Every baseball season, at least a few “name” players switch teams via trade.
These players are known to even the most casual of fans because they have appeared in All-Star Games and competed for major awards in the past.
At the time of the trade, their level of skill can fall into any number of categories.
Many are former stars and heroes who now find themselves in the fading light of their careers; still in search of that elusive World Series ring. Lance Berkman and Kerry Wood were dealt separately to the Yankees last year in an attempt to reach that goal.
Some are players still in the primes of their careers whom rebuilding or poor teams can no longer afford to hold onto. Dan Haren, Roy Halladay, Matt Holliday and Victor Martinez have been traded recently for similar reasons.
Fewer are rising stars who likely have their best years in front of them, but are players that generate polarizing opinions and are valued differently by different clubs.
Still, what all of these players have in common is that, through some combination of talent and experience, they are expected to make their new teams better.
After the jump is a list of 10 former All-Stars, each more talented than the last. Look for any number of these players to make a midseason switch and help a contending club in their chase for a pennant.
Sources:
Cot’s Baseball Contracts: http://mlbcontracts.blogspot.com/
Fangraphs.com