Miguel Tejada
(c) MLB
|
The Houston Astros traded five players to the Baltimore Orioles for the services of SS Miguel Tejada. OF Luke Scott, RHPs Matt Albers and Dennis Sarfate, LHP Troy Patton, and 3B Michael Costanzo were sent to the O's in return.
Tejada, 31, has only two years left on his contract. He was the 2002 AL MVP, hit .296 in 2007 with 18 HR and 81 RBI, but posted only a .799 OPS.
Adam Everett has clearly lost his starting job at SS, and will become a non-tendered free agent. That effectively makes it six players that the Astros are giving up.
Tejada clearly improves the hitting lineup, but the trade widens even farther the Astros' glaring hole in pitching. On top of that, Tejada's defense will be questionable... his own coaches admit that his range is limited.
Hey Ed... remember that little thing called pitching?
As of today, here's our projected 2008 lineup:
1. Michael Bourn CF
2. Kazuo Matsui 2B
3. Miguel Tejada SS
4. Lance Berkman 1B
5. Carlos Lee LF
6. Hunter Pence RF
7. Ty Wiggington 3B
8. J.R. Towles C
Our rotation will be:
1. Roy Oswalt RHP
2. Roy Oswalt RHP
3. Roy Oswalt RHP
4. Roy Oswalt RHP
5. Roy Oswalt RHP
Apparently, Roy will also close when his arm's not too tired.
Seriously though, this club has all the hallmarks of the Texas Rangers. Expect lots of 10-9 games in 2008.
-- submitted by Darrell Pittman
|