Well that sweepstakes didn’t last long. Hardly any time had passed from the moment the Braves announced that their slugging first baseman/pending free agent after 2008, Mark Teixeira, was on the trading block before they sent him packing. In fact, they barely even waited for teams to beef up their offers and sent him to the Angels because they were the first team to be willing to give up who the Braves wanted — in this case, Casey Kotchman.
As a man with Teixeira penciled into their first base slot on his fantasy team, I couldn’t be happier. Instant offence is what Mark provides batting clean up and the Angels need it. They have the arms required to make a playoff run — as evidenced by last night’s near no-hitter of the Red Sox — but this one big bat is what they needed.
As for Atlanta, well, better luck next year and you did get a good player with a load of potential. Let’s hope you don’t blow like you did with Jeff Francouer this season.
If the rumours are true and Manny Ramirez is actually dealt to Philadelphia, could you ever imagine another lineup ever being better? Adding Manny to a roster with two recent MVPs, Jimmy Rollins and Ryan Howard, plus the best second baseman in the game, Chase Utley, would strike fear into any the hear of any pitcher. The Phils would have to give up Pat Burrell — who would fit nicely into the Red Sox outfield — and another prospect or two maybe as well as have to put up with Manny-being-Manny antics, but would you pick anybody else to win the NL East? Philadelphia would have a decided advantage over the Mets and Marlins en route to the playoffs. Then if you wouldn’t enjoy a potential slugfest with Milwaukee, well you’re not a fan of sports then.
Now the funniest part about that entire Manny rumour is that the Florida Marlins are involved in the bidding. Are we as a people honestly supposed to believe that the Marlins would double their payroll by getting Manny? They have the youngsters to give up but nothing that would immediately help the Red Sox — which they would want. I am writing this on the presumption though that both Hanley Ramirez would never be involved. That kid is something special.