Madness. So chaotic was this baseball trade deadline that it not only moved huge names—including 10 All-Stars just from this year—it also changed the game. With moves made by every contender, team decision-makers no longer will be able to hide behind the excuse of saying, “Sometimes the best deals are the ones you don’t make.” It will be a requirement going forward that standing still is not an option.
The Giants and Mariners proved this new world order in their own way.
Sitting on the best record in baseball in a magic carpet ride of a season—the Giants have hit the most homers and allowed the third-fewest in the National League, compiling a 151-101 advantage in homers—San Francisco could have held firm.