Saturday, June 27, 2009

Let the trade season begin

So today, the first strike of the trade season began with the Indians trading Mark DeRosa to the Cardinals for Chris Perez and a PTBNL

Unless Perez and/or the PTBNL turns out to be a future hall of famer, the Cardinals are likely to get the upper hand in this trade. DeRosa can hit for power, reduce the pressure on Albert Pujols in the starting lineup and play any position in the infield. Offensively he is an upgrade at 2nd, 3rd and short (Skip Schumaker, Brendan Ryan and Joe Thurston respectively)

As a fan of the team currently tied for first with the Cardinals this trade makes me a bit nervous. Obviously, upgrading their offense gives the Cardinals a better chance at making the playoffs and puts more pressure on the Brewers to acquire a player of their own.

Although getting someone who can play second was a higher priority when Rickie Weeks went down for the season. The necessity for outside help at second diminished with Craig Counsell hitting better than expected and Casey McGehee stepping up big-time to the tune of .340/.398/.520. In other words, my concern is not that the Brewers failed to land a second baseman.

My concern as a Brewers fan is their starting rotation. Outside of Yovani Gallardo, the rotation is a mess.......every other starter has either a) a below league-average era, b) is battling injury troubles or c) has pitched so horribly even within the context of a and b that they had to go back to Nashville (Manny Parra...cough....cough)

While the trading-deadline scene is different than '08 (nobody of Sabathia's caliber on the trade market) I am hoping that DeRosa's trade to the Cardinals will accelerate the trade of a starting pitcher to the Brewers.....even a 2/3 guy like Jarrod Washburn or Doug Davis would help improve the starting rotation and give the Brewers someone other than Gallardo that can be depended on to step up. Well, I guess that's enough trade-speculation talk for now....either way this will be a fun season and a thrilling pennant race...also, having today's victory over the Giants to bask in doesn't hurt either

Sunday Pick Of The Day: Mets over Yankees

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