On Friday, July 18 the Los Angeles Angels traded four prospects to the San Diego Padres for All-Star closer Huston Street and one prospect. The trade presumably will help fix the biggest issue the Angels have had this season, the bullpen.
So far this season the Angels have been the second best team in the league, no, not the American League, all of the Majors. The problem, though, is that the best team is in their division and that bullpen has been the one thing that has held them back. Now with Street in the fold and Jason Grilli whom they acquired a few weeks back for former closer Ernesto Frieri the Angels have guys in the seventh, eighth and ninth inning who are reliable. The issue, though, is the amount the Angels gave up for a rental closer.
In the deal the Angels gave up their best and fourth best prospects for a guy who could walk at the end of the season. They also get a minor league pitcher in the deal, but that was at the cost of two other minor leaguers. It seems like a risky move especially when you take into account that the Angels were burned big in the trade for Zack Greinke just two seasons ago. In that trade they sent their top prospect, Jean Segura, and two other minor leaguers to the Milwaukee Brewers. They lost Greinke to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the offseason the next season and Segura has become an All-Star shortstop.
The Angels have run the risk of being bitten again with this trade, but they needed to make this trade. The Angels have made big move after big move to win now acquiring big name offensive players Albert Pujols and Josh Hamilton as well as left handed starting pitcher C.J. Wilson. Those moves have made it difficult for the Angels to win in the long run and their best chance to win the World Series is right now. While losing their top infield prospect and a top pitching prospect could cripple the future of the club, the future is already crippled with huge long term contracts and the only way to live up to those signings is to win a World Series, and now is their best shot.