Too Much to Say

And of course, when do I decide to start writing stuff again? When the hot stove opens up and players start flying everywhere, leaving me way too overwhelmed to cover even a little of it. Since my last post, the Yankees have won the World Series, something I dreaded and refused to predict, even though I thought it to be a large possibility. I’ve also covered a lot in my new radio show, the SportsCorner with Braica and Horner, which airs every Sunday from 9-10pm (check out my last post to find out how to listen). But with everything going on in the MLB world, I figured it was about time I come back from my hiatus. Even if it does mean I won’t spend the next hour or so writing my final paper, something that’s worth 35% of my grade.

First, I’ll mention the huge 3 team trade that saw the Tigers unloading Curtis Granderson and Edwin Jackson. Of course, what got me riled up was that Granderson is now a Yankee, something I cannot stand. Curtis Granderson was among my favorite players; he is a terrific fielder, he’s a great hitter, he’s terribly fast, he’s versatile, and  he is a genuinely good person. Now, he’s a Yankee. And New York gave up essentially nobody for him. Sure, Yankee fans will moan about losing Ian Kennedy and Phil Coke, two guys who are “terrific” prospects according to the fans who wear the Yankee blue. Lets see…Kennedy pitched in 10 games in 2008, posting an ERA of over 8.00, and in 2009, pitched one inning and walked two guys. Coke was supposed to branch the bullpen with Phil Hughes for years to come. Yet who is really that confident with a set up man with an ERA of 4.50? Apparently, the Yankees were last year. But now they don’t have to worry about that, because the Tigers apparently think the same thing. The only player that really might hurt was Austin Jackson, a 22 year old outfielder who looks promising as a solid average hitter.

Granted, the Tigers got four players, two from both the Yankees and the Diamondbacks, all of whom are considered prospects (if you can really consider Coke a prospect, at 27 and with those mediocre numbers in only one season). And maybe this trade is something that they can work their team around. It’s something they’re certainly planning on, given who else they gave up in Edwin Jackson. And I can only hope that the Yankees getting rid of Austin Jackson will only further drop their farm system rankings (they dropped from #5 to #15 in 2009), and further prove that they’re not focused on building their own talent, but are content with getting rid of prospects for somewhat proven, vetran players. But we’ll see. For right now, I’m still upset that one of my favorite players in the Majors has gone to such a team whose front office are such ignorant morons.

To clarify, I DO NOT include Brian Cashman in that group of morons. I respect Cashman as a GM and as a baseball person, and think that he is the only member of the Yankees front office that can be considered to know anything about the sport. And he had everything to do with this trade. In fact, none of the Stenbrenners are even mentioned in the article about the trade. Most likely, they have no idea who Granderson is, but rather proposed an idea to Cashman about spending an absurd amount of money to get the biggest free agent name out there, while they golfed somewhere in Florida.

In terms of the Red Sox, the deal they are contemplating making with the Texas Rangers that would send Mike Lowell to Texas for Max Ramirez is not a bad deal. As much as I love having Mike Lowell on my team, he is going to be 36 when the season starts, he’s broken, and his career is on the downslope. While I would love to see the Sox get a better prospect, it makes sense that they would take what they can get. Again, I hat to see Mike Lowell go, but it’s time. He’s served his part in Boston better than anyone thought he would, and it’s time to say goodbye.

Elsewhere around the league, I saw that Ivan Rodriguez signed with the Nationals because they gave him a two year deal, Chone Figgins went to the Mariners, Rich Harden goes to Texas, and the Brewers added LaTroy Hawkins and Randy Wolf. From the looks of it, Texas is looking to be legitimate this year, and if the Mike Lowell deal goes through, they will be. Same with Milwaukee. I’m calling right now that Texas and Milwaukee both will make a run at the playoffs, maybe even the division. But then again, I was way off in terms of predictions last year. I guess we’ll have to wait and see. 

And if my current trend continues, I will talk to you all again in two months.