According to the St. Petersburg Times, the Rays have traded 2B/3B Akinori Iwamura to the Pirates for RHP Jesse Chavez.  The deal was a sign-and-trade, with Tampa Bay picking up Iwamura's $4.5 million option, and then sending him to Pittsburgh.

         Pittsburgh has seemingly filled their infield gap with Iwamura, who has started 215 games at second, and 120 games at third in his MLB career.  Iwamura, who has recorded a batting line of .281/.354/.393 in 1526 plate appearances, will most likely remain at second base for Pittsburgh, unless they opt to play Andy Laroche there, in which case, Iwamura would move back to third.

         Even though everything that Pirates GM Neal Hutington does is suprising and half-witted, the baffling thing about this deal is, why did Huntington give away a relief pitcher who is under team control for five more years, for one year of a player who consistently is not worth much more than his salary; in a year when the Pirates wil be, as usual, not in contention?

         As for the reliever, Jesse Chavez, Tampa recorded a steal, not that that's hard to do when your trade partner is the Pirates.  In his rookie year, Chavez recorded a league-average 4.01 ERA in 67.1 innings, but showed promise with strong peripherals.  Excluding his 1.5 HR/9 rate, Chavez's 6.3 K/9,  2.9 BB/9, and 2.14 K/BB rates are quite promising.  Chavez's repetoire is strong, with a 94 mph fastball, strong, hard slider, and an above-average changeup,

         Final analysis of the deal, Rays get a four-fer, dumping Aki's salary, getting a quality reliever, freeing up space for both Ben Zobrist, and Jason Bartlett, and allowing more playing time for Sean Rodriguez in a super-utility role.  Pittsburgh traded away the future again.

Trade Grades

Tampa Bay- A-

Pittsburgh- C-

As the Colorado Rockies prepare to host the Philadelphia Phillies tonight in Game 3 of the NLDS, the focus is on this rematch of the 2007 NLDS matchup; a series the Rox won as part of their "Rocktober" run to the World Series.  But during tonight's game, a dark cloud will hang over  the visitors clubhouse at Coors Field.

Phillies manager Charlie Manuel was not in an enviable posistion on Saturday.  Needing to choose a Game 3 starter, his first choice, rookie left-hander J.A. Happ, who had missed bats all year to the tune of a 2.93 ERA, was injured, having taken a line drive off the shin during Thursday's Game 2.  His second choice, righty Joe Blanton had been used in relief of Cole Hamels in Game 2.  In a stroke of desperation, Manuel was forced to turn to veteran Pedro Martinez for the crucial start.

            But luckily for the Phillies, God was a Phillies fan on Saturday.  A Snowstorm pushed Game 3 to Sunday night.  This  decision benefits the Phillies immensely.

            The unscheduled off day gave Happ an extra day to recover, and he's been announced as the starter for tonight.  Also, the extra day puts the starters from Games 1 and 2, Cliff Lee and Hamels, back on normal rest.  This would theoretically allow Lee to pitch Game 4 on Monday.  Long story short, if Happ beats Colorado tonight, Lee will shut them down again Monday, and the Phillies will get an NLCS rematch with the Dodgers.

Now I envy Manuel.

One word: Hitting.  Most people will try to blame it on the Angels finally getting the Sox's "number", but even if they do, you can't win if you don't hit.

         In the regular season, the Red Sox combined to hit .270/.352/.454, good for second in the AL with a .806 OPS.  But in the first two games of the playoffs they've plummeted to a hitting line of .131/.182/.180.  That just won't cut it if they are going to beat the Angels, who held opponents to a .242 AVG this year.

         Normally I'd be confident about the Red Sox's chances going back to Fenway for Games 3 and 4, but Clay Bucholz and Daisuke Matsuzaka don't inspire confidence.  If I was an Angels fan, I'd be very, very happy with the situation.

         If the Sox can't rely on their pitching, then once again, they must hit.  Facing left-hander Scott Kazmir, their bats must come to life, or the postseason will continue without the BoSox.

In the past offseason, A.J. Burnett was handed a 5-year $82.5 million contract to leave the Toronto Blue Jays for the New York Yankees.  As with many of the rash, big-money moves that the Yankees make, it hasn't paid off, and the absence of Burnett opened a spot for an cheaper, better pitcher in Toronto.

A.J. Burnett, to put it mildly, has struggled this year.

2008: 4.07 ERA, 9.39 K/9, 3.5 BB/9, 2.69 K/BB, 0.77 HR/9, 1.34 WHIP, .328 BABIP, 70.5% LOB%, 3.45 FIP

2009: 4.29 ERA, 8.21 K/9, 4.34 BB/9. 1.89 K/BB, 1.16 HR/9, 1.41 WHIP, .295 BABIP, 75.2%, 4.55 FIP

Perhaps I should re-name this post The Not-So Strange Case Of A.J. Burnett

Following a career year, Burnett's numbers regressed dramatically.  His strikeout rate has come down, his walk rate has gone up, and his homerun rate has gone up.  This is even more impressive considering the fact that his BABIP shows he was unlucky in 2008, and back to normal in 2009.  Maybe he just has Yankee-Stadium-itis.

Anyhow, up in Toronto, the 'Jays are paying a rookie who they were criticized for drafting, approximately 16.1 million dollars less than Burnett, to pitch better than Burnett.

A.J. Burnett 2009: 4.29 ERA, 8.21 K/9, 4.34 BB/9. 1.89 K/BB, 1.16 HR/9, 1.41 WHIP, .295 BABIP, 75.2%, 4.55 FIP

Ricky Romero 2009: 3.95 ERA, 6.85 K/9, 3.69 BB/9, 1.86 K/BB, 1.05 HR/9, 1.44 WHIP, .308 BABIP, 4.47 FIP

Stay tuned as the Yankees free spending continues to carry them to their doom...

On December 5^th, 2007, the Florida Marlins traded star 3B Miguel Cabrera, and star LHP Dontrelle Willis to the Detroit Tigers, in return they received six minor leaguers, LHP Andrew Miller, RHP Dallas Trahern, RHP Eulogio de la Cruz, RHP Burke Badenhop, CF Camron Maybin, and C Mike Rabelo.

The Tigers were immediately christened as the WS favorites heading into 2008.  They were receiving a top slugger, who was just 25, and had averaged 31 HR, 40 2B, 102 R, 115 RBI, and a .947 OPS over the previous four seasons.  His defense left something to be desired, but they solved that by moving him to first base.  In 2008, despite a dissapointing season for the Tigers, Cabrera set career highs in homeruns (37), and RBI's (127).  The only dark spot was his career low .349 OBP, it's back up to .407 in 2009.  Cabrera is in the midst of another stellar season for Detroit.

Dontrelle Willis, was seemingly already losing it when he was traded.  In his five seasons with the Marlins, he had had a good rookie season, and one ace type year.   His low strikeout rate, coupled with an average walk rate had never been encouraging, and his ERA was a bit on the high side for an ace.  He was a workhorse, but he had been lucky on his BABIP's.  Still, I don't think anyone could have predicted how great a meltdown he had.  In 2008, Willis made 7 starts for Detroit, pitching just 24 innings, he also had a 9.38 ERA, due to his walk rate going off the charts, from 3.8 to 13.1.  Willis was eventuallly demoted to Class A Lakeland, and placed on the DL with  an anxiety disorder.  In 2009, Willis halved his 2008 BB rate, but it's clear, he can no longer pitch.  Unfortunatley for Detroit, they're stuck with a contract that will pay him $10 million this year, and $12 million in 2010.

First off for the Marlins, its important to remember that this was another salary dump, that said, one to the prospects.  Andrew Miller has struggled in the majors as a starter, when he was acquired, he was a 22-year-old phenom, who had recorded a sub-3.00 ERA combined at Classes A+, AA, and AAA.  He performed well at AA for the Fish in '08, but fared poorly in '09, falling all the way to Rookie ball, then settling in as a  24-year-old at Double-A, not good.  Dallas Trahern was in the same boat as Miller, just a year younger, but because of his low strikeout rate, and a rising walk rate, he hasn't played in the majors, and seems to be walking backwards.  Eulogio de la Cruz is currently playing for the San Diego Padres, he had a solid fourth starter year at Triple-A for the Marlins, and was traded to San Diego for a PTBNL.  Burke Badenhop has been used as the Marlins long relief man this year, he's been good enough, but it seems to be his ceiling.  Cameron Maybin, the main prospect in the trade is putting up another good season in Triple-AAA, however, his homerun power, and speed on the basepaths seem to have dissapeared, and to compound matters, hasn't hit in the majors.  Mike Rabelo, is a catcher. He can field well, but can't hit a lick.

It's hard to determine a winner for this trade, despite their shortcomings, the prospects he Marlins received could still figure it out.  Florida wouldn't have been able to extend Cabrera or Willis, or re-sign them when they hit free agency.  Detroit has received great production from Miggy, but are stuck with the D-Train and his contract.