Even with all of the moves that occurred prior to this afternoon's non-waiver trade deadline, there are still plenty of players that did not change teams even though we thought they would. Let's recap the guys that did not move this year…
- Adam Dunn: Nationals GM Mike Rizzo wanted to be blown away in any Dunn deal, and even though several clubs inquired, he never found an offer to his liking. Dunn isn't a lock to clear trade waivers in August.
- Jose Bautista: The Major League homerun king drew plenty of interest for obvious reasons, but his versatility gave him even more value than your typical slugger. The Blue Jays are content keeping their top hitter after no one was willing to meet their demands.
- David DeJesus: Nothing but a case of bad luck here, DeJesus tore a ligament in his thumb crashing into the wall last week, ending his season prematurely.
- Joe Beimel: Lefty relievers are always on the move at the deadline, but Colorado couldn't find a taker for Beimel. He could easily be on the move next month.
- Brett Myers: Even though Houston gutted their team by dealing Roy Oswalt and Lance Berkman, they chose to not only hang onto Myers, but they're close to giving him a multi-year extension.
- The Blue Jays Bullpen: The trio of Scott Downs, Jason Frasor, and Kevin Gregg were very much available, but the Matt Capps trade set the market, and no one was willing to go there for any of these guys.
- Adam LaRoche & Kelly Johnson: The Diamondbacks held a mini-firesale, but the right side of their infield stayed put. Both could be had in August, LaRoche more likely than Johnson.
- David Aardsma & Brandon League: Seattle was expected to shop their end-game bullpen duo, but with both players under team control for a few more seasons, the Mariners weren't desperate to move either. No one blew them away with an offer, so Aardsma and League stayed put.
For every team that made a move to improve, there was another that didn't do anything. Here is a look at the clubs that were unable to pull the trigger on a deal…
- Red Sox: Even though the Sox picked up Jarrod Saltalamacchia, GM Theo Epstein told ESPN Boston's Gordon Edes that it was an "empty feeling" not being able to add a reliever or outfield depth.
- Mets: The Amazins were reportedly after both rotation and bullpen help, but they didn't make a single move before the deadline.
- Giants: GM Brian Sabean did add some reinforcements for his bullpen, but he did not add any offensive help despite casting a wide net.
- Brewers: Milwaukee's deadline plans took a big hit when Corey Hart injured his wrist, keeping him on the bench for the last week or so. Even though Prince Fielder's name was mentioned in rumors, he was unlikely to be moved unless someone offered GM Doug Melvin a package he couldn't refuse.
- Athletics: Like the Brewers, the A's deadline plans were sabotaged by injury. Ben Sheets hit the disabled list with an elbow issue, though the team didn't seem interested in moving him anyway. GM Billy Beane never seemed fond of moving Coco Crisp either.
- Reds: Cincinnati was a somewhat surprise contender for both Cliff Lee and Dan Haren, but GM Walt Jocketty ended up sitting on his hands and making no trades before the deadline.
- Rockies: Stuck trying to figure out if they were buyers or sellers, the Rockies didn't move any of their veterans: Aaron Cook, Brad Hawpe, and Melvin Mora among others.
There are sure to be plenty of moves made during the waiver period in August, so these teams will still have ample opportunity to fill these holes. If you're unclear how post-July 31st trades occur, make sure you check out our primer. Last year we saw players like Scott Kazmir, Jim Thome, Carl Pavano, Alex Gonzalez, Brad Penny, Aubrey Huff, Billy Wagner, Jon Garland, and Ivan Rodriguez change teams in August, so there are definitely going to be quality players available on the market next month.
