Everyone loves getting a bargain. Sports fans cherish the idea of their particular front office getting the drop on and taking advantage of another front office.
When discussing a trade, we minimize it to who won and who lost. There’s no higher compliment for a sports executive than being able to ‘‘fleece’’ another team on a trade. Getting high value for minimal return is how the best organizations are run. From a business standpoint, it makes all the sense in the world — until you realize the commodities are human beings, not parts or machinery.
