MLB: Deadline trades not turning out to be big deals

As enticing as the top prizes on the trade market were this year, the teams that did not give up the farm for Zack Greinke and Ryan Dempster have to be feeling pretty good. Sometimes, the best move is what you don't do, writes Carroll Rogers

The acquisition of Zack Greinke has not paid off as of yet for the Los Angeles Angels.

A s enticing as the top prizes on the trade market were this year, the teams that did not give up the farm for Zack Greinke and Ryan Dempster have to be feeling pretty good.

Sometimes, the best move is what you don't do.

Just ask the Washington Nationals. They stood pat at the trade deadline, deciding against leveraging young talent to acquire a starter for the stretch run after ace Stephen Strasburg is shut down for the season.

Since the trade deadline, the Nationals are 9-2 and have the best record in baseball at 70-43.

The Los Angeles Angels, meanwhile, have lost eight out of 13 games since they acquired Greinke from the Milwaukee Brewers on July 27 and dropped to third place in the American League West. The Angels have lost each of Greinke's first three starts, in which he has gone 0-1 with a 5.68 ERA.

Dempster gave up eight runs in 4 2/3 innings in his first start with the Texas Rangers. He settled back down in his second start, giving up only three runs (none earned) in 6 2/3 innings.

But here is what the Atlanta Braves got on Friday in their second start from Paul Maholm, the Chicago Cubs pitcher they traded for after a deal for Dempster fell through: Maholm pitched a complete-game shutout in a 4-0 win against the Mets.

The Angels gave up three of their top-10 prospects for Greinke, who can still walk in free agency at the end of the season.

The price will be even higher if the Angels don't find a way to make the play-offs.

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