Domino Effect

I got to thinking today about Richie Sexson. Just kind of a random thought that came to me on the golf course, but it led to being confused how he lost the ability to hit in the last couple of years, but then it led to the trade of Sexson to the Diamondbacks. The more I looked into it, the more I started to see how the Brewers were still paying the dividends of that trade. Check this out...

The Brewers sent Richie Sexson along with Shane Nance to the D-Backs for Chris Capuano, Lyle Overbay, Craig Counsell, Junior Spivey, Jorge de la Rosa, and Chad Moeller.

Start with Moeller - He did his thing for the Brewers for 3 years, batting around .200. His highlight with the Brewers was becoming the fifth Brewer to ever hit for the cycle. Moeller was released and has bounced around to several teams since his Brewer days..

Junior Spivey - Spivey was acquired as a stop gap until Rickie Weeks was ready. He batted around .250 with a dozen or so homers in parts of two seasons for the Brewers. They flipped Spivey to the Nationals for Tomo Ohka to open that spot for Weeks, so basically getting Ohka for a player who was no longer needed. Ohka was serviceable for the Brewers for a year and a half including a complete game shut out in his first game for the Crew. They declined to offer him arbitration before the 2007 season ending this thread of the trade...

Craig Counsell - He has obviously been a very valuable asset to the Brewers. He has reinvented himself this year at 38 and is playing an integral role, much more that I assume the Brewers envisioned when he was in this deal.

Jorge de la Rosa - He was the "live arm" prospect the Brewers got in the deal. He was never able to harness that and have much of an impact for the Brewers but his potential was enough to trade him to the Royals for veteran utilityman Tony Graffanino. Graffy had his moments with the Brewers until a knee injury ended his Brewers tenure. Side note, de la Rosa is still playing in the league and having some success...

Lyle Overbay - Here is where the deal starts to get real complicated. Overbay was very good for the Brewers, but it became obvious he was just standing in the way of the Prince. When the Brewers decided Prince was ready, they turned an asset they no longer needed to the Jays for Dave Bush, Zach Jackson and Gabe Gross.

Dave Bush - He has been a staple in the Brewers rotation since that day and has had some very good success. It hasn't always been roses for Bush, but as a 4/5 starter, he has been a great pickup.

Gabe Gross was a very serviceable bench player for the Brewers and had some very big moments, pinch hit homeruns, walk offs. He scored the winning run in a game early last season and never stopped running until he arrived in Tamba Bay. He was traded for a young power pitcher named Josh Butler, who is having a very solid, if not spectacular year at three different levels in the minor league system. He seems to be climbing the ranks fast and looks like he could make an impact at the major league level.

Zach Jackson never had any success at the big league level for the Brewers, BUT was one of the pieces sent to the Indians for CC Sabathia! We all know what the big guy did for Milwaukee. When he left, the Brewers recieved two draft picks, which they used to select outfielders Kentrail Davis and Maxwell Walla. Obviously the jury is still out on those two.

Sooooo..... after trades, picks, etc, the trade looks like this..

Diamondbacks get:

1B Richie Sexson

Brewers get:

IF - Craig Counsell

C - Chad Moeller

SP - Chris Capuano

P - Tomo Ohka

IF - Tony Graffanino

P - Dave Bush

P - Josh Butler

OF - Kentrail Davis

OF - Maxwell Walla

Indirectly recieved:

Playing time for Rickie Weeks

Playing time for Prince Fielder

CC Sabathia

Playoff berth

Great trade.