The terms "winner" and "loser" certainly significant gravitas, even if it's all relative. Every year, countless baseball sites will post articles about the winners and losers of the trade deadline shortly after the fact, even though it is often nigh-impossible to make such judgments at the time. A perfect example is 1987--the Tigers acquired well-regarded starting pitcher Doyle Alexander to boost their rotation down the stretch since it was only average after ace Jack Morris. He would not be a free agent until after the '88 campaign, and all they had to send to the Braves to get him was a 20-year-old 22nd round draft pick who had a 5.
MLB trade deadline: Winners and losers
