MLB Power Rankings: Each team’s best trade ever

PHOENIX, UNITED STATES: Arizona Diamondbacks left fielder Luis Gonzalez (R) celebrates his game-winning RBI single in the bottom of the 9th inning off of New York Yankees relief pitcher Mariano Rivera (42) during Game 7 of the World Series in Phoenix, AZ, 04 November, 2001. The Diamondbacks defeated the New York Yankees 3-2, winning the series four games to three and become the 2001 world champions. AFP PHOTO/Timothy A. CLARY (Photo credit should read TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images) /

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Colorado Rockies

The best trade in the history of the young Colorado Rockies involved trading away Matt Holliday, who was at the time of the trade, the team’s best and most popular player. A lot of Rockies fans hated it at the time, but the Rockies definitely got excellent value for Holliday. The crown jewel of the Holliday trade was Carlos Gonzalez. Gonzalez gave the Rockies a cheaper, younger, and arguably better version of Holliday. He has emerged as the new leader of the Rockies.

Colorado swapped an aging player in Holliday for a younger player who has put up similar numbers offensively and has been noticeably better defensively. That alone is a win. However, Huston Street makes the trade an outright steal for the Rockies and a sad trade for the Athletics. Street was a very solid closer for the Rockies, which is something that is hard to do considering half of the games he pitched were at a hitter’s paradise (Coors Field).

Even though Greg Smith never quite panned out to be the pitcher that everyone thought he would be, this was an excellent trade by the Rockies. This trade was made even worse by the fact that the Athletics had to trade Holliday for three prospects less than a full season into his Athletics career. None of those players ever panned out.

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