Is it really overpaying when everyone is doing it?
In this light, how are we all feeling about Dombrowski's trades?
ACQUIRED: LHP Drew Pomeranz (from Padres), RHP Brad Ziegler (from Diamondbacks), INF Aaron Hill (from Brewers), LHP Fernando Abad (from Twins), INF Michael Martinez (from Indians)
TRADED: RHP Anderson Espinoza (to Padres), RHP Pat Light (to Twins), RHP Aaron Wilkerson (to Brewers), INF Wendell Rijo (to Brewers), INF Luis Alejandro Basabe (to Diamondbacks), RHP Jose Almonte (to Diamondbacks)
My two cents: Espinoza is the real loss. But as we look at the price paid for other pitchers, I think it looks pretty good. We read that Oakland's ask for Rich Hill, for example, was also Espinoza, which seemed absurd, but even so, they netted a really interesting trio of pitching prospects for Hill and Reddick.
A ton of the starting pitchers moved were in the midst of terrible seasons: Niese, Bolsinger, Nolasco, Nova, Liriano, Hutchison. These players would not have represented upgrades. The decent pitchers moved were Matt Moore (to the Giants) and Rich Hill (to the Dodgers). I don't think any of those deals were a better value than Espinoza for Pomeranz. (Also Hector Santiago to the Twins, however you want to categorize that.)
The bullpen deals (from Abad to Ziegler) also represent excellent value, even if they were clearly mid-tier buys. So I'd say he did well.