe some of these will make sense over time, like Bryan Cashman nabbing Bader in exchange for Jordan Montgomery. But at the moment, I am very vexed, and will probably continue to be for a bit.

Top 10 Trade Deadline Deals of 2023

 I think I brought this all on myself.

Sometime yesterday, as a few more deals limped into the gate, I said to myself '...kind of a weak trade deadline this year'. And then 24 hours later I'm regretting that. 

In a sense, this was a weaker deadline year, because a lot of the big names on the board were actually kept, as teams that were thought to be dealing ended up competing anyhow. While there was a large volume of deals, especially in the last hours of regulation, a lot of deals were done solely just to make trades rather than to make sense of them. I have a post full of deals that made no sense ready to go after I'm done with the impressive ones. I'm also doing the Top 10 before I do the honorable mentions, as I think it's more sensible to just get this out there before the topic is stale, and then just post the auxiliary ones.

Needless to say, I did have enough for a Top 10 list, and what I tried to do was not just weigh these trades by the size of the exclamation point, but also by the needs they fulfill. There was no obvious blockbuster deal that I had no choice but to top the list with this year. The best trade of this deadline is gonna be the single smartest move, and that may be different than what you may think. In fact, one of the biggest exclamation point moves of the deadline didn't even make this list. I'll...have words on that one soon enough. 

But for now, my picks for the Top 10 most important trade deadline acquisitions of 2023:

#10: Mark Canha to the Brewers, prospect to the Mets.

There will be some Mets on this list, needless to say. Maybe not all of the ones you think will be here, but...there are some here. One that I think might be an underrated roster boost is the Brewers getting Mark Canha. Right now their outfield, Yelich notwithstanding, isn't great. Joey Wiemer's great defensively but he's not there as a hitter yet. Sal Frelick's a decent option but he's still finding the learning curve. Blake Perkins and Tyrone Taylor aren't doing much better. What Canha does is give the Brewers a strong, versatile option that can fill several roles as well as make sure Yelich isn't the only competent player in that outfield. As the Brewers fight to compete, they need more guys like Canha, and they did manage to stock themselves with decent rentals for a run. Ultimately, Canha's the only one that made this list.

#9: David Robertson to the Marlins, prospects to the Mets.

Second Mets deal in a row, not the last. This is, however, the only Marlins deal on this list. The Marlins made a lot of wacky moves, especially today, to bulk themselves up for a wild card brawl, and while a lot of them didn't make sense, this was their best one because it fulfills a gaping need for the Marlins, and that is a competent closer. The Marlins tried A.J. Puk in the ninth, and he was doing well for a while, but he got hurt, and now he's got an ERA around 5. Everybody else in this bullpen is more suited to middle relief work, including the also-recently-dealt Jorge Lopez. D-Rob gives them an excellent closer who's been having an excellent season, and even though this makes his second straight trade deadline venture, and the fifth team he's played for since the 2021 Olympics, his stock is super high and he's already been fantastic even in early appearances for Miami. Hopefully he'll be able to stay strong in October this year.

#8: C.J. Cron and Randal Grichuk to the Angels, prospects to the Rockies

A trend I noticed a lot this deadline especially was more cathartic, 'all things as they should be' trades. Mostly players who either came to prominence with or were drafted by teams that brought them back. There's a few further up on the list. But this one charmed me. Not only does it bolster a lineup that was already going in for help in terms of bench support, but it gives the Angels two great hitters in positions where they need help. The Angels just demoted Jared Walsh, and had been using Mike Moustakas and Trey Cabbage at first. Meanwhile, they just lost Taylor Ward and are still without Mike Trout. Both Cron and Grichuk fulfill deep needs, and both return to the organizations they came up with. Grichuk never played a game for the Angels before getting traded to St. Louis in exchange for David Freese, while Cron came to prominence as a Halo before finding fame in Denver. With both back where they started, the Angels have a stronger lineup and way more hard-hitting options.

#7: Michael Lorenzen to the Phillies, prospect Hao-Yu Lee to the Tigers

Nothing like a quaint, respectable addition to denote an otherwise quiet deadline for Sam Fuld. Michael Lorenz's been sharp as hell since becoming a starter, and after a solid year with LA last year, he became an All-Star with Detroit and cemented himself as a starting option. With no offense meant towards Cristopher Sanchez, we needed a trusted fifth man, and Lorenzen will do just fine. Now the Phils have a pretty ironclad rotation, with five guys I'd throw out there against the best of 'em, and while I thought Noah Syndergaard would be similar last year, Lorenzen has shown less signs of wear and tear, and also isn't as hard-throwing as Thor was. It sucks losing Lee, who looked like a fun prospect, but Lorenzen makes me very confident going forward. Also, cool that the Phils have just started adding long-haired lanky guys every July, it makes me feel seen.

#6: Lance Lynn and Joe Kelly to the Dodgers, Trayce Thompson and prospects to the White Sox

Not the biggest pitching acquisition the Dodgers thought they'd be leaving the deadline with, but the lack of Cease or Rodriguez aside, adding Lance Lynn to an ailing rotation is a very good move. For one, the Dodgers don't have to start Michael Grove as much. Also, even if Lynn isn't quite as consistent as he was, he's a reliable veteran who can eat innings and give you strong starts, and with the only guys left in this rotation being mostly young guys, that kind of presence will pay off. I don't know what Lynn has left, but I also said something similar when the Yankees got him in 2018, and he responded with some excellent seasons for Texas after that. Also, Kelly is yet another 'let's bring him back' style move this deadline, and I certainly can't argue with the Dodgers having Kelly around again. They love him over there.

#5: Aaron Civale to the Rays, prospects to the Guardians

This was one of those where I had an audible reaction of "oh shit." The Rays have bobbled a huge lead over the AL East solely due to injuries to Jeffrey Springs, Drew Rasmussen, Zach Eflin and, albeit briefly, Shane McClanahan. They've had numerous open rotation spots buckling, and as Taj Bradley's learning curve spoils a few more wins, they've needed an upgrade. Aaron Civale is perfect for this Rays team, and he's a strong, durable arm that makes me very nervous for the rest of the season. Even as people start to come back, you have one more basically guaranteed day, as Civale's been having a great season, and doesn't need to lead the rotation to impress you [a lot like Eflin]. The Rays didn't need to do much this deadline, but the thing they did do was make it even harder for anyone else to finish the season atop the AL East. 

#4: Lucas Giolito & Reynaldo Lopez to the Angels, prospects to the White Sox

Though it took him a while to rebound after the tack ban, Lucas Giolito reaffirmed himself as a great pitcher this year, and once the White Sox fell below the Tigers in the standings, a deal like this became inevitable. This deal, however, marked the first real instance by the Angels of deciding to pursue competition this offseason, and it was a hell of a statement to start with. Giolito strengthens that rotation even further, even as Sandoval, Canning, Detmers and, yes, Ohtani roll. He's not quite the ace anymore, but he's an excellent foil to Ohtani as a pure flamethrower, and will hopefully give the Angels some great stretch starts. We do know how good he can be in October, remember that. Also, Lopez gives them another solid bullpen arm, as well as more flexibility if need be.

#3: Max Scherzer to the Rangers, prospect Luisangel Acuna to the Mets

Nope, not #1. Scherzer heading to Arlington may have been the biggest flex of the deadline, but I will admit that there's two moves that I think are more advantageous. But still, you can't deny that handing Scherz over to the Rangers is a boss move. Eovaldi's hurt, deGrom's hurt, so there's room, but with Scherzer and newly-added Jordan Montgomery in there, it gives Dane Dunning, Martin Perez and Jon Gray even more reassurance, and it takes some of the pressure off of Andrew Heaney. Scherzer may not be what he was in Washington, but he was still throwing pretty well with the Mets, with a 9-4 record and 114 Ks in 19 games. He still has some excellent material to work with, and he could be the force that keeps the Rangers ahead of the Astros, despite their similar deadline tactics. While this does have a tendency to backfire, especially considering Scherzer's age and human-ness lately, it's still a big statement that could heavily benefit the Rangers if all goes well.

#2: Jeimer Candelario to the Cubs, prospects to the Nationals

Maybe if I were younger I wouldn't rank this so high, but everything about this deal just screams perfection to me. First of all, Candelario came up in the Cubs system, knows it well, and prospered there before being traded for Justin Wilson and Alex Avila [???]. This is another homecoming deal, and it's gotta be cool that Candelario finally gets to get reps in at third in Chicago. But also...Chicago was a seller till a couple weeks ago, and was looking for suitors for Bellinger, Stroman and Steele. Once they got hot, and realized they did have enough to chase the competition this year, they realized they could net an upgrade for Patrick Wisdom at third. Candelario's a perfect fit for this lineup, and a fantastic upgrade from what they already have. I also think that a lot of the Brewers' panicking in the last 24 hours is due to this deal, because they know the Cubs are gonna be even better with Candelario and need to stay above them. I absolutely love this deal, and I hope he keeps his Nats numbers up with the Cubs, cause this could be the last piece they need to sneak into October.

And so, the #1...it is a pitcher, an extremely good if recently-injury-prone pitcher...going to a market that needs to fight to win a division....but it's not the one you might think.

#1: Jack Flaherty to the Orioles, prospects who are not Jackson Holliday to the Cardinals

This, to me, was the smartest move of the deadline. The Cardinals needed to move Flaherty, the Orioles needed a unifying ace, they needed each other. The Orioles pitching, as good as it's been, has been a series of #2 and #3 men in search of a #1. Bradish, Gibson and Kremer have been good this season, but none have felt like an ace. Said ace would have been somebody like John Means, but he's still injured. I was thinking Tyler Wells would fall into that category, but he's fallen apart since the beginning of the season. The O's did try to get Dylan Cease, but the White Sox wanted Holliday in return, so that didn't happen. That's why I'm so won over by them getting Jack Flaherty, because he can be that ace-type guy, and can deliver OMG starts, and the Orioles have needed a guy like that. The injuries do worry me, but I think he's just on a decent enough pace this year, and won't need to sit out as much as somebody like Means. Flaherty might not be the HUGEST piece the Cards could have dealt, but it's an important piece, and it's even more important that Baltimore got him, because this could keep them ahead of Tampa and give them a healthy spot in the playoffs.

Again, I may be wrong about the promise of some of these deals, but this is how they look right now. Tomorrow, I'll reveal the honorable mentions, and why they didn't make the list.

Two Rack Packs of 2023 Topps Series 1 [Finally]

 

I was in a place the other day where I not only had enough saved up to get some baseball cards, but there were actually baseball cards present. I won't divulge where this was, nor how much the price was hiked up...but I went with it. It was Series 1.

Obviously I'd seen a lot of this on the blogs for the past month or so, but it'd taken me this long to have any in hand. I got 2 rack packs, and until I figure out eBay selling and/or make a breakthrough with work, that'll be enough. 

Pack 1-

101- Tyler Mahle

My first card of the year was a guy I'd seen pitch only a few days prior. He got chased, yes, but he's still a nice pickup for the Twins if he keeps at Cincinnati-era pace. 

I've probably said as such, but I have come around on this design. I wish it wasn't so fragrantly the photo day icon images that were being used, as they're not too interesting, but I like so many design elements that it counteracts that. 

73- Jon Gray

322- Luis Urias

215- Wander Franco

22- Clayton Kershaw

Two big pulls from a base perspective. As is evident on Kershaw's, full career stats are in play on the back, much to my amusement. 

214- Graham Ashcraft RC

50- Mookie Betts

293- J.T. Realmuto

I agree that there are too many rookies in the set, but at the very least a good majority of them are people that played a big enough part in the second half of the 2022 season, like Graham Ashcraft. Also nice that star cards aren't too rare, especially JT.

34- Zack Thompson

80- Tanner Rainey

277- David Villar RC

158- Kris Bryant

175- Liam Hendriks

Maybe it's because he was injured for most of last year, but it's still very weird to see Bryant in Rockies colors. I really hope Hendriks makes it to the mound at some point this year, he's awesome. 

12- Jeffrey Springs. Not showing his picture, not even collecting his cards. Ya done goofed, pal.

255- Cal Quantrill

257- Yadiel Hernandez

218- Jhoan Duran rainbow foil, unnumbered. I still don't see the point of these, and of making gold numbered cards rarer, but Duran is filthy.

88 Topps Brendan Rodgers. Pleased they finally did these, even if there are slight font issues. 

Stars of MLB Wander Franco

Stars of MLB Bryce Harper

Good subjects, but for a 'multiple-per-pack' insert, I would have preferred the 88s, honestly. This is at least cool design wise, but there are others similar, like 2019's Stars of the Game or 2018's Legends in the Making, that are more memorable to me.

226- Michael Harris II RC

One of the big rookies of the first series. And one hell of an image for it, too.

194- Josh Staumont

220- Cubs TC

292- Rangers TC

113- Dodgers CL

174- Mariners CL. These team cards and checklists are cool, but they feel like filler sometimes.

32- Jordan Montgomery

162- Isiah Kiner-Falefa

Even if I knew they had Gumby photos available, his card still looks photoshopped. The good news is both these cards show variance in the types of headshots we can see, like Montgomery's in-game shot and IKF's slight tilt. A little change-up goes a long way.

IKF's smug smile here says something along the lines of 'hey Anthony, you're really good and all but you know I'm making the opening day roster and you're not, right?'

37- Josh Smith RC

76- John Winckowski RC

105- Seth Beer

278- Aaron Nola

179- Carlos Rodon

290- Max Fried

Three of the best pitchers in the majors in one pack. Plus, Nola and Fried might actually pitch in the first half!

90- Korey Lee RC

286- Ezequiel Duran

PACK 2-

53- Dylan Cease

236- Shane McClanahan

Two pitchers who had incredible 2022s start us off. I really hope Cease can sustain this. McClanahan too, but, y'know, division rival.

232- Ian Happ

13- Giovanny Gallegos

163- Miguel Vargas RC

21- Max Scherzer

313- Cal Mitchell

Scherz is Scherz. Mitchell I saw as an A-baller and have some pride in, even if he's not very good in the majors so far.

74- Tarik Skubal

171- Mychal Givens. I'll say this, the reliever presence in this set seems like an improvement.

132- Gavin Sheets

204- Manuel Margot

269- Steven Matz

182- Nick Pratto

68- William Contreras

Pratto's rookie is a decent pull. Contreras' is a great card even if it is already outdated.

66- Brandon Crawford

154- Jonathan Aranda

Home Field Advantage Bryce Harper.

I...had a reaction to this one. Didn't think I'd end up pulling one of these, so the fact that I do and it's the hometown superstar is...a huge deal. I love so much of this card. Rocky's boxing gloves, man. Penn and Franklin. As a Philadelphian, I wholeheartedly approve. As a Phils collector, I'm even more grateful. 

88T insert of Matthew Liberatore

Stars of MLB Rafael Devers

Stars of MLB Gerrit Cole

I still don't exactly see the point of bringing the rookies that aren't sure bets into the inserts but Topps is doing their thing. Good to get a Cole, seeing as he was on the mound when I was in Tampa [more on that later].

303- Checklist

190- Checklist

326- Checklist

I mean, the checklists do at least point out how well-done the photography in this set is. I just think the contractually-obligated MLB logo takes away from it a bit.

4 dupes from last pack including the Harris RC

191- Caleb Smith, who I believe just got demoted by the Pirates, which is an insult in itself.

49- Mitch Haniger

276- David MacKinnon

45- Gerrit Cole

87- Ethan Small RC

There's Cole again, given his own hero number. 

296- Cristian Pache

67- Travis Swaggerty RC

110- Randal Grichuk

So, not especially showy save for that Harper insert, but a nice array of base and fun details from this set. I'll try to get more when I can, and I'll see if I can build team sets and get the guys I collect. There's fun ideas here, and I think Topps can survive on this for the rest of the year.