I didn't want it to go unmentioned that Eric Wedge's favorite whipping boy, Ben Broussard, was traded. Although hitting decently in a spot role, his defensive lapses were absolutely hurting the team. To the casual observer it was clear that Broussard had fallen out of favor with Wedge, assuming he was ever in favor. Perhaps both Wedge and Shapiro felt that Broussard's budding music career was getting in the way of his day job, but whatever it was it was just as clear that Broussard wasn't considered a "core" player.
When you put it in that context, does it really matter who they got in the trade. If a player like Broussard isn't a core player to a rebuilding team how much trade value could he really have? I happened to overhear Assistant GM Chris Antonetti yesterday talking about Shin-Soo (Ah) Choo as if this recent acquisition was the final piece to the puzzle. Let me put it this way: if a struggling team like Seattle would rather have Broussard than Choo you know it this trade was the equivalent of a schoolyard lunchtime swap of a tuna salad on wheat for egg salad on rye.
The real issue boils down, as it did with the Wickman trade, on whether or not the Dolans will give Shapiro the budget he needs to pull this team out of the abyss. If past is prologue, and I believe it is, we'll be sellers this time next year.
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