What do you think was the best MLB trade ever?

Question

trades that benefited both sides

Answer 1

Joe Nathan and Francisco Liriano for AJ Piersynski

Answer 2

Of all-time, it would probably be the Yankees stealing Babe Ruth from the bumbling Red Sox. In recent times, Minnesota getting Joe Nathan and Francisco Liriano for that horse's *** A.J. Pierzynski. The next best move was the Giants cutting that stiff and sending him out of town. One year of that idiot was enough. Even to get nothing for him, it was great to dump him. Michael Barret should be in the Hall of Fame just for punching him in his fat face.

Answer 3

Hamilton for Volquez

Answer 4

babe ruth

Answer 5

josh hamilton for edison volquz   for both

Expos traded Grady Sizemore, Cliff Lee, Brandon Phillips (+1) to Cleveland for Bartolo Colon (+1)

for clelevland

Answer 6

By best do you mean a) best for both teams or b) best for one team and worst for the other?

a) There's not a lot of trades where both teams make out equally well.  One recent one I can think of is this past off season when the Rangers traded Edison Volquez to the Reds for Josh Hamilton.

edit to add more even trades:

1978 - Ranges trade Toby Harrah to the Indians for Buddy Bell

1962 - Indians sent Harry Chiti to the Mets for Harry Chiti

1987 - Tigers sent Dickie Noles to the Cubs for Dickie Noles

2005 - Tigers sent John MacDonald to the Blue Jays for John MacDonald

2005 - Marlins sent Josh Beckett, Mike Lowell (+1) to the Red Sox for Hanley Ramierez, Anibal Sanchez (+2)

b) There been a lot of one-sided trades in the history of the game.  Ruth wasn't really a trade but a sale.  Here are a few one-sided trades:

Reds traded Christy Mathewson to Giants for Amos Rusie

Cubs traded Lou Brock (+2) to Cards for Ernie Broglio (+2)

Cards traded Steve Carlton to Phillies for Rick Wise

Mets traded Nolan Ryan (+3) to Angels for Jim Fregosi

Phillies traded Fergie Jenkins (+2) to Cubs for Bob Buhl and Larry Jackson

Phillies traded Ryne Sandberg and Larry Bowa to Cubs for Ivan DeJesus

Expos traded Grady Sizemore, Cliff Lee, Brandon Phillips (+1) to Cleveland for Bartolo Colon (+1)

Giants traded Joe Nathan, Francisco Liriano, and Boof Bonser to the Twins for A.J. Pierzynski

edit: A few more I remembered (Jeff Bagwell, Jason Varitek, and Curt Schilling who was involved in 3 one-sided trades).

Answer 7

Ruth Easy

Answer 8

For recent history? Volquez for Hamilton looks pretty good ... but doesn't have the benefit of standing the test of time. However, the all time best trade may have been Joe Gordon for Allie Reynolds back in 1947 - a trade that arguably won pennants for both teams involved. Tough to top that one.

Answer 9

utterchaos99 gets my vote!  How many baseball fans knew that the Ruth "exchange" was only for $125K (+ a $300K loan)!?!  How about Reggie Jackson being picked up in Free Agency - another brilliant move by the Yanks?  More kudos to uc99 - Trades listed were also good, but not great, unless you consider the Phillies winning their only World Championship with Carlton on the mound.

My vote: although Schilling was a winner in Philly (lost '93 series) and Arizona (won '01 series); his trade to Boston for four unknown players (bonus points for the first to name them!) brought the "cursed" franchise their first title in a very, very, very long time!

SCHILLING to SOX

Answer 10

The best trade ever happens to be Edinson Volquez, of the Texas Rangers to the Cincinnati Reds  for Josh Hamilton. They both have played so great for their respective teams. Volquez and Hamilton both made the all-star team this year. Tell me the last time this has happened. Has it ever hapened before. As far as Ruth he wasn't really traded he wa sold by the Red Sox owner to the Yankees,  because his business was in dire need of some cash. The $100,000 the Red Sox got for the Babe was a major sum of money at the time but I would say the Yankees made out very nice. It wasn't the biggest trade in MLB history but it was probably the biggest blunner in MLB history.

Answer 11

Babe Ruth.

Answer 12

Manny Ramirez to dodgers i don't really like the red sox  

Answer 13

Definitely Volquez for Hamilton in recent history.