HI all.
I drafted the Lima Locos from the original formation draft in C16 in 1993.
Current Lima players from that draft include...
Juan Gonzalez (my first round pick). Palmeiro was also an original Loco, and he was traded just prior to the 2002 season (see below). Over the years I used the rookie and free agent drafts to assemble my team, with very few trades. Only in the last few years have I started to trade to finish up the team and fill the gaps which led to the monster 2002 season for the Locos.
Key drafts in past years that stand out...Lima got rookie Manny Ramirez one year. I later traded Manny and Scott Ruffcorn (remember him?) for Barry Bonds. (a reasonably fair trade...Ruffcorn never panned out, but he was considered a top pitching prospect).
Helton was a rookie pick from Lima's own pick the year he was available. Vidro and Nevin were free agent picks. Rollins was a rookie selection for Lima. Benitez was a rookie pick. Haynes, Brian Anderson, Lohse were all rookie or free agent picks that I hope will form a core of Lima's rotation in the next few years.
Ramon Vazquez was a rookie pick,and Cuddyer was a free agent pick up last year.
Now the trade that set Lima up for 2002...and tell me if you think Lima stole anyone! I think Lima overpaid in talent for what I got in return...but I have always felt that the better teams should give up more in trades than they get in return. Obviously, I see trade alot that the good teams seem to fleece the weak teams too, and I don't like that either.
Lima needed some staff aces to make 2002 go...so I put together the following trades in the spring of 2002.

1) To Lima: J.Vazquez, Orange FA5, Orange R2
To Orange: Cliff Floyd, Blake Stein, Lima R1, and Lima FA2.
Floyd, rookie #1, plus FA2, plus Stein (130 IP, 4.74) for Vazquez and some later picks.
(too bad last years drafts have been removed from the system, or else I'd have the players to be named later to be added to this note).

Then...

trade 2) To Lima: Cinci R1 (one of the top 2-3 picks in the rookie draft...don't remember which one), Waskada FA2, Waskade FA3.

To Cinci: Palmeiro, Alex Gonzalez (Fla), A. Soriano , Lima R2, Lima FA4, Lima FA5.
So, essentially to get one of the top 2-3 rookie picks, Lima gave up...a premier 1B in Palmeiro, Soriano (superstar), Alex Gonzalez...full time SS, might still be a solid major leaguer, a R2, and two FA picks. I'd say a pretty good deal for Cinci.

Trade 3) To Lima: Freddy Garcia
To Redding: Doug Davis (186 IP, 4.45) and Cinci's Rookie #1 pick.
So, a solid middle of the the pack starter to replace Garcia's IP, and the R1 pick...which led to Redding trading the R1 to Orange... and Orange, wheeling and dealing, ended up drafting both Oswalt and Suzuki with the early rookie picks. So to get Garcia, Lima gave up a reasonable fill in starter, and the rights to a Suzuki or Oswalt. I'd say a nifty trade for Redding.
So, a powerful team like the 2002 Locos did not come from fleecing others, but from solid drafts (which relate to draft preparation by myself), patience in assembling a team (since 1993), and once I had some talent...key trades.
Alot of owners do not have the patience to develop a team, and they make too many short-sighted trades which cripple their teams long term.
I'll be crying that I traded away so much last spring when Palmiero, Soriano, Floyd have many more great years...but I have to restock my system with the upcoming drafts.
Good luck to all teams in drafting, but preparation does work, but it takes years of having a good development concept (and some luck with rookie pitchers) to get a consistent winner.
Getting to the playoffs has always been Lima's goal...winning in the short series are not.