Trade Tree: Carlos Silva

FOREWORD: This is a short Trade Tree – because there’s simply nothing good to say about it.

On December 18, 2009, it was announced that the Chicago Cubs and Seattle Mariners had agreed on a trade that would send Outfielder Milton Bradley to Seattle in return for Starting Pitcher Carlos Silva and $9 million. It was a comical deal, because both teams knew they were getting rid of garbage – and receiving garbage in return.

The Mariners had seen enough of Silva, the larger-than-normal-ifnot- downright-chubby Venezuelan right-hander (pictured on the right). He stunk in Seattle, going 5-18 and amassing a WAR of -2.8 over 2 years. The Cubs had seen enough of Bradley (pictured below), because he was a terrible person on and off the field. A Bleacher Report article put it this way: by acquiring Silva, the Cubs “Finally get rid of Milton Bradley.” By acquiring Bradley, the Mariners have “No more Carlos Silva.” So – how did the trade end up for the Ners? Just so bad.

Somehow, Silva went 10-6 for Chicago with a 2.1 WAR…a classic “response” to a person being traded away from Seattle. Meanwhile, Bradley hit .209 in his 2 years with the M’s, posting a -0.1 WAR. He also was just a terrible, terrible human being, having now been cited for 5 (more) accounts of domestic abuse, 9 accounts of physically beating his wife, 4 counts of spousal battery, 2 counts of criminal threats, and 1 count of assault with a deadly weapon. Silva signed here and there, but never played in the bigs again season with the Cubs. He weirdly ended his mediocre career on a high note. Bradley, meanwhile, is currently serving a 32-month sentence for all of his recent convictions. Woof.

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