Effects Of The "Deadball Era"

Well, our latest poll gave us a few ideas of what the deadball era means in terms of player values.

All the voters seemed to agree that defense and pitching have become more valuable; the mystery seems to be what the new reality means to power hitters.

3 voters said the changes mean power is worth less. But 4 voters said power is now worth more because it's a scarcer commodity (presumably the same voters said pitching and defense were worth more, too).

One thing's for sure: don't base your trade, draft and FA decisions on a blog poll that had 8 or 9 respondents.

But I can tell you I'm rethinking where the value is. We're late in the season in Double Mendoza. I've got a comfy lead in the division and a first round bye locked. Been talking with another team about trading for his stud 1B at the beginning of next season, and he wants a CF prospect I picked up as an IFA in the current season.

Now this 1B is maybe the best hitter in the league - hitting ratings 86/96/73/95/81. Only 27 at the beginning of next season, 3 years left on a contract at $7.6 per. And with patience of 70, decent chance he would re-sign at the end of that one.

The CF prospect will probably end up with hitting ratings around 50/80/64/80/90, range 88, glove 90+.

Before the update, I'd do the trade for the 1B no question. Now I'm wondering if the CF isn't the more valuable piece.

And I'm one of the guys who said power is more valuable now because it's rarer.