By MIKE BOGEN
mbogen@repub.com
They say that it takes at least a year to evaluate a trade, and even though no one knows who they are, they're right, of course.
Heck, some trades take three or four years - think Oakland's 1984 trade Ricky Henderson to the Yankees for Jose Rijo, who didn't become a star until 1988 with Cincinnati, and three others - to play out.
Sometimes, the impact of a deal isn't really felt until another is made.
In 1967 and '68, New York Yankees pitcher Al Downing, for several seasons one of the brightest spots in the darkest era of Yankee baseball, was slowed by injuries. But when he was healthy the lefty was 10-8 with a 3.42 ERA. He pitched 192 innings, gave up 171 hits and 69 walks, and struck out 125.
In 2008, those kind of numbers get you a summer home in the Hamptons, in December of 1969, they got him traded to Oakland for Danny Cater.
Red Sox fans, you know where this is going.
The versatile Cater, who played first, third and the outfield with equal mediocrity, was a lifetime .275 hitter for the Phillies, White Sox and A's from 1964 through 1969. In that time, he'd shown no power (49 homers in 917 games through '69), no speed (25 stolen bases in 54 attempts) and he wouldn't take a walk (193 in 3,446 plate appearances) if it came with Green Stamps.
If you're under 50, ask your mom or dad about Green Stamps.
But anyway, only a day earlier, the Yankees had created a need at first base, dealing underachieving Joe Pepitone for Houston outfielder Curt Blefary, who would prove to be worse.
So, Cater plays for the Yankees in 1970, when he has a career year and 1971, when he has a year more typical of his career. This time, however, the Yankees start using 22-year-old Johnny Ellis at first, and have 22-year-old Ron Blomberg waiting in the wings. So Cater becomes expendable.
Brace yourselves, Red Sox fans.
Only a couple of weeks before the start of the 1972 season the Red Sox trade their 26-year-old closer Sparky Lyle to the Yankees for almost-32-year-old Cater, who goes on to play 211 games for Boston - 63 of them pretty well in 1973 - in the next three years.
Lyle goes on to have seven seasons in New York that range from excellent to great.
But wait, there's more.
In 1979, the Yankees sign free agent Goose Gossage, creating baseball's first true closer controversy and a year later, send Lyle, who had 141 saves in pinstripes, and four historically irrelevant others to Texas for four historically irrelevant players and minor leaguer ...
Dave Righetti, who by 1983 is the club's third starter, and in 1984 begins a seven-year, 223-save run as New York's closer.
Bottom line ... Al Downing for Sparky Lyle and Dave Righetti.
So, in the light of those cautionary tales, let's take a look at the minor leaguers in some of this week's deadline deals.
And please keep in mind, no one's evaluating trades here, just providing some insight into part of them.
MANNY BEING GONE: Pittsburgh got the minor leaguers ... four of 'em.
Ok, so Craig Hansen and Brandon Moss were actually with Boston when they were dealt, but both started this season in the minors and have not been out long enough to escape scrutiny.
First, raise your hand if you think that, in Craig Hansen, the Red Sox had a nice draft present in 2005, played with him too soon and broke him. The 24-year-old's best hope is that the Pirates give him the time in the minors that Boston never did.
Moss really has lived off the potential he displayed in his 2004 stay at Class A Augusta, where he hit .339 with 25 doubles, six triples, 13 homers and 101 RBIs in 109 games. He's never again approached those numbers, but he has been an asset at every stop since, and at 24 is probably up to stay. He's good enough to be Pittsburgh's left fielder. The expectations in Boston are somewhat greater.
Third baseman Andy LaRoche, also was a fairly recent graduate, getting the Dodgers' call from Las Vegas about six weeks ago. The third baseman had 35 games with Los Angeles last year and 27 this season, and didn't hit either time. You have to figure he just needs big league reps.
Bryan Morris was a first-round pick by the Dodgers in the 2006 June Draft. At 21, the 6-3, 200-pounder has already had Tommy John surgery and is pitching well in the Midwest League.
NADY FOR NADA?: Well, if you believe that the only significant player the Yankees gave up, or the Pirates wanted, for outfielder Xavier Nady and pitcher Damaso Marte was Jose Tabata, that could be the case.
Tabata's stock has gone down dramatically since his fine 2006 season at Charleston of the Low-A South Atlantic League, when he was chosen to play in the Futures Game at age 17.
The reason the five-tool youngster's value has dropped in some eyes is that he's being perceived as a problem child. He was disciplined twice this season at Trenton, where he was struggling against Eastern League (AA) pitching, and even last season, when he hit .307 in High-A, some thought he didn't always put out 100 percent.
But - and this is one big but - he is 19.
I'm willing to give Tabata a pass on his behavior. Iit's been immature, not illegal. And although his wrist surgery last year may have cost him power, he still has more tools than a Black and Decker salesman.
In addition to Tabata, the Yanks gave up pitchers Ross Ohlendorf, Jeff Karstens and Daniel McCutcheon.
McCutcheon, who started his career with a 50-game suspension for allegedly (he said the positive test was from a prescription medicine) using performance-enhancing drugs, has performed at every level.
A LITTLE SOMETHING: That's probably a fair description of what the Cincinnati Reds got in return for Ken Griffey Jr.
Without getting into the whys of dumping or acquiring the aging Griffey, the Reds did get a little something for him.
Like Hansen and Moss, reliever Nick Masset has been in the majors this season, but unlike the Pirates' new acquisitions, the righty has never shown any particular promise at any level.
Danny Richar, on the other hand, may become a serviceable utility infielder. He's hit .288 in 708 minor league games and shown flashes of a little power and speed.
INCOMING: The Yankees picked up a minor leaguer, second baseman Matt Cusick, from Houston for out-of-favor reliever LaTroy Hawkins.
Baseball America seems to think Cusick, a former USC standout who's shown no power, speed or particular defensive ability, needs some asset other than his consistency in making contact at the plate, and had him ranked 29th in the Astros system.
In the Minors says, remember Danny Cater?
FARLEY UPDATE: Former Mahar Regional pitcher Chris Farley's stay at Triple-A Sacramento became a brief one this week, when the parent Oakland A's activated pitcher Joey Devine, sent two players down and Farley was returned to Double-A Midland.
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