Musings on a Trade in MLB 12: The Show - DrYCeLL's Blog

DrYCeLL's Blog

Musings on a Trade in MLB 12: The Show

Posted on April 24, 2012 at 01:02 PM.

In a video game, where players are just collections of ratings, with age and potential tossed in as variables to their values, trades don't happen as realistically as they can, and the performance of the player is not taken into account when the trade is going on. Let me try to defend what many people would deem a "terrible trade".

My Chicago Cubs trade Marlon Byrd to the Washington Nationals for Anthony Rendon.

The game accepted this trade on its own, so my own reasoning didn't need to apply, but for my own peace of mind, I was able to justify the trade. The Nationals were in a tight race with the Phillies for the NL East. They were 1.5 out of first, and were already down Jayson Werth when I noticed Rick Ankiel went down with an injury as well. Werth was on the 60 day DL, and Ankiel had an injury that would keep him out for well over a month. Marlon Byrd, before the trade, was hitting .311, had 14 home runs and no errors. He was on fire especially of late, going 18-40 in the last 10 games, including 3 bombs. The Nationals have their core of infielders, in Zimmerman, Desmond, and Espinosa, so Rendon would be blocked. The Cubs were in 5th place at the time, and Marlon Byrd had one of the few hot bats in the lineup. The trade took place around the deadline.

Sure, most people would scoff at a top prospect being dealt for a 34 year old outfielder in a rental situation, but we have to remember that the game isn't aware of what is happening in the real MLB. Byrd is struggling mightily in real life, but his digital counterpart was tearing it up, and the Cubs needed to make room to call up top prospect Brett Jackson. If you wanted to add real life flare to the trade, Rendon has a recurring ankle injury that he has needed surgery for and already injured it again this season. Maybe that lowered his stock to the Nationals GM? Maybe the allure of the postseason was enough to part with a prospect in an already loaded and on the rise organization.

Byrd is on the last year of his deal, and the Nationals, if they want to keep him, will be able to sign him to a lower contract next season. He will be 35, so he probably has 3 years left in him, and if he helps get the Nationals to the postseason, the trade did its job. Also, we Cubs fans have the excuse "Theo magic" if a trade that doesn't make much sense but benefits the Cubs happens. Top 1B prospect Anthony Rizzo for a relief pitcher coming off injury(Andrew Cashner) ring any bells?