Bloggleheads

Sincerest apologies for the time that’s passed. A lot has gone down in the last week and to catch up on it … would be tedious.

I blame the snow …  among other things!

Let’s get to the good stuff!

DONE DEALS:

RHP NOLASCO to MARLINS

Nolasco seems to have the makings of an AJ Burnett-type pitcher – if he can stay healthy, of course.

1B/DH NICK JOHNSON to NYY

Tomfoolery. Nay – skullduggery of the foulest order! I just can’t …

LHP GONZALEZ to BAL

It’s great to see a team not hailing from Boston, LA, New York, or Chicago signing a top tier player out of free agency.

My only question is why do the Orioles think they’re at the point where a top-tier closer is going to help them? For a great closer to be effective, your team has to be in a position to win games – not consistently suck.

OF/DH MATSUI to LAA

They had to replace Vlad somehow, but I have to wonder if this is really the wisest route to go. With Matsui you get a patient, powerful left-handed bat who can’t run or field because his knees are made of glass.

This is a band-aid.

OF CAMERON & RHP LACKEY to BOS

Awwww – Boston’s trying to compete! It’s adoooorable!

Mike Cameron, whom the Yankees almost traded Melky for last off season, is old. I know he’s played moderately well in Milwaukee – but do you really think he’s going to be just as good in Boston. At 36? That he’ll be able to effectively adjust to all the new pitchers? Yeah Right.

John Lackey, on the other hand, was a solid pick up. He’s durable. He’s reliable. And he’s a career Yankee killer.

There’s another reason these signings should worry Yankee fans. Refresh yourself with the Red Sox current SPs: Beckett, Lester, Lackey, Bucholtz, Matsuzaka, Wakefield, Bonser.

I think Boston is stockpiling for a big trade - maybe nowthey have the pieces they need for Pads’ A-Gonz?

OF PIERRE to CHW

With the AL Central weakened considerably by the collapse of Minnesota, Chicago and Cleveland’s pitching staffs and the arrogant discord present in Detroit’s locker room – it can be assumed that the division is up for grabs by whomever wins the most close games. Pierre is an effective on-base machine who still covers lots of ground in the outfield on the cheap. Good pickup by the ChiSox.

RHP SILVA for OF BRADLEY

This trade makes the next trade even better …

LHP LEE to SEA for Prospects

How Seattle got Cliff Lee without having to part with King Felix is beyond me!

Seattle is looking quite formidable now, no? Over the course of the off season they’ve shored up their already-tough outfield, gotten some on-base help with Figgins, added some pop with Bradley (he’ll also help to wake up that locker room) – and Seattle lost some dead weight in trading away right-handed-waste-of-a-roster-space Carlos Silva.

Now adding Cliff Lee to the mix? Yikes. That’s a rotation featuring two bonifide perennial Cy Young contenders in their prime. Seattle is a team to be respected now.

RHP HALLADAY to PHI for Prospects

Thisshould have been the big trade! Philly gets Halladay! Woo-hoo!

If Philly hadn’t gotten rid of Cliff Lee as part of the deal, I’d be celebrating with you. And there is no doubt that Halladay in the NL-Weak will put up some diabolically sick numbers.

But so freaking what? Phillies fans could have enjoyed a starting rotation of Halladay-Lee-Hamels-Myers/Happ and dominated the NL East like conquering Mongol warlords. But no – apparently Philadelphia thinks having a video-gamesque starting rotation is vain. And they are fools.

I dunno. It’s a good move – that it could have been extraordinary is all I’m saying.