Indians Make Trade for another "over 30" third baseman...

After the Andy Marte Experiment, the Indians have gone back to the established, over 30 years of age vet third baseman with today's trade of three pitching prospects in exchange for Mark DeRosa of the Chicago Cubs. Ever since Jim Thome could not handle the hot corner to the Indians satisfaction in the early 90's, the Indians starting third baseman have all been at least 30 years old, with the exception of the Andy Marte experiment.

This trade will probably help Cleveland in 2009 as De Rosa had the third highest OBP for a 3rd baseman in either league, just barely trailing the number one and two guys. It is a bit scary to see the Indians trading three prospect pitchers when so few pitchers from their own organization ever make it to the majors as an Indian. Factor in that Mark Guthrie got away and one wonders if any of the three pitchers that were traded will come back to haunt thoe fans who like to focus on the ones who got away.

Assuming Carmona and Lee pitch well, and Reyes can last the season without getting injured (a BIG if), the Indians will be just one starting pitcher away from being a legitimate contender. The Indians have assembled several "grit" players in De Rosa and Jamey Carroll in the infield, Grady Sizemore, Shin Soo Choo in the outfield, and Kelly Shoppach behind the pitch. Grit Players tend to run out every ball they hit, and aren't afraid to get their uniforms dirty, and this probably is the grittiest the Indians have been in a long time.

Just imagine if CC Sabathia had made good on his vow to bring a championship to Cleveland and had extended his stay in Cleveland a couple more years. The Indians would go into 2009 with back to back Cy Young Award Winners in the same starting five rotation, with Carmona, Reyes, and the midseason return of Jake Westbrook, what a solid pitching rotation that would have been. CC Sabathia on the 2009 Indians team, that's how close the Indians came to being a certified contender in 2009 rather than one of the dozen or more bubble teams that could go all the way, or end up mired at .500 or less.

Milton Bradley is Headed to the Cubs, Multi-Year Deal offer may be a Mistake.

Bradley prides himself on being a good teammate, but eventually Bradley ends up being either restrained, defended, or shown the door by his managers. It's always something with Milton because Milton Bradley has a narcissism complex.

If you want an example of Bradley's narcissism, just go back to the 2008 All Star Game. Bradley was fawning all over Josh Hamilton during Hamilton's prolific home run derby debut in which he hit 28 dingers in round one. Nothing wrong with the fawning, however, while Bradley was mopping Hamilton's brow between home runs, Bradley also managed to ignore the 71 year old pitcher on the mound, Clay Council. When Milton posed with Josh and then took a picture of the two of them, once again, he ignored Clay Council.

Milton Bradley has been unable to relate to anyone older than himself for probably his entire career. His obliviousness towards a 71 year old pitcher who threw over 50 pitches to Josh Hamilton in round one of the All Star Home Run Derby shows Milton still has some growing up to do.

However, the real reason Milton Bradley should not sign with the Cubs is Bradley seems to get nagging leg injuries practically every season. In the American League, Bradley, could DH during the nagging times, in the national league, he either sits on the bench or risks making a minor injury into a major one by playing through the injury. There are a few instances of nagging injuries getting worse because Bradley continued to play in the field.

Then there are the fans who have the ability to get under Milton's skin. If Bradley's team is going on the road and it is a given that Milton will be treated shabbily by the opposing team's fans when he is in the outfield, a couple of days at DH is not such a bad option. Milton Bradley should be playing in the American League, it suits his game more.

Catch as Catch Can, the Baltimore Orioles don't have a catcher on their 40 man roster.

Gerry Fraley of Sporting News has astutely noted that the Baltimore Orioles don't have a catcher on their 40 man roster. Wow. I've never heard of that before.

It is interesting to see just how varied some teams approach their catching situation. Texas still has a glut of catchers even after trading Laird to Detroit. Boston is sort of meandering in the catcher position, signing Josh Bard while still not having re-signed Jason Varitek.

The Cleveland Indians have an interesting situation with two potential All Star Catchers in Vic Martinez and Kelly Shoppach, one of whom can play first (Vic). Shoppach would be a natural fit back in Boston, (the team that traded Shoppach to the Indians to begin with).

Unrelated sequences could create a do over of the Coco Crisp / Andy Marte - Kelly Shoppach trade from a couple years back. Coco has already been traded by Boston, if Kelly is traded back to Boston, and Andy Marte probably doesn't make the Indians team out of spring training, it would an undoing of the original deal. The key is, should the Indians risk having Vic and Sal Fasano as their catchers for this year by trading Shoppach, and what would the Indians get back from Boston? Boston tends to hold on to their pitching prospects tightly and the Indians are short at least one starting pitcher.

At some point, it would seem that catching rich Texas and prospect pitching Baltimore come up with a trade. I look at the catching position as sort of the quarterback on the field. They play most of the games, catch most of the starting pitchers, and if the main catcher goes down, the back up really needs to have some polish to them.

If you want to know if your team believes they can contend this year, see how much they value their back up catcher. Teams that may feel they are in a rebuild mode may not see the need to carry two catchers that could both be considered as everyday players (lol, with the exception of Boston and the Josh Bard signing). Baltimore appears to be in a rebuild mode, and that may explain their wait and see attitude when it comes to the catching slot.

Yankees Save Major League Baseball by Signing Mark Teixeira, Seriously.

The Yankees Saved Major League Baseball by outbidding Boston for the services of Mark Teixeira.  One look at the Boston Red Sox line-up reveals just how devastatingly good Boston would have been had they acquired Teixera.

Start with Jacob Ellsbury, a clone of Coco Crisp, however with more speed and the likelihood of stealing twice as many bases every year with a higher On Base Percentage.  Boston's line-up then features Dustin Pedroia, the first lightweight MVP (and I mean that in a complementary way) going back several decades (Nellie Fox in 1959 was the last second baseman to win the MVP award).  Add in Gold Glove winner as well, and we are still only two deep in the line-up!

Next is the Youk, as in Kevin Youkilis, who manages to pound out a .390 OBP with the appropriate power for a man of his brutish make-up.  These three table setters at the top of the line-up successfully blend speed and power, and the fun is just beginning,  JD Drew and Jason Bay provide plenty of power and offense and once again, very respectable On Base percentages.

Which brings us to David Ortiz, who should be back and healthy after a wrist injury "limited" Ortiz to "only" 23 homers and 89 RBI's while missing over a third of the season (59 games)!

These six ballplayers on their own could easily carry the Red Sox to a solid offensive season. Just imagine if this line-up featured Gold Glove Winning and offensive force Mark Teixeira anchoring it!  That would have been seven stud players all in a row.  All that would be left is a possibly healthier Jason Varitek at catcher, and any bonus production from shortstop.

Speaking of the shortstop position, the Red Sox were trying to reacquire Hanley Ramirez from the Florida Marlins!  Hanley Ramirez Trade Rumor.

Keep in mind that On Base Percentage is usually what fuels a teams offensive success.  Most of Boston's line-up is capable of anywhere from a .360 to .400 OBP, and that makes Boston scary. 

Now imagine two gold glovers on the right side of the field, a defensive speed demon in center field, and the green monster and a jutting left field stand that ricochet's it's portion of doubles down the left field line into short leftfield singles, and the Boston Red Sox defense would have been perfectly structured for Fenway Park.

Even trading Coco Crisp netted Boston a sleeper reliever from the Kansas City Royals who probably will be another in a successful series of young relievers the Red Sox have uncovered in recent years.

So, the Yankees, by wresting away Mark Teixeira from the Red Sox, may have just weakened the Red Sox enough to make it possible to believe the Red Sox can be beaten in a playoff series, and for that, the rest of the American League can breathe a sigh of relief. 

I definitely would have to give the Yankees a "cooler heads" award for realizing that gaming the final piece of the Boston Puzzle away from Boston was a move that may pay for itself over and over for the next several years.

As for those of you who may bemoan how much New York has spent this offseason in retooling their team, The Yankees are not a young team, and that much money spent on only two pitchers can sometimes backfire.  The Yankees will be good, probably as good as Boston.  Now imagine how much better Boston would have been with Teixeira, and less imposing the Yankees would have been without Teixera, and it is easy to see what a great move this was by the New York Yankees.  Pops should be proud.

Welcome to COOLER HEADS Prevail.

This blog will be dedicated to all Major League Baseball Teams.  The first story will be about how the Yankees may have saved Major League Baseball when they signed Mark Teixeira.  Yep, the obscenely rich Yankees did the right thing for ALL of Major League baseball when they signed Mark Teixeira to a very rich and very long contract, and I'll explain why.