By Mike Thomas

League 13

We’re back! The trade market is heating up as we approach the deadline, so let’s tackle another question from League 8 …

Our reader writes, “I’m trading Roy Halladay to the 7th place team for Victor Martinez. I wasn’t sure it would get V-Mart for next year, but it worked. Did I overpay a bit? I think I did a little, but I’m not catching up this year, so I’m willing to trade a pitcher I wouldn’t keep for a catcher I know I WILL.”

She actually answers her own question. Did she overpay by trading a top starting pitcher for a catcher on the DL? If you look at Halladay’s performance this year, he is a Cy Young contender and solid performer across the pitching categories, so the answer would be yes, she did overpay.

However, she is not in contention this year and would not be keeping Halladay next year. Therefore, Halladay was of absolutely no value to her unless she traded him for some other present or future value … and Martinez is the latter. You cannot overpay when you trade away a player that will not help you win this year and who you will not be keeping the next. That is making something out of nothing.

What about the players’ respective performance? Halladay reversed a downward trend coming into this year (2005 - 2.42 ERA/0.96 WHIP; 2006 - 3.19 ERA/1.10 WHIP; and 2007 - 3.71 ERA/1.24 WHIP). His strikeout/walk ratio was decreasing … as was his opponents’ OBP against him.

This year, he is well on his way to a remarkable season (13-9, 2.72 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and 155 Ks in 182 innings). He also shows no signs of slowing down (except for a slight drop in his groundball ratio as the year wears on) as last Saturday’s game marked just the second time in his past eight starts that Halladay has failed to complete at least seven innings. I just wish that the third place team in a league that I am currently leading hadn’t traded for him today!

What about V-Mart? He is among the first catchers selected in fantasy drafts and has traditionally delivered 20 HR/100 RBI stats in his career. This year, he had zero home runs and just 11 doubles before he was placed on the DL with elbow spurs that eventually lead to his surgery.

While he will return from the DL in the near future, his power probably will not. Wrist and elbow injuries tend to sap a batter’s power stroke, so it is well that the above owner is looking at him through 2009, and not 2008, eyes.

One note of caution, though. Cleveland had planned to give Martinez a number of starts at first base this year in order to keep him rested and productive. His DL visit allowed the Indians to play Kelly Shoppach full-time, and he has responded well (.272 - 12HRs - 35 RBIs in just 232 ABs).

Shoppach’s production, together with Ryan Garko’s lack thereof this year, may tempt Cleveland to consider moving V-Mart to first base permanently (there were rumors of this the past two off seasons). Martinez’s new owner needs to monitor this situation in the off-season and during Spring Training. V-Mart’s stats are tremendous for a catcher. They would be pedestrian for a first baseman by comparison.