San Francisco Giants trade C Bengie Molina to Texas Rangers for RHP Chris Ray and a PTBNL

Ladies and Gentlemen, it's trade time!

Today the San Francisco Giants traded catcher Bengie Molina to the Texas Rangers for RHP Chris Ray and a Play To Be Named Later.

Molina, who was hitting .257/.312/.332 with 3 HR and 17 RBIs through 61 games will take over as starting catcher for Matt Treanor, who's hitting .237/.315/.378 with 5 HR and 23 RBI through 54 games. Treanor will be the back-up catcher now. Before the trade, the trio of Texas catchers, Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Taylor Teagarden, Max Ramirez and Treanor, were hitting a combined .212/.311/.328 on the year, prompting the move for a trade of a better offensive catcher. Molina, 36, is a free agent at the end of the season. The long-time Angels backstop is with his fourth organization now, after spending seasons with the Angels, Blue Jays, and Giants. The eldest Molina brother will now hope to had some power to the Rangers' lineup. The move will push Buster Posey to be the starting catcher in San Francisco.

The Giants meanwhile, acquire relief help as they try to make a playoff push this season. They'll acquire Chris Ray, ex-closer of the Baltimore Orioles. The former Tommy John surgery patient has thrown to a 3.41 ERA in 31.2 innings of work this season. Ray, 28, was traded to Texas for Kevin Millwood prior to the 2010 season, so this will be his second team this season. Ray will most likely take over duty as the set-up man for Brian Wilson. The Giants will also acquire a Player To Be Named Later as a bonus.

This is a good trade for both sides. The Rangers acquire a catcher that can hit and field, something they've been lacking since the days of Ivan Rodriguez, and they got him for a good price. The Giants acquire a young reliever who can help them in the bullpen, as well as a bonus player. The trade of Molina will now allow the Giants to play Buster Posey at catcher full-time, as he begins to grow into his position, and will allow them to play Aubrey Huff at first base full-time. A good trade fulfilling the needs of both teams.

More on the Cliff Lee front

The Cliff Lee Sweepstakes are beginning to take form.

During last night's Yankees-Mariners game in which Lee pitched, scouts from the Yankees, Mets, Rangers, and Phillies were in attendance, but not scouts from the Twins or Dodgers reports Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports.

He pitched a complete game against the Yankees, going 9 IP while giving up 4 runs, 2 being home runs by Yankees' right fielder Nick Swisher. Scouts are wondering if he's being overused by Seattle, seeing as his velocity dropped from 94-95 mph in his previous start, to topping out at just 92 mph last night. However, the lack of scouts hardly means that their a lack of interest in the ace left-hander.

It's been reported that Seattle would require a blue-chip prospect from what ever team they trade with. That means either C Jesus Montero from the Yankees or SS Wilmer Flores from the Mets. I wrote yesterday that Seattle wants a catcher in whatever deal they make, so for the Mets, building a deal around Flores and Josh Thole would surely net them Lee. It's known that the Mets need Lee, while the Yankees are are just interested.

The Mariners have been said to like Yankees' 2B top prospect David Adams, who is in Double-AA Trenton. Adams is currently blocked at the major league level by some guy who's leading the league in batting, I think his name is like Cano or something? Adams' future is best in another organization. Initially the Yankees would have to package Adams with a catcher, such as Montero or Austin Romine. Many would prefer the latter, as Montero is ranked as one of the top prospects in baseball, but Romine is not far off. If it's me, it's gonna hurt either way, but I'm giving up Romine. He just can't hit as well as Jesus.

So it seems as though the most likely destinations for Lee are Queens and the Bronx, we'll just have to see. I'll keep you updated.

I know you're all so unhappy that these Cliff Lee rumors are keeping me from writing my Ty Wigginton post (sarcasm).

In other news, NBA free agency kicks off tonight at midnight. Most of the buzz surrounds the big three: LeBron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh. They met in Miami the other day to discuss their futures together, so we'll just have to see how that all plays out.

Mike Axisa over at RiverAveBlues has a column up about why the Yankees should go after Cliff Lee. It's a good read so have at it.

I was just on ESPN Radio!

For those of you who live in the New York area, I was just on ESPN Radio talking baseball with Don LaGrecca!

It. Was. Awesome.

I asked him:

"Hey Don, long time listener, huge Yankee fan, but I had a question on the Mets and Cliff Lee. Just an opinion here, I think a trade of Pagan, Thole and a young pitching prospect such as Jeurys Familia would be enough to net Cliff Lee. What do you think about that, would it work?"

"Well thanks for the call Josh. I think that could get it done, but it seems as though Lee would definitely cost Mejia, as it would with Oswalt. But I think that Thole is definitely a trade chip and that Pagan is expendable because Beltran is coming back. I think Pagan has proved he's an everyday player and has made himself extremely expendable and he could really help the Mets net Lee. I like your idea, it makes sense, and it'd be a steal if they could get Lee for that. Thanks for call."

My life has been completed.

Mariners have set parameter to Lee trade with Mets

Geoff Baker, who covers the Mariners for The Seattle Times, has heard a new rumor involving the Cliff Lee sweepstakes. I dissected the sweet spots of the article:

- "And today, as Lee gets set to face the Yankees in the Big Apple, the buzz about a possible deal with the crosstown Mets is growing louder and louder."

- "There had been talk that a shoulder injury to Mejia two days ago may thwart New York's bid to land Lee. Mejia is expected to start throwing again within a couple of weeks and as colleague Larry Stone wrote this morning, Mets GM Omar Minaya is reminding folks that his team has other prospects to deal. And there's growing pressure on him to make that deal. The Philadelphia Phillies are not the offensive juggernaut they were expected to be and a Lee acquisition could give the Mets just enough to hold them off and win the NL East. And possibly advance to a World Series."

- "Yes, the Cards offering up the 19th overall pick in last year's draft, pitcher Shelby Miller, is intriguing if true. But he's still a few years away and, if anything, the M's could be better off leveraging those rumors in order to squeeze a better package out of other suitors. As good as Miller could be, he might never be as good as Mejia is right now at a level much closer to the big leagues. And if Mejia is off the table because of the injury, or the M's want a position player instead? Then, you make the deal about catcher Josh Thole, 23, (Photo Credit: AP) a prospect who already posted a .356 OBP in his first 56 plate appearances in the big leagues last season. Throw Thole and Pagan together and you've likely upgraded your catching -- at least offensively --and left field spot for this year and beyond."

- "Word out of New York is that the Mariners have set a Thole-Pagan-pitching prospect trio as the parameters to any Lee deal. It doesn't surprise me the M's would be looking at Pagan as the deal's secondary piece, since he's a better major leaguer right now than any left fielder the Mariners could put out there. At worst, if Michael Saunders were to develop, Pagan would make an excellent fourth outfielder on a championship caliber club. Not a last-place club, a championship caliber club. And there's a huge difference."

- "Asking for top players means you have to maximize what other teams are going to get. That means a full half-season of Lee. If the M's truly want something along the Thole-Pagan-prospect lines -- a fantastic haul, in my opinion -- then they can't dither for another few weeks and wait for the deadline to approach. You likely won't get a much better package than that, even from the Twins.

While Wilson Ramos might be a slightly better catcher than Thole, you're talking about a position where the M's still have a good prospect in Adam Moore and it's only one position out of nine being addressed in the trade return, along with a fourth starter type like Kevin Slowey being acquired as well. This team already has a bunch of fourth and fifth starters. Deal with the Mets, and you're filling two holes at once. Pagan is a good left fielder who can field, get on-base and put up an .800 OPS, which would instantly make him one of the better all-around guys on this Seattle team.

Even if Thole is slightly worse as a catcher than Ramos, as long as he gives you a chance at upgrading what the team already has, you still come out ahead in that deal because you've filled two lineup spots. And filled them effectively, not just with junk."

Also, I got this from Mike Silva's New York Baseball Digest:

- "We all know the Mets interest in Cliff Lee, but to date all we have heard is what they don’t want to give up in a deal.

Yesterday, NYBD talked to a league source that indicated parameters of a deal would include Josh Thole, Angel Pagan, and a prospect for Cliff Lee. At this point I don’t have an idea what kind of prospect they would be looking for, but I would have to assume it would be pitching."

- "It should be obvious why Lee isn’t in Queens yet since Pagan is one of the players, along with Ike Davis, Jenrry Mejia and Jonathon Niese, the Mets are rumored to not want to part with.Again, I don’t believe the Mets should have to overpay for what essentially will be a rental. Thole and a pitching prospect (i.e. Jeurys Familia) should be more than enough."

Wow.

It seems as though Seattle definitely wants OF Angel Pagan and C Josh Thole, but they also want an additional pitching prospect. I agree with Silva that the Mets should offer Pagan, Thole and Familia. That would be a steal if the Mets would be willing to part with those players. Can you imagine a 1-2-3 of Santana-Lee-Pelfrey? Oh my goodness, there's your NL East Champs and NL Champs right there.

It seems Cliff Lee may be making his final start for the Mariners tonight, and what better way to close it out and up your stock than by beating the New York Yankees?

It seems as though the "Cliff Lee to the Mets" rumors keep heating up. We'll be updating all day, making sure to bring you everything that's heard and whispered. Keep it here, because it seems like a deal could be done tonight.

Reports suggest Mets may be frontrunner for Cliff Lee

We've heard the Mets interested in Cliff Lee, but never before like this.

On Sunday, Jenrry Mejia suffered a posterier cuff strain during his second start in Double-AA. Now, analysts are saying that it could be possible for the Mets to acquire Lee without sacrificing Mejia. From MLBTradeRumors:

"Will Jenrry Mejia's posterior cuff strain prevent the Mets from trading for Mariners ace Cliff Lee? GM Omar Minaya obviously could not talk specifically about Lee when asked by Kevin Kernan of the New York Post "if the Mejia setback is a setback to trade possibilities." But Minaya kept a brave face and replied, "I don’t think so because I think we have other very good possibilities." At least one of Minaya's current players does think the team lost its chance to acquire Lee with Mejia's injury, according to Kernan."

The post goes on to say that the Mariners would have interest in Ike Davis, the Mets' star rookie sensation, but that the Mets would bluff at trading him. Instead, the consensus is that Seattle wants young hitters, and their best bet is to go by the Double-AA route. Tim Dierkes' believes that the Mets could not acquire Lee with Fernando Martinez as the center piece, seeing as how his stock has considerably falling, just hitting a robust .248/.299/.397 at Triple-AAA Buffalo.

Mark Hale of the New York Post suggests that the Mets could afford to trade for Lee if they would sacrifice a package of prospects including: INF Ruben Tejada, OF Fernando Martinez, SS Wilmer Flores, RHP Jeurys Familia, INF Reese Havens and C Josh Thole. In my opinion, that is too much to give talent to give for Cliff Lee. Maybe I'd package Tejada, Thole, and Familia with some lower level guys, but that's all the top talent I'm giving. Giving all that talent would wipe out the Mets' farm. It's reported that in any trade for Lee, Seattle wants a catcher, which explains why they have looked so thoroughly at the Yankees' minor league system and scouted Jesus Montero, Austin Romine, J.R. Murphy, Gary Sanchez, and Kyle Higashioka.

However, contrary to MLBTradeRumors last report, the Mets may be interested in trading Mejia to Seattle if Lee gives the Mets a negotiating window to sign to an extension. It's unlikely and it's been said that the Mets would not give up Mejia, Jonathon Niese, and Davis for Lee.

To me, I think that Davis is untouchable, he's the first baseman of the future. Niese is going to be a #3 starter for the Mets for years to come behind Santana and Pelfrey. I'd be comfortable giving up Mejia. Why? Well for starters, you don't have to worry about him hurting you if he becomes good. He'll be in a different league and division, the American League West. Also, he's just a prospect and that's that. Davis and Niese have proved that they can handle the majors, while Mejia, who did come up, was only used as a reliever. If I'm the Mets, I would give up Mejia, but I'd like to find an alternate route to acquiring Lee, even if it means giving up 2 or 3 of my Double-AA prospects.

Wow.

Just finished watching the Yankee game.

I can't even put it into words.

Just check it.

Yankees 2010 Trade Target: Dan Haren

Dan Haren, RHP Arizona Diamondbacks
2010 season: 16 GS, 7-6, 4.65 ERA, 108.1 IP, 1.31 WHIP

Just recently, Dan Haren proved he belonged in the discussion when talking about elite pitchers in Major League Baseball. A 3-time All-Star, Haren has been the ace of the Arizona Diamonbacks for the past three seasons, as well as the ace of the Oakland Athletics in 2007.

After a strong junior season at Pepperdine University in California, where he posted a 2.22 ERA in 17 starts, Haren was a second round draft pick, 72nd overall, in the 2001 draft by the St. Louis Cardinals. It wouldn't be long however, before Haren would make it to the show. In 2002, his first year of pro ball, he made twenty-eight starts in 2002 in A-ball Peoria and Potomac. He finished his first season in 2002 with a 2.74 ERA. Regarded as one of the Cardinals' top prospects, he started the 2003 season in Double-AA Tennessee. Haren flashed dominance, making only just eight starts with a 6-0 record and a 0.82 ERA, before being promoted to Triple-AAA Memphis and eventually making it to the Major Leagues. At just 22, Haren made his major league debut in a start against then Giants' starter Jason Schmidt. He made 14 starts in 2003, going 3-7 with a 5.08 ERA. Prior to the start of 2004, Haren was assigned to Triple-AAA, making 21 starts and going 11-4 with a 4.15 ERA before being called up in September. Haren made the playoff roster for the Cardinals that year and pitched in the World Series twice against the Boston Red Sox, throwing 4.2 scoreless IP. The Cardinals were eventually swept, and it would be the last time Dan Haren would wear a St. Louis Cardinals uniform.

Before 2005, the Cardinals were made an offer they could never refuse. The Oakland Athletics were making LHP Mark Mulder, who was 17-8 with a 4.43 ERA in 2004 and had four straight seasons of 15 or more wins, available for trade. The Cardinals pounced, and acquired Mulder for Haren, RHP Kiko Calero and the Cardinals top hitting prospect, 1B Daric Barton. The trade looked like a steal at first, especially when in 2005, Haren's first full season in Oakland, when he went 14-12 with a 3.73 ERA meanwhile Mulder was 16-8 with a 3.64 ERA. However, in 2006 Mulder missed most of the season finishing at 6-7 with a 7.14 ERA and had to have Tommy John Surgery. He would never be the same pitcher again, making just six more win-less starts in his career before retiring in 2010. Meanwhile Haren looked like he was about to emerge, as he finished 2006 with 14 wins again, going 14-13 with a 4.12 ERA. 2007 however, was when Haren put himself in the discussion for elite pitchers. In 2007, Haren finished with a record of 15-9 with a 3.07 ERA in 222.2 IP with 192 (!!!) strikeouts. He was an AL All-Star for the first time, and was selected to start the All-Star Game in San Francisco that year. At the end of the season, with Oakland finishing in third place in AL West, there was speculation that the A's might trade Haren, who had raised his stock, in order to rebuild the team.

On December 14, 2007 Haren and RHP Connor Robertson, brother of current Yankees RHP David Robertson, were traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks for six top prospects: Carlos Gonzalez, Brett Anderson, Aaron Cunningham, Greg Smith, Dana Eveland and Chris Carter. All players, except for Carter who is now the A's top prospect, have made it to the major leagues. Gonzalez and Smith (Gonzalez is a budding superstar right now) were traded after their first years in Oakland to the Colorado Rockies for Matt Holliday. Eveland was designated for assignment following the 2009 season, but pitched for the Toronto Blue Jays and Pittsburgh Pirates in 2010. Cunningham was traded to the San Diego Padres. Only Anderson, who is now the ace of the A's, and Carter remain. Seeing as how all players have panned out to be very good big leaguers, and Haren has still been an ace, the trade was deemed equal for both sides. In his first year in Arizona in 2008, Haren posted a 16-8 record with a 3.33 ERA and struck out 206 (!!!) while making the NL All-Star team. He was rewarded with a contract extension, a four-year, $44.75 million contract with a team option for the 2013 season.

In 2009, Haren went 14-10, a sure drop-off in wins, but his ERA was lowered to 3.14 and his strikeout total increased from 206 to 223 (!!!). Haren was proving why he was making $8,250,000 million per season, as he made the NL All-Star Team for the second time. 2010 has not been as kind to Haren. He's currently 7-6 with a 4.65 ERA with an OBA of .280, his highest since his .293 mark his rookie season, but has 109 strikeouts pitching on a last place Arizona team. Recently the Diamondbacks have said they are not open to trade but many speculate that that will change soon, especially since they already traded Connor Jackson. Analysts have speculated that outside of OF Justin Upton and RHP Ian Kennedy, just about every D-back is available for trade, meaning Haren would be quite the commodity.

Haren throws a 91–94 mph fastball that has great movement. He also has a dirty, sharp split fastball. His splitter is his plus pitch and his main strikeout pitch. He also throws an occasional curveball and changeup, as well as a slider. In 2010, Haren has developed an 86-90 mph cut fastball that he credits for his success. Haren has excellent control of his pitches, resulting in one of the best K/BB ratios in the league. Haren's only flaw is that he is prone to giving up home runs. Haren's great ability to change speeds and throw any pitch on any count goes against scouting reports, making it incredibly hard to hit him.

I also gathered all information on Haren from MLBTradeRumors' posts on Haren.

- The Yankees, Twins, Nationals, Cardinals, and Tigers had scouts watching Dan Haren's most recent start.
- Arizona will probably not want to keep both Dan Haren and Edwin Jackson since they combine to make over $20MM next year, but Haren's value isn't what it once was. One baseball person told Rosenthal that "[Haren]'s not at the top of anyone's list, he's just another name.
- Dealing Dan Haren could help replenish Arizona's thin farm system, writes MLB.com's Steve Gilbert.
- Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times thinks Dan Haren would be a "perfect fit" for the Angels.
- Presumably, the D'Backs would have to be blown away by a package of multiple young arms to consider trading Dan Haren.
- The Diamondbacks have been meeting about making major changes because of their slow start, and one such move could involve trading ace Dan Haren for a boatload of prospects.
- Upton and Kennedy will not be dealt, and Mark Reynolds is likely to stay, but the D’Backs would consider moving others. They would listen on Dan Haren, though the club might prefer to keep him if they believe they can contend in the near future.

From MLBTradeRumors.
- On trading his players, from D-backs' GM Josh Byrnes: "We'll explore a lot of possibilities and see where we end up," said Byrnes. "I do think a lot of our players are guys we value and want to keep and I think if we're going to make trades, we'll have to get the type of things - particularly young pitching depth - that would make sense to us."
- On trading star players:"There's a good chance, yeah," Byrnes said. "We aren't where we need to be in the standings and as far as sort of the things we'd like to do to adjust the roster, there's also payroll considerations as we try to sort of get ready for next year."

Today, in Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe's: latest article, he listed that Haren has been made basically available and that teams have sent scouts to watch Haren pitch. Among the interested teams: The New York Yankees.

From Cafardo's article:
"1. Dan Haren, RHP, Diamondbacks — Scouts from the Yankees, Twins, Nationals, Cardinals, and Tigers all came out to watch his last start, a 9-3 loss to the Yankees in which he went seven innings and allowed six hits and three runs. It will be interesting to see whether the Diamondbacks wind up dealing their best starter and whether anyone will break the bank to get him."

Mike Silva of New York Baseball Digest responded to Cafardo's article:
"The Yankees are “in” the Cliff Lee sweepstakes, but only if the price drops to an acceptable level. If they offered a couple of second tier prospects to Arizona for Haren would they bite? Would Burnett’s struggles amp up their interest in aggressively pursuing a starter?"

So, it appears, despite the D-backs denying it, that Arizona is ready to trade their stars. And, not surprisingly, the Yankees are interested in Dan Haren. Haren, 29, would most likely be the No. 2 starter on the Yankees behind CC Sabathia. Due to A.J. Burnett's recent struggles, the Yankees may be willing to trade for Haren. Recently, until today's interest in Haren, the Yankees were connected to the Seattle Mariners' LHP Cliff Lee, seen as the best pitcher on the trading block who sports a 6-3 record with a 2.39 ERA (in the AL by the way) and has an OBA of .227! There's one obstacle with Lee however: he's set to be a free-agent at the end of the season and is interested in exploring the free-agent market, making it possible that if traded to New York that he could leave, although it's unlikely if that were to happen since the Yankees have the most money.

So why would trading for Haren make sense for the Yankees, especially when Lee could be traded for or signed in the off-season? Well for starters, Lee is 32 and Haren is 29. Pitchers tend to lose their effectiveness in their mid-30's, and Lee has only been a truly dominating effective pitcher since 2008, while Haren is still young enough to have dominant years left. Also, Haren is still signed through 2013, while Lee is a free-agent curious in exploring the market. Haren's making about $8.2 million per season and Lee, seeing as how dominant he's been recently, would demand at least $20 million per season. Technically, the Yankees could sign Lee as a free-agent, rather than paying the prospects in a trade for him or Haren during the season, which would make more sense for the future. In 2007, prior to the trade of Haren to Arizona, the Yankees were interested and scouted him. They didn't get him, obviously, but it shows that they were and still are, interested in Haren.

However, there is the cost of prospects that Haren could cost. Seeing the amount of talent that Arizona gave up for Haren in 2007, you'd have to imagine that they would demand the same quality prospects, especially from the Yankees. Dealing Haren would definitely help Arizona in attempts to rebuild, as they would get a boatload of prospects. Josh Byrnes said (see above) that the team wants to acquire young pitching depth. Arizona has said that they would have to be "blown away" to deal Haren. The D-backs value Haren very highly, as seen by his contract, which they would most likely be forced to pay in any trade. If the D-backs have to pay Haren's contract, then they would expect greater prospects. If they don't have to pay the contract, they would probably not expect as great prospects. For the Yankees that is a win, because they can afford to pay Haren, however their tight budget may force Arizona to pay the contract and the Yankees would have to pay with the prospects. That means that the Yankees would have to give up at least two top pitching prospects as well as a few position players. A likely trade would involve the Yankees giving up RHP Zach McCallister, RHP Andrew Brackman, C Austin Romine, and an INF such as Ramiro Pena. That's an awful lot to give up, seeing as McCallister, Brackman and Romine take up Nos. 2, 4, and 10 on their top prospects list. But, you have to give to get, and Haren is a once in an era talent. However, Haren is not having a stellar year, so the Yankees could use that to bargain with Arizona in order to lessen the prospects. One obstacle with acquiring Haren would be his desire to remain in Arizona, where he and his family reside all year. However, Haren does not have a no-trade clause in his contract, so Arizona can trade him anywhere without his say in the deal. So it's an obstacle, but a minor one that wouldn't really have any effect.

Haren would fit perfectly behind Sabathia in the Yankees rotation, and since he's signed through 2013, he'd be part of the team for future seasons. His presence would allow the Yankees to skip a few of Phil Hughes' starts this season in order to limit his innings. He's familiar with the American League when he played with Oakland, so he wouldn't be overwhelmed at first by American League hitting. A rotation of Sabathia, Haren, Burnett, Andy Pettitte, Javier Vazquez and Hughes would be the best rotation in baseball. For 2011, the Yankees would have four spots in their rotation settled with Sabathia, Haren, Burnett and Hughes because of Pettitte's free agency and chance of retirement. If Pettitte retires and Lee reaches free agency, and let's say the Yankees sign him, could you imagine that rotation? It's highly unlikely, but it's fun to think about. Haren would be a much cheaper option than Lee, salary wise.

So why would I rather acquire Haren than Lee? He's younger, cheaper, and signed through 2013. Giving up the prospects would hurt, but prospects are just that: prospects. They have projections, but it only matters if the prospect pans out and lives up to expectations (see Ben McDonald), so I'd be fine with giving up the prospects, just as long as Jesus Montero, Slade Heathcott and Manny Banuelos are not involved. Haren is familiar with the AL, so he'd be comfortable. As well, he's average almost 200 strikeouts per season since 2008, that's just dominance. Haren's one of my favorite pitchers and I'd love him to come to the Yankees.

If I'm the Yankees, I'm on the phone with Arizona right now trying to deal for Haren.

Yankees scouting RHP Dan Haren

According to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe:

"1. Dan Haren, RHP, Diamondbacks — Scouts from the Yankees, Twins, Nationals, Cardinals, and Tigers all came out to watch his last start, a 9-3 loss to the Yankees in which he went seven innings and allowed six hits and three runs. It will be interesting to see whether the Diamondbacks wind up dealing their best starter and whether anyone will break the bank to get him."

I'll try to have a post up about Haren sometime tonight after the Yankee game, or some other time this week. Things are hectic, but I'll get it done!

Red Sox in injury trouble

Terry Francona must not like inter-league play.

Over the course of two games in two days in San Francisco against the Giants, the Red Sox lost two of their best players to injury.

Dustin Pedroia, arguably Boston's best position player, fouled a ball off of his foot on Friday night. While just believed to be a bruise, Pedroia ended up being pulled from the game. It was later revealed that Pedroia had more than just a bruise: he has a fracture in his foot that could end up keeping him on the DL for four to eight weeks. Pedroia has been a spark plug for the Red Sox ever since being called up in 2007, and has been the vocal leader of their team. Almost two or three months without Pedroia could really cost the Red Sox big time in the division standings, as they are currently in third place behind the Tampa Bay Rays and New York Yankees. The loss of Pedroia could be the defining blow that knocks Boston out of the playoff picture. He was batting .292 with 12 home runs and 41 RBI. He was on pace for at least 30 home runs.

The next day, Saturday, the Red Sox lost their best pitcher in Clay Buchholtz. After getting his first major league hit, Buchholtz had to run to second. He ended up injuring his knee, and now has a hyper-extended knee. He'll miss at least 1 or 2 starts. He lasted just 1 IP. In 2010, Buchholtz is at 10-4 with a 2.45 ERA in 92.0 IP.

It seems as though injuries have been the recurring theme of the 2010 Red Sox: Josh Beckett, Mike Cameron, Jacoby Ellsbury, Jeremy Hermida, J.D. Drew, Mike Lowell, Victor Martinez, Dustin Pedroia and now Clay Buccholtz. Injuries and an early season struggle have really hurt the Red Sox this season.

You can't help but think that this is why AL managers hate inter-league play. We saw it in 2008 when the Yankees lost Chien-Ming Wang to a foot injury while running the bases in Houston. He ended up missing the rest of the season and never regained his 19-game winning potential in 2009. When you look at it, the 2010 Red Sox and 2008 Yankees aren't all that different: both teams were losing key players to injuries left and right, both teams had minor league journeymen starting, and both teams finished in third place. While the season isn't over, it looks like that's where the Red Sox are headed, thanks to the Rays and Yankees. Losing two key players in two days is a big blow to a team that struggled early and is now trying to play catch-up in the best division in baseball.

You can only hope that Buchholtz and Pedroia recover quickly and help Boston out. While I don't want Boston to win the division (seriously, did you honestly think that was what I meant?) I would like the division to be competitive. It's no fun beating the Red Sox when they suck.

UPDATE 9:35 PM: Whaddya know? Victor Martinez broke his thumb today. What are the odds?

Yankees 2010 Trade Target: Brandon League

Brandon League, RHP Seattle Mariners
2010 season: 36 G, 5-5, 3.07 ERA, 41.0 IP, 2 SV, 1.10 WHIP

A second round draftee of the 2001 draft by the Toronto Blue Jays, Brandon League has shown to be one of the more dominant relievers of the past half decade. Making his debut in 2004, League struggled in his first full season in 2005, as he posted a 6.56 ERA in 35.2 IP in 20 games, allowing an opponent's batting avg against of .302. However, it appeared as though the best of League was still to come. The Sacramento native posted a 2.53 ERA in 42.2 IP in 33 games with 29 strikeouts in 2006. His opponent's batting avg against? .214. Adjustment? I think so.

Going into 2007, League was deemed one of the better relievers in baseball. He struggled through shoulder problems in 2007, lasting only 14 games and posting a 6.17 ERA in 11.2 IP. Many analysts recognized that League's velocity had dropped greatly. Due to advanced strength conditioning during the offseason, League overdeveloped his shoulder muscles, causing the drop-off in velocity. His shoulder problems continued and he eventually needed major shoulder surgery, causing the Blue Jays to place him on the 60-day Disabled List. He would miss the rest of the 2007 season.

League returned in 2008 looking like his 2006 form. His velocity was back, as he posted a 2.18 ERA in 33.0 IP in 31 games. He also had 23 strikeouts and an OBA of .230. League was again back on top. 2009 wasn't as kind to League, as he struggled through the season again. Pitching in a career high 67 games, he posted a 4.58 ERA in 74.2 IP, but had 76(!!!) strikeouts.

Following the 2009 season, League was traded to the Seattle Mariners with minor league outfielder Johermyn Chavez for RHP Brandon Morrow. He's looked sharp so far in 2010, posting a 3.07 ERA in 41.0 IP in 36 games, as well as garnering 2 saves. He also has 31(!!!) strikeouts and an OBA of .214, his lowest since 2006. Due to the Mariners' poor play and sub .500 record at 31-43, last in the AL West, the Mariners have not yet declared themselves open to business, but it sure seems like it could be soon. When they do, League could be one of their best chips.

Recently, FOXSPORTS writer Jon Morosi tweeted that outside of Cliff Lee, the tattoo-addicted League is the Mariners' most attractive trade piece. He's a great reliever, and he's young, just 27, and is still under team control. He could easily help out a team's bullpen. One team with bullpen issues that could be interested? The New York Yankees.

With the bullpen struggling mightly this year, as opposed to last year's breakout, the Yankees are in need of relief help. Chan Ho Park has not met expectations, posting a 7.04 ERA in 19 games, while giving up 6 home runs, after giving up 0 last year, in 23.0 IP. His OBA? .320. Joba Chamberlain has composed himself recently, but he's still at a 5.17 ERA in 33.1 IP in 33 games, while giving up 11 walks, a weakness the set-up man should not have. Then there's the other cast of characters: Damaso Marte, who has been unreliable but not terrible, David Robertson, who struggled early but has recomposed himself, Boone Logan and Chad Gaudin, who are in for mop-up duties but are also pitching poorly of late. And then there's Mo. Do I really have to say anything about Mariano Rivera?

It's obvious that the Yankees need some relief help, especially with Alfredo Aceves still on the DL and with no definate timetable for return. I think that the Yankees could acquire League for maybe a B-Level prospect, such as a Mark Melancon. I think a trade of LHP Boone Logan and RHP Mark Melancon could get a trade for League done. I'd definitely do that trade if I'm the Yankees. League is having another great year, and he's still young and hasn't hit is prime yet. League could work with Chamberlain to set-up Rivera as well as work as a long-man out of the bullpen. He's owed just $1.08 million through this season, so he's cheap, meaning it'd definitely cost at least a B-level prospect. If I'm the Yankees and I can get away with giving up just Logan and Melancon, I pull the trigger.

So while it's still unknown if the Mariners are ready for waive the white-flag, it will be soon. I imagine that the Yankees could be players for League's teammate Cliff Lee due to the recent struggles of A.J. Burnett. If League is made available I would imagine the Yankees to be huge players. Perhaps the Yankees and Mariners could complete a trade that could land the Yankees both Lee and League? That'd be great but I'm just dreaming here! If I'm the Yankees, I'm trying to get League.

Edwin Jackson's no-no in slow mow?

Yes, Edwin Jackson pitched a no-hitter last night against the Tampa Bay Rays, helping the Arizona Diamondbacks win 1-0. The fourth no-hitter of 2010, truly citing this as the season of the pitcher. However, this was not your average no-hitter, as Jackson walked eight men. The most interesting part? Jackson threw 149 pitches. Want something else? The Tampa Bay Rays are Jackson's old team. Think they regret trading him?

Yes, that's right. A no-hitter, based on eight walks and 149 pitches.

I scratched my head too.

The Tampa Bay Rays, carrying a 43-30 record for second place in the AL East behind the New York Yankees, were no-hit for the second time this year with Dallas Braden's perfect game and now Jackson's no-hitter. It's the third time in two seasons that the Rays have been no-hit going back to Mark Buehrle's perfect game last year.

Jackson, 26, walked eight in this game, including walking the bases loaded in the third inning with no one out. Like Mariano Rivera on Wednesday night, Jackson worked out of the jam, not surrendering a hit or run. Over 100 pitches later, Jackson placed himself in baseball immortality.

"It's one of those moments where you're just caught up in the moment. It's one of the craziest games I've had, especially the game starting off how it did. Not being able to find the strike zone with the fastball," Jackson said. "Good thing I could throw the slider for strikes in any count. It just resurrected my game."

"To be able to come back and give the crowd I used to play for something to see. Today is just a special day. Something I'll never forget," Jackson who add.

"He's a great athlete and a great kid. He's one of the very few who can do that," Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon said of Jackson.

"He threw 150 pitches and it's rare to see that many walks and not score a run," Maddon added. "Our guys are just pressing too hard."

Diamondbacks' manager A.J. Hinch was credited for allowing Jackson to finish what he started and go for history, despite the amount of pitches that Jackson had thrown.

"All's well that ends well. We stopped counting at about 115," Diamondbacks manager A.J. Hinch said. "You do want to make smart decisions. You do have a chance at history and you don't want to take it away from him."

There's speculation that Jackson could be on a pitch count for this next start, or perhaps even skip it. With a last place team like Arizona, they could afford to let Jackson throw those 149 pitches. However, you have to hope that Jackson will be okay and that his arm heals accordingly. You don't want the reason he has arm problems to be because he threw 149 pitches for a no-hitter, especially at such a young age and with a great career ahead.

Then there is the forgotten opposing starter in this game, RHP Jeff Niemann who only gave up 1 run, Adam LaRoche's home run in the second inning, despite pitching 7.1 innings. Niemann, 27, suffered just his second loss of the year last night, dropping him to 6-2 with a 2.72 ERA. Jackson improved to 5-6 with a 4.63 ERA on the season.

So congratulations to Edwin Jackson for his no-hitter. It just goes to show you, that you can walk as many as eight batters in a game and throw 149 pitches, but if not one of those pitches is a hit, anything is possible. A "working man's" no-hitter.

Carlos Zambrano's latest blowup

It's happened many times before, but this time the Cubs took action against Carlos Zambrano's recent tirade.

Zambrano had to be separated from teammate and Cubs' first baseman Derrek Lee, as a screaming match roared up. Zambrano walked into the dugout after the first inning against the Chicago White Sox, having given up 4 earned runs in the first inning, and began screaming at the team. Lee, in the first inning, missed a hard ground ball which allowed a run to score. Zambrano began screaming at Lee in the dugout before they had to separated. When Juan Pierre (the hitter) was asked if he thought Lee could have made the play, he responded:

"No, because he's in for the bunt and I hit it right down the line," Pierre said. "Due to the fact he was playing in for the bunt, it limits your range from side to side.

"Derrek Lee is a Gold Glover. If he can't get to the ball, then it was a hit."

Lou Pinella, the Cubs' manager, pulled Zambrano from the game. It was later decided by Cubs' management and GM Jim Hendry that Zambrano would be suspended indefinitely.

"His conduct wasn't acceptable," Cubs general manager Jim Hendry said. "His actions toward his teammates and staff were not acceptable."

"He will not be at the ballpark tomorrow. We'll play with 24. We'll play with 24 before we tolerate that kind of behavior."

If that doesn't speak volume about how much the Cubs dislike Zambrano, than I'm not sure what does.

Hendry was later asked if he had any doubt that Zambrano would return this season: "Certainly wouldn't rule it out" and he later said "the rules of the game usually don't allow long, long-term suspensions."

"It becomes a bit of a tired act," Hendry said. "People think that he hasn't been spoken to by Lou and his staff or the general manager before. Things are sometimes construed as being let go or let slide by -- that's certainly not true. You have every right to say it like that, that it's a recurring situation. And every time it recurs, it is a little bit more disappointing."

Zambrano is in the fourth year of a five-year $91.5 contract, making $18.3 million per season. His actions certainly should not be rewarded with this kind of recurring theme with Zambrano. It's not the first time that the Cubs have had to deal with Zambrano's anger issues. In 2007, he and former teammate, catcher Michael Barret, got into a physical fight in the dugout before having to separated, only to later be continued in the clubhouse and both were fined. Last season, major league baseball suspended Big Z for six game after he lost his temper and flipped out during a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in which he made contact with the umpire. It's become an embarrassment to an organization that invests so much in him.

"It's a serious matter," Piniella said. "There's no need for this, none at all. I'm embarrassed. Carlos should be embarrassed."

"We'll definitely stick together," Lee said. "Sometimes it's not easy. Right now, it's not an easy time. But you stick together, stay positive and fight through."

"He really hasn't been up to the standards that he was before for two seasons," Hendry said. "If you look at his last 50 starts, he probably ranks in the bottom third of the National League of overall performance, and I'm not saying that critically. That's not something that I'm tying in with today, but that's part of the decision that was criticized at the time, like we were taking our ace out of the rotation.

"At that time we did it," Hendry said, "I think it was a 40-start lookback that we did, and it really didn't wind up very well. ... I expect him to win more than nine wins like last year, and certainly, he deserved to be given a large contract. He was one of the best pitchers in the game for four, five years and did a tremendous job."

For the Cubs' and Zambrano's sake, hopefully a suspension away from the team can clear the air in the Cubs' clubhouse. Big Z is only 29, and his career is far from over, so you'd hope that he can turn it around and continue to have a great big league career and earn that contract. It's just too bad that this happened so many times before. Zambrano has been a club house cancer on the Cubs for years, despite being a good pitcher. I think the best thing for the Cubs would be to get Zambrano off their team. A good move by Jim Hendry. You have to pity the Chicago Cubs, not just because they haven't won the World Series in over 100 years, but because of Carlos Zambrano's anger.

You can watch how it unfolded here:

Happy Birthday Derek Jeter!

Today is the 36th birthday for my favorite Yankee: Derek Jeter!

Jeter turns 36 years young today, and while their are questions about how much longer he can play at the level of which he's playing, Jeter is proving the critics wrong.

What an admirable and amazing career Derek Jeter has had.

Here's to the Captain!

Yankees take Game 1 of series

Yankees beat the Dodgers 2-1, thanks to these two men:

Carsten Charles Sabathia: 9-3, 3.49, 8 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 7 SO, 3 BB


Alexander Emmanuel Rodriguez: 2-4, 1 HR (10), 2 R, 1 RBI (51)

Taylor Hall goes #1 overall to Edmonton, Tyler Seguin #2 to Boston

Two of hockey's brightest prospects are off the board.

As predicted, Taylor Hall, the top talent in the draft, went #1 to the Edmonton Oilers, who finished last season with a league worst 62 points. For almost a year, Hall was predicted to go first overall in the draft. Fresh out of the OHL's Windsor Spitfires, Hall, 18, finished this season particulary strong, his best season in the pros, with 106 points by scoring 40 goals and 66 assists to win the Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy alongside Tyler Seguin. He helped lead the Spitfires to win the J. Ross Robertson Cup for the 2009-10 season by scoring 35 points in 19 games. However, Hall's amazing journey wouldn't end there, as he continued to prove why he was the top talent. He led the Spitfires to win their second consecutive Memorial Cup in 2009-10 and was named tournament MVP by being awarded the Stafford Smythe Memorial Trophy for the second year in a row, making Hall the first player to repeat as tournament MVP in OHL history. He was awarded a spot on the tournament All-Star team for the second year in a row, and was awarded the Ed Chynoweth Trophy for being the playoff scoring leader.

Tyler Seguin was selected behind Hall at #2 overall by the Boston Bruins. Seguin, also 18, finished his second season with the OHL's Plymouth Whalers with a career high 48 goals, 58 assists and also 106 points, tying him with Hall for MVP. In 2009, Seguin played for Team Canada in the 2009 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament. The tournament, played in the Czech Republic, ended with a Canada victory, as Seguin led the team to a gold medal by scoring ten points in four games. Ranked the #2 best talent in the draft, Seguin fell to second overall as predicted.

No matter which order they were selected, the future is bright for these two young stars.

The National Hockey League's Draft is still ongoing tonight from Los Angeles, California.

Mets Trade Target 2010: Kevin Millwood

Kevin Millwood, RHP Baltimore Orioles
2010 season: 2-8, 5.22, 101.2 IP, 1.51 WHIP

An 11th round draft pick in 1993 by the Atlanta Braves, Kevin Millwood has been a pleasant surprise throughout his career. After his rookie season with Atlanta in 1997, a 23-year old Millwood won 17 games in his first full season in 1998, finishing 17-8 with a 4.08 ERA. However, the best of Millwood was yet to come. In 1999, arguably his best season, he finished 18-7 with a 2.68 ERA and made the National League All-Star Team for the first and only time in this career. His next two seasons were disappointing, as Millwood failed to have an above .500 record. He found his groove again in 2002 however, going 18-8 with a 3.24 ERA. The 2002 season would be Millwood's last with Atlanta, as he was traded prior to 2003 to the Philadelphia Phillies. During his first year in Philadelphia, the North Carolina native went 14-12 with a 4.02 ERA, while also pitching a no-hitter on April 27, 2003 against the San Francisco Giants. He was granted free agency following the 2004 season, and signed a 1-year contract with the Cleveland Indians. He finished with a 9-11 record in Cleveland due to poor run support, but also had a 2.86 ERA, which ultimately boosted his value and helped him cash in. Following 2005, Millwood was a free agent again, and on December 26, 2005 signed a five-year $60 million contract with the Texas Rangers. His years in Texas have led some to believe that he was overpaid. He finished 16-12 in 2006, but had a 4.02 ERA and had a sub .500 record with ERAs over 5.00 until 2009, where even then he went just 13-10. Millwood was traded to Baltimore following the 2009 season for Chris Ray and Ben Snyder. He is currently 2-8 this season with a 5.22 ERA. During his 14-year career, Millwood is 157-129 with a career 4.08 ERA.

The 2010 season could not be any more harsh for Kevin Millwood, 35, than it has been. Pitching on a Baltimore team that has the worst record in baseball at 20-52, and is projected to be historically one of the worst teams ever, Millwood has gone through the bad of the 2010 season. Through his first 14 starts this season, Millwood was 0-8. He won for the first time this season on June 19th against the San Diego Padres. His last two starts have resulted at wins, pushing his record to 2-8 on the season. Millwood has made 16 starts this season, with some wins being lost due to the weak Baltimore offense and terrible bullpen. Recently the Orioles have stated that they are open for trade and are willing to deal the right-handed Millwood. You can't help but think that Millwood would be thrilled to get out of Baltimore.

Among the interested teams in Millwood: the "pitching-hungry" New York Mets.

We've heard the Mets connected to Millwood in trade rumors this season. Many feel as though Millwood would come cheap due to his age and performance this season. As well as age and performance, his $12 million salary also presents a reason for him to come cheap, especially if the acquiring team, in this case the Mets, has to pay it. The other reason that many feel he would cost low prospects is because Millwood's contract runs out at the end of the season, making him a free agent.

There's always the issue of what to give up as far as prospects go. Due to his age, effectiveness, and cost, if I'm the Mets I'm not giving more than a B minus or C level prospect. That means a trade of LHP Eric Niesen and RHP Tobi Stoner for Millwood, especially if the Mets are paying his salary. Seeing as the Mets would most likely not sign Millwood to an extension with Cliff Lee as a free agent, that package of prospects seems fair to give especially with Millwood's 2-8 record. While I think that it would be a good rental for the Mets to acquire Millwood, I don't think that it may be the best option to go to, especially with Cliff Lee, Roy Oswalt, Fausto Carmona, and Jake Westbrook available.

Then, there is the question of do the Mets really feel that Millwood will help them out? He's 2-8 with an ERA over 5.00 this season, and has an opponent's avg against of .299. That is scary. He's also given up 31 BB this season. All the while, he's making $12 million. If the Mets are truly making a playoff push, I don't think Millwood is their answer. A rotation that includes Santana-Pelfrey-Millwood-Niese-Dickey would not scare me come a short playoff series.

As for me, I'd rather spend the prospects and money on someone younger and cheaper, such as Fausto Carmona or Cliff Lee. If I'm the Mets, I'm not trading for Millwood. I feel for the guy, pitching in Baltimore and having a harsh season, but he's not the answer to the Mets hopes and hopefully will get traded elsewhere to compete.

100th post!

We've finally reached the 100th post milestone!

Thank you all for taking the time to read my posts, vote on the polls, and converse with me about sports on a regular basis. Without your viewing and care, this would not be possible. Thank you all so much!

Let's get to 200!

- Josh

A Tale of Two Teams

For the first time since 2004, the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers will square off this weekend in Los Angeles.

But oh lord, how things have changed since 2004.

For the first time since 2007, the Yankees will be on the same field as Joe Torre. Although this time, Torre will not be managing the Yankees and trying to help them win. He'll be on enemy lines, trying to defeat them with the Dodgers.

Torre took over as manager of the Yankees in 1996, a move that many people questioned, due to Torre's lack of success as manager of the Atlanta Braves, New York Mets, and St. Louis Cardinals. Torre however, shut the critics up. He led the Yankees to a world title in 1996, their first in almost 20 years. Then, he led the Yankees on the improbable run of three straight titles ranging from 1998-2000, as well as World Series appearances in 2001 and 2003, which both ended in losses. In his 12-year career with the Yankees, Torre was 1173–767, while winning four World Series Championships. It was a shame though, that it had to end so abruptly.

October 2006 -
After being eliminated from the first round of the playoffs for the second year in a row in 2006 by the Detroit Tigers, Joe Torre's job was in jeoperdy. His decision to bat Alex Rodriguez, the team's best player, eighth in the batting order due to a postseason slump, became an outrage. Rumors spread that Torre was going to fired and replaced by former Yankee Lou Pinella. The rumors were eventually put to rest by Yankees' General Manager Brian Cashman, as he stated that Torre was not going to be fired. Many were aware that principal owner George Steinbrenner was losing his patience with Torre, especially since it had been six years since a World Series title.

October 2007 -
The 2007 season was not much kinder to Torre. The Yankees finished the season 94-68, two games behind the Boston Red Sox in the AL East. The Yankees failed to win the AL East division, ending a streak of nine consecutive division titles since 1998. However, they still managed to reach the postseason by outlasting the Seattle Mariners to win the Wild Card. Sadly, the postseason would be short lived for the Yankees, as they lost in the ALDS to the Cleveland Indians in four games. Alex Rodriguez, who slugged 54 HR that season while earning AL MVP honors, only hit .267 in the series with 1 HR. Many blame Torre for the series loss, especially in Game 2. With Joba Chamberlain on the mound, and the Yankees leading 1-0 in the eighth inning, a swarm of midges swarmed Chamberlain and the rest of the Yankee team on the field. The midges distracted Chamberlain, as he allowed Cleveland to tie the game and eventually win it in extra innings despite a strong showing by Andy Pettitte. Many criticize Torre for not pulling the team off of the field, and waiting for the midges to leave. The series loss would lead to the end of an era in New York Yankees history, as the Yankees dismissed Torre as manager.

Torre wouldn't be unemployed for long. On November 1, 2007 the Los Angeles Dodgers announced that they had reached an agreement of $13 million over three years, for Joe Torre to be Manager for the 2008-2010 seasons. It would be the first time in twelve years that Torre would manage another team, and his first time managing on the west coast. There would be no more "Subway" ads with former Mets' manager Willie Randolph, no more advertising for Bigelow Tea, and no more Yankee swagger for Torre.

The Yankees would later sign former player and coach Joe Girardi to a three-year contract to be the next Yankees Manager. In 2008, Girardi's first year as manager of the Yankees, the Yankees finished in third place, and missed the playoffs for the first time in thirteen years. Fans called for Girardi's head, and regretted losing Torre. It wouldn't last for long however, as Girardi and the Yankees would win the World Series a year later in 2009.

In 2008, his first year as Dodgers manager, Torre led the Dodgers to the NL West division title. However, the Dodgers were eliminated in the ALCS in four games to the Philadelphia Phillies. In 2009, Torre led the Dodgers to a second consecutive divison title, but were again eliminated by the Phillies in the ALCS, this time in five games. Meanwhile, his old team, the Yankees, led by Girardi, would win 103 games that season, en route to their 27th World Championship.

Controversy struck prior to the 2009 season, when Torre released his tell-all book about his years with the Yankees titled "The Yankee Years." In his book, Torre criticised Steinbrenner, as well as 3B Alex Rodriguez. He went on to say that Rodriguez was looked at as a fraud in the Yankee clubhouse, and that his teammates did not respect him. He also went on to tell that Steinbrenner was often unfair, and acted somewhat as a tyrant. Torre also portrayed bad reputations on the Yankees' front office, including Cashman, who came to his aid in 2006 to defend Torre's job. Torre wrote that the Yankees had never given him a substantial offer to return as manager. After the release of his book, Torre appeared on talk shows to explain his decision to write the book and defended everything he wrote. The Yankees were offended by the way Torre portrayed the team.

Derek Jeter, whose first manager was Torre, will be facing against Torre for the first time in his career. Torre and Jeter always shared an almost father-son-like relationship during their years in New York together, and still keep in touch. Torre has often called Jeter his favorite player.

2010 has been a shaky season for Torre's Dodgers. The Dodgers stumbled out of the gate early, but have regained themselves and are currently 38-33, third place in the NL West. The Yankees stand at 45-27, first place in the AL East. While this is the first time in six years that the clubs will meet, they are all but unfamiliar with each other, dating back to the days of when the Dodgers still played in Brooklyn, New York. The two teams have played each other in the World Series eleven times: 1941, 1947, 1949, 1952, 1953, 1955, 1956, 1963, 1977, 1978, and 1981, with the Yankees winning eight times and the Dodgers three. Before the Dodgers' move to Los Angeles, the two teams were perceived as two of the best clubs in New York baseball history.

The past is over, the present is now, and these two clubs are likely to both make the playoffs. While it'll be awkward to face Torre, the Yankees cannot let that alone distract them. The action kicks off tomorrow, as CC Sabathia faces Vincente Padilla in Game 1, as the action will take place from Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. Get ready baseball fans, one of baseball's most ancient rivalries is yet to be renewed.

Mets 2010 Trade Target: Fausto Carmona

Fausto Carmona, RHP Cleveland Indians
2010 season: 6-5, 3.31 ERA, 92.1 IP, 1.22 WHIP

It wasn't long ago that Fausto Carmona was deemed to be one of the game's best pitchers for the foreseeable future. After all, he went 19-8 with a 3.06 ERA in 2007, and, in 2008, was rewarded a four-year $15 million contract. Then it all went downhill for Carmona. Injuries derailed Carmona's 2008 season, as he finished at 8-7 with a 5.44 ERA. 2009 wasn't any better for Carmona, as he again struggled through injuries and finished at an even worse 5-12 with a 6.32 ERA. However, it appears as though this year Carmona, 26, has figured out his groove again, sporting a 6-5 record with a 3.31 ERA through 14 starts this season.

Signed in 2000 as an undrafted free agent out of the Dominican Republic by the Indians at age 17, Carmona put himself on the map in 2003, when at Single-A Lake County, he went 17-4. He split time between A, AA, and AAA in 2004-05, going 13-9 in AAA Buffalo in 2005. The Dominican born Carmona made his major league debut in April 2006, earning his first career win over the Detroit Tigers at age 23. It'd be the only win for Carmona that season, as he was later pushed to the bullpen and finished 1-10 with a 5.42 ERA. Carmona made the Indians' rotation as the fifth starter in 2007, with low expectations. Those low expectations helped Carmona take the baseball world by storm. Carmona, along with ace CC Sabathia (who went on to win the Cy Young that season), led the Indians to their first AL Central Title since 2001, posting a 19-8 record with a 3.06 ERA. Carmona pitched his first career post season game that season in the ALDS against the New York Yankees. He pitched 9 innings of 1 run baseball, allowing just 3 hits in an extra inning win. The Indians would go on to the ALCS, where Carmona ended up getting battered by the Boston Red Sox in Game 6, where he left after just two plus innings while giving up seven runs in a game that would eliminate the Indians from the playoffs.

His 2007 season performance rewarded Carmona with a four-year $15 million contract that runs through 2011 and includes three individual club options through 2014, totaling $43 million if the contract runs through, including $5 million in incentives. His 2008 and 2009 seasons made the Indians look foolish for that contract however, as he went 8-7 with a 5.44 ERA in 2008 and 5-12 with a 6.32 ERA in 2009 with opponents batting .295 against him. It seemed as though Carmona's 2007 season was a fluke.


This season however, Carmona has come back stronger than ever for a dismal Indians team. Since trading aces CC Sabathia in 2008 and Cliff Lee in 2009, Carmona was pronounced the ace of the Indians' staff, despite his below .500 records and terrible 2009 (shows you how bad a team Cleveland is). Suffice to say, Carmona has surprised everyone, pitching to a 6-5 record so far with a 3.31 ERA. Due to Cleveland's poor season and rebuilding effort, the Indians are reportedly open to deal the 26 year-old right-hander for the right price. Enter the New York Mets.

This week, we heard that the Mets have had internal discussions regarding a trade for Carmona. The Mets are looking to upgrade their rotation in order to make a playoff-push. I recently posted that they were interested in Jake Westbrook, but a trade for Carmona would be much better for the Mets. Carmona is enjoying a nice season, and placing him behind Mike Pelfrey and Johan Santana would make for a powerful Mets rotation. He's obviously capable of winning 19+ games, as he did in 2007, but he's also struggled the past two seasons, so this could be a high risk, high reward type of trade. The Mets would be more than willing to make that type of trade. They need pitching, and Carmona would help them out greatly. Moving an AL pitcher to the NL is always a smart move. He's only 26, and the Mets would control him through his age 28 2011 season, as well as having the three years of options for 2012, 2013, and 2014. He's owed just $8.9 million through 2011, an average of $4.4 million per season, making him a very cheap effective pitcher. He's also latino, and you all know how much Omar loves latino players.

However, because Carmona's salary is not huge, he's young, he has three option years, and he has so much upside, the Indians would probably require a top level prospect in order to deal Carmona. This means that the Mets would have to offer up a package of at least OF Fernando Martinez, RHP Brad Holt, and OF Kirk Nieuwenhuis in order to land Carmona. I think this would be a fair trade for the Mets, as well as the Indians. Cleveland would acquire a corner outfielder with a high ceiling in Martinez, joining him with Cleveland's other top outfield prospect, CF Michael Brantley, who came over in 2008's CC Sabathia-Brewers trade, and All-Star RF Shin-Soo Choo. This would also allow the Indians to trade CF Grady Sizemore, arguably the best player on their team, for more prospects to rebuild. A future outfield of Martinez-Brantley-Choo would make the Indians' future much brighter. The Indians would also acquire a high potential starting pitcher in Holt, as well as a lower level prospect in Nieuwenhuis. The Mets would acquire themselves a young, inexpensive, high ceiling pitcher who would be inserted into the rotation immediately. If I were Omar Minaya, I would have already made a proposal.

Like all players though, Carmona does have some questions. While the Mets are not worried that Carmona will continue his success this season, they are worried that he may struggle under the pressures of playing in New York. They feel that coming to New York in the middle of a playoff push could make Carmona collapse under the pressure and that he would revert to his 2009 form. This seems however, not to be that great of an issue.

Perhaps the Mets do not feel that Carmona could help them down the stretch. Recently, Mets players have expressed their desire for ownership to acquire an elite starting pitcher with both Roy Oswalt and Cliff Lee on the block. Many analysts are skeptical though that the Mets do not have the players that both the Seattle Mariners and Houston Astros covet, making Carmona a more likely option.

I think that acquiring Fausto Carmona would make perfect sense for the Mets. They'd acquire a young pitcher with a high ceiling and 20-game win potential. They'd also have three years of option control on Carmona, while only owing him $4.4/season. If I'm the Mets it's a no-brainer. It all depends on if Omar Minaya will offer up the right prospects, and if the Mets truly feel that Carmona is their man.

Marlins fire manager Fredi Gonzalez

The Marlins fired manager Fredi Gonzalez today, a move that was predicted at the start of the season. Throughout this season, there have been rumblings that Gonzalez would be displaced as Marlins' manager. It's been reported most of the year that Gonzalez would not make it throughout the season. Gonzalez has faced issues this year, the major issue being between himself and Hanley Ramirez for not hustling. He's also clashed with owner Jeffrey Loria over the past few years. Recently, Bobby Valentine, former Texas Rangers and New York Mets manager, has been rumored to be the replacing manager. Edwin Rodriguez, manager of the Marlins' Triple-A team, will take over as manager until a decision is made. It's been rumored that Gonzalez could possibly be the predecessor to Bobby Cox with the Atlanta Braves next season. In three seasons as the Marlins' manager, Gonzalez had a managerial record of 276-279.

For more you can read here, courtesy of ESPN. Good luck to Fredi Gonzalez elsewhere.

Yankees 2010 Trade Target: Lance Berkman

Lance Berkman, 1B/OF Houston Astros
2010 season: 55 G, .237/.341/.384, 6 HR, 29 RBI

As recently as last week, we heard rumors that the Yankees had scouts following the Houston Astros watching Lance Berkman, just in case the Astros decide to make him available via trade. By adding a power bat in "The Big Puma" Berkman, the Yankees would have a very dangerous offense. The face of the Houston Astros since the retirement of Craig Biggio, Berkman has slugged 21 or more home runs every full season in the big leagues, including a career high 45 in 2006, his best year, in which he batted .315 with 136 RBI and finished 3rd in the MVP voting. Berkman has slugged more than 40 home runs twice in his career, 42 in 2002 and 45 in 2006, as well has slugging over 30 or more three times, 34 in 2001, 30 in 2004, and 34 again in 2007. Add that to five seasons of 20 home runs or more: 21 in 2000, 25 in 2003, 24 in 2005, 29 in 2008, and 25 in 2009. He's also driven in over 120 RBI three times: 126 in 2001, 128 in 2002, and a career high 136 in 2006. He's also had six seasons of over 100 RBIs. He's had four seasons of over .300 batting averages with a career high .331 in 2001, .316 in 2004, .315 in 2006, and .312 in 2008. Add that all together and Berkman has a career batting line of .297 AVG/.409 SLG/.549 OBP, .959 OPS, 319 HR, 1070 RBI, and 1622 hits. A slugger to say the least.

It's not a secret that the Yankee offense right now is struggling. They got bombarded by the D-backs last night, after a great pitched game by Rodrigo Lopez, limiting the Yankees to four runs in last night's 10-4 loss. However, a case can be made that Berkman, 34, may not be able to help the Yankees. This season has been Berkman's worst career season, having career lows in AVG, SLG, OBP, and HR. There's also the contract issue. Berkman makes $14.9 million this year, and also has a no-trade clause, meaning he'd have to waive his clause to be traded to the Yankees. I'm not sure that the Yankees would be so willing as to pay all of that contract. That may not be a problem however, as recently Astros' owner Drayton McLane said that the organization would be willing to absorb salary in a trade depending on the offer. Perhaps if the Yankees made the Astros a strong enough offer, the Astros would eat Berkman's salary.

But there is yet another issue with trading for the Rice University graduate Berkman. It's well known throughout baseball that McLane likes to keep his favorite players, Berkman being one of them. Over the years he's shown resistance to trading players such as Jeff Bagwell, Craig Biggio, and Roy Oswalt. However, due to the Astros' past under .500 seasons, including another one this year at 26-44, McLane may be forced to trade the switch-hitting Berkman in order to rebuild the organization by acquiring prospects with high potential.

Yet there are still more issues, the most important being where would Berkman play on the Yankees? First base is occupied for the next seven years, and the Yankees already have two corner outfielders who play better defense than Berkman. The obvious position for Berkman would be DH on the Yankees. This presents another problem due to the health questions surrounding Jorge Posada, who has shown his signs of age and cannot catch everyday, forcing him to DH. The Yankees would like to keep his bat in the lineup on days he does not catch, but if they acquire Berkman, Posada would be forced to ride the bench a few times per week. To me, it seems as though Berkman may not have a spot on the team, similar to Adam Dunn, who I profiled a few days ago.

Then there is always the issue of prospects. I'm pretty sure every Yankee fan knows that the Astros starting point would be with Jesus Montero or Austin Romine. The Astros would require a top prospect in the deal, but most likely two if the Yankees wanted the Astros to eat Berkman's contract. I think a deal would have to consist of at least an A-level prospect, a Bminus-level prospect, and at least two C-level types. That means a deal of C Austin Romine, RHP Mark Melancon, LHP Wilkin De La Rosa and 2B David Adams.

If I were the Yankees I would not trade for Berkman. I think that the offense could survive with another bat that could cost less prospects-wise. I also think that the salary is an issue. The Yankees are reportedly on a "budget" and I'm sure they don't feel like adding $14.9 million to the payroll. I don't think it'd hurt the team if they acquire Berkman, but he's not having a good year and not having a good year playing in the weak NL Central, meaning he'd most likely have difficulty adapting to the strong pitching of the AL East. And he's 34, meaning his best days of hitting 30 home runs are probably behind him. While I've always liked Berkman, I do not think he has a place on the Yankees and I'd rather spend the prospects and money on someone else who's having a better year and is less expensive. Sorry Puma.