The Marlins completed their two big trades yesterday. The one involving Josh Beckett turned out to be bigger than rumored.

The Boston Red Sox and Florida Marlins announced a seven-player trade on Thursday that sends 2003 World Series MVP Josh Beckett, three-time All-Star Mike Lowell and right-handed reliever Guillermo Mota to Boston.

In exchange, Boston sends four minor-league players to Florida, including two top prospects. Shortstop Hanley Ramirez and pitchers Anibal Sanchez, Jesus Delgado and Harvey Garcia join the Marlins, the Red Sox said in a written statement.

It appears the Red Sox didn't like everything they saw in Beckett's shoulder, which is why they wanted Mota.

Mota's stock certainly went down quickly. Dodgers fans were very upset when Guillermo Mota went to Florida, but the former LA setup man did not thrive in Miami. He still struck out batters, but his walks went up (Mota with LA, Mota with Florida).

There's some evidence that Mota's stay in Florida was marred by bad luck. His quick and dirty DIPS ERA was 3.78, vs. the 4.74 actual number he posted. Mota, however, is 32, which means the Red Sox traded four very young prospects for two guys in their early 30s and a potentially great starting pitcher (if his shoulder holds up).

The three pitchers the Red Sox are sending to Miami all strike out lots of batters. Delgado and Garcia walk a few, but I'd be willing to take my chances that they can learn control. It's clearly a win now trade for Boston, a dump salary and win in the future trade for the Marlins.

The Marlins also complete the deal with the Mets:

The Mets, whose pursuit of the first baseman last winter got personal when Delgado accused team brass of trying to overplay their common Hispanic heritage, last night announced the acquisition of the slugger from the Marlins - along with $7 million to offset the $48 million guaranteed to him - for rookie Mike Jacobs, pitching prospect Yusmeiro Petit and Single-A third baseman Grant Psomas.

I don't know much about Grant Psomas. He's played a couple of years of A ball and had mixed results. Neither team really needs a third baseman right now, but the Marlins may be thinking that if Cabrera doesn't work at third the could bring along Grant in a year or two. I know that from now on whenever anyone asks me to spell my last name, I'm going to start, "P, as in Psomas."

Dan Le Batard sees the silver lining:

This flood of awful feels worse by the drop, Carlos Delgado the latest Marlin swept out of town by this godforsaken current, but there is at least one rainbow at the end of this Apocalyptic baseball reign: Management is getting back a wonderful array of the world's best baseball prospects for this or some other city to enjoy in a few years.

Remember, that's how Dontrelle Willis ended up here, in what was perceived as a salary dump. A.J. Burnett, too. And Juan Pierre. And Derrek Lee. And Carl Pavano. And Brad Penny. And all those guys did was knock over Barry Bonds, then Sammy Sosa, then the New York Freaking Yankees in the single best surprise in South Florida sports history.

If you're going to dismantle the team, this is the way to do it. It's not 1997 again.