What Sports Trade Impacted You The Most?

Trades are awesome, usually. Whether it's rumors for weeks, or surprise trades that come out of nowhere, I think everyone loves a good trade. It's like a new toy for your team. Then of course, there's the times when it's your team giving up a star player for what seems like nothing and you're just absolutely devastated. Every sports fan has gone through both sides of it. 

I know my answer for this is when the Yankees traded Alfonso Soriano for A-Rod back in February of 2004. I remember it vividly. At that time, I was the biggest Alfonso Soriano fan on the planet. I pretty much watched every second of Yankee games, but his at-bats were especially must-watch television. I'd have palpable excitement every time he stepped up to the plate with that crouched batting stance and huge bat. He was the reason why 12 became my favorite number. I used to track his stats every single day. There was a time where him and Adam Dunn were neck and neck for the league lead in home runs, and it made me absolutely despite Adam Dunn. He also chased a 40/40 season two years in a row but fell just short in both 2002 and 2003, leaving me absolutely devastated. While everyone else my age was mimicking Derek Jeter in their backyards, I was mimicking Alfonso. My "allowance" was an "Alfonso envelope." Instead of a typical allowance, I got paid in Alfonso home runs by my dad. $1 for a solo homer. $2 for a two-run shot. $3 for a three run homer and $20 for a grand slam. Everything doubled if it was a walk-off or if we were at the game. 

Then the trade happened, almost of nowhere. The Yankees had postseason hero Aaron Boone set to man third and obviously Derek Jeter at shortstop. But once Boone hurt his knee playing basketball and the A-Rod to Boston trade fell through,  it all just came together. I remember the morning my parents broke the news to me that Soriano was getting traded for A-Rod. It was like they were telling me a family member died. And I cried like that was the case. I knew A-Rod was the best player in baseball, but I still loved Alfonso and was beyond crushed that I wouldn't get to watch him on my favorite team anymore. Weird side note about that trade is the Rangers had a list to choose from for one extra player. Robinson Cano was on the list, but they chose Joaquin Arias instead. Thank God. 

Eventually, it didn't take long for A-Rod to become my new favorite player. The cool batting stance, the Oakleys, and the being amazing at baseball at thing all added up for me. I also thought he was just a fascinating person off the field. The alleged affairs, the PED drama, the photoshoots, and all that just made me weirdly like him more. Then obviously his 2009 playoff run is legendary and the Yankees don't win the World Series without it. Greatest sports moment of my life was that World Series, and he delivered that.

In 2013, they ended up becoming teammates so that was cool. The Yankees traded for Soriano at the deadline and he went on absolute tear. That's also right when A-Rod was coming back from his hip surgery and getting suspended 211 games for the Biogenesis scandal. But for a couple months, I got to enjoy my two favorite players on the same team. In 2014, Soriano got released after a terrible start to the season, while A-Rod was suspended for the full season. But in 2015, I showed up to Yankees Opening Day with my FORG1V3 t-shirt. A few years later, we became co-workers kind of and I got to meet him at his apartment building with Big Cat before a recording of The Corp. That was very cool. 

So that was the big trade that impacted me the most. Let's see what other people on Twitter had to say.

Rare win for both sides that each team would definitely do again. The Cubs ended a World Series drought, and the Yankees have a superstar for a long time. 

Advertisement

This was a popular choice. Whoops. 

Someone that agrees with me, but for slightly different reasons. 

Honestly if Percy Harvin returned to the NFL, I'd still be thinking "Alright this is the year he puts it all together."

David Justice and Chili Davis were first my favorite Yankees before Alfonso came along. 

Advertisement

Fair to say this one worked out for Toronto. 

Classic David Stern.

Even though I'm a Giants fan, I absolutely loved Santana Moss for some reason. 

Advertisement

What would be your choice? Comment or hit me up on Twitter.