Figured I'd take a shot at this after sleeping on the news.  First, I'm relatively neutral about what Sabean did.  I have never been a Martinez fan and I doubt he will be more than a middle inning guy at best in the ML.  He simply doesn't have the pitches to start. Bowker was going to go in any trade.  I think most of us knew that.  I'm on the fence as to whether he will be an effective corner ML outfielder.  He doesn't run well.  He's average defensively.  So he has to hit big.  Not sure that he can.  Still think he should have gotten a better shot here.  But that's bridgewater. 

I DO think they could have obtained Lopez for less.  I just don't see how he rates two guys that have at least had some ML experience.  That would have left Bowker as a piece in a better move.  I see what Ohman brought and on first blush it doesn't appear to be much.  Is Lopez better than Ohman - or is that a high propsect that the Orioles received?

I know nothing about the guy they gave up for Ramirez.  I assume he was not a top or even mid level prospect.  He better not be.

Second, and this is my main problem, I think both the Dodgers and the Padres improved themselves considerably for the short term.  Couple that with the Phils getting Oswalt and the Giants playoff chances were reduced a bit.  I was partiuclarly disturbed that the Pads got Ludwick for ONE minor leaguer.  Is the guy the Pads traded a top prospect?  If not, why couldn't the Giants have entered that sweepstakes - although they don't need a RH bat as much as they need a LF bat.  Which brings me to Podsednik.  That one hurt I think.  A lefthanded bat with speed would help the Giants a lot.  I'd love to know what they offered and what they were asked.

Third, I am VERY pleased they didn't trade Sanchez.  And had they traded Bum I would have smashed my computer to bits.  You do not trade 20 year old ML starting pitchers with incredible upside (redundant - if you are 20 and pitching effectively in the ML you obviously have that upside) unless you get an absolute stud with several years left on a contract.  That guy wasn't/isn't  out there. 

The so-called pundits keep saying the Giants pitching depth allows them to trade Sanchez.  I completely disagree.  Its not cause I love Sanchez.  i don't.  He's a 6 innning guy and is remarkably inconsistent.  It is that Bum will start to fade (he's not used to the innings) and they simply don't have a guy to plug in the 4 or 5 slot.  Wellemeyer?  Please.  The last thing I want the Giants to do is to weaken the back end of their rotation.  Especially when the Dodgers strenghtened the back end by getting Lilly.

 One thing that I think would be interesting to see is to look at Sabean's trade deadline moves over the course of his career and see not what the guys received did, but what the guys we traded did.