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The MLB trade deadline passed without any “Big” moves other than yesterday’s Teixeira deal. But that doesn’t mean there weren’t any winners and losers. Trades were still made. Some were very good trades while others were not so good. Here are my winners and losers of this years trade deadline:
Winners
Braves – The Braves got a great hitter in 1B Mark Teixeira. Plus he is a Gold Glover and improves the infield defense right away. He also slots perfectly inbetween Chipper Jones and Andruw Jones. The Braves had to give up a lot (Salty and Andrus) but they already have their catcher of the future in McCann and two shortstops that can play in Renteria and Yunel Escobar. They also added lefty reliever Ron Mahay and Octavio Dotel. Dotel is a great addition. Remember how dominate he was as a set-up man in Houston a couple years back? He is going to be very good here. The Braves made themselves the front-runner to take the NL East.
Red Sox – They got what they needed. Eric Gagne. Gagne had to wave his no-trade clause, especially since he won’t be closing and won’t reach incentives in his contract. The Red Sox made it worth his while. They picked up $2.1M in his performance bonuses while Texas picked up $400K. The Sox also traded away incumbent Joel Pineiro to the Cardinals for a player to be named later. They had to send some cash to make up for the salary but they still save. The Sox are also going to get Curt Schilling back soon plus Matt Clement has started rehabbing. The Sox are the favorites to win the AL now. They have the best pitching in either league.
Rangers – Yes they were sellers. Yes they gave up their best hitter and best reliever. But they werent’t going to win this year and Gagne is only signed through this year and Teixeira through next year. They got a catcher in Jarrod Saltalamacchia that can be a 25-30 homer catcher in Arlington. They also got a 19 year old shortstop in Elvis Andrus that has major tools. Don’t be fooled by his minor league numebrs, he’s faced pitchers 3-4 years older at every level. Plus three more minor league pitchers from the Braves: right hander Neftali Feliz, left hander Matt Harrison (who can be a very good #2-4 starter) and left hander Beau Jones. Plus they got pitcher Kason Gabbard and minor league outfielders Engel Beltre (17 years old) and David Murphy. They also got catcher Max Ramirez from Cleveland for Lofton. The Rangers re-stocked their system and are set to be good for years to come. Great job as sellers!
Mets – The Mets have had a hole at 2B since Jose Valentin went down for the season. They filled it with 2B Luis Castillo. Castillo is a Gold Glover, a veteran that has played in the playoffs, and he is a .300 hitter that can steal bases. He will slot nicely into the #2 spot behind Jose Reyes. He can become a free-agent in the offseason and the Mets have talked about signing him. Even if they don’t they will get compensetory draft picks when he signs elsewhere. Great move. The Mets tried to land a reliever and offer Phil Humber for Chad Cordero and were turned down. I thought it was a very fair trade. Good move by not offering more for Cordero.
Rays – You’re thinking “they didn’t do anything big!” That’s a good thing. The Rays have offense, we know that. The even have some decent starters. They need bullpen help badly. They traded Ty Wigginton (and saved $4M on him next year) for Dan Wheeler. Wheeler is now re-united with former pitching coach Jim Hickey who made him into a great reliever. Under Hickey he had a 2.38 ERA in 158 IP with 146 strikeouts and only 46 BB. The Rays also got Brian Shackelford form the Reds and minor-leaguer Calvin Medlock who is fireball reliever with a good change. The Rays also did the right thing by not trading Wheeler and Reyes. The Rays hold an option on Reyes for about $2M next year and that is a bargain. The Rays are making great strides to compete in the very near future.
Phillies – They added 2B Tadahito Iguchi to fill in for injured 2B Chase Utley. They stole reliever Julio Mateo from Seattle. And they added a 5th starter in Kyle Lohse for an organization arm. They also just got Brett Myers and Tom Gordon back and Jose Mesa has been pitching great of late. It’s going to be hard to reach the Mets and Braves but they can make a serious run now. It will be an exciting September once Utley gets back! What a race the NL East will be.
Padres – They got a veteran utility player in Rob Mackowiack for nothing. They got a 3B with patience and power in Morgan Ensberg for nothing. And they got 3 pitchers for reliever Scott Linebrink while his stock was still high. One of those relievers is in the major league pen now! One (Will Inman) can be a #3 starter in the Majors, especially in PETCO. Good moves yet again by Kevin Towers.
Losers
White Sox – They did nothing to help them this year or next year or the next. Nothing! They should’ve traded Dye. They will get the draft picks but I’d rather have proven prospects. I thought Kenny Williams would’ve definitely done something.
Yankees – They got a back up infielder in Wilson Betemit but they had to give up a reliever. They needed bullpen help! They needed pitching help! They did nothing to help the pitching staff. They also did nothing to counter the Gagne move the Red Sox made. I do have to say they did the right thing by not trading Phil Hughes ot Joba Chamberlain though. They also should’ve traded Melky Cabrera while his value is at it’s highest. He is a 4th outfielder in my opinion and some teams veiw him as a regular. They should’ve jumped on something for a pitcher.
Indians and Tigers – Each one of these teams needed bullpen help and neither did anything to widen the gap between the two. The Indians got Lofton earlier which is a great but they badly need a reliever. I guess the Tigers figure Fernando Rodney and Joel Zumaya will be ready soon because they needed bullpen help badly.
Mariners – Not only did they not get any pitching help they traded away a middle reliever with a mid 90′s fastball in Julio Mateo. I’m glad they didn’t trade Adam Jones for a reliever but I would’ve offered Wladimir Balentin for some pitching help. They also need to call Jones up. This team dropped the ball.
Nationals – They signed Dmitri Young and Ronnie Belliard to extensions. They didn’t trade them for prospects. They balked at Phil Humber for Chad Cordero. Jim Bowden needs to lose his job! The moves he made were not only stupid but they make no sense. This was a team that had no chance of contending and it should’ve been hard for them to make the Loser list but they figured out a way.
The Atlanta Braves appear to be the winner for the right to acquire first baseman Mark Teixeira from the Texas Rangers.
A preliminary agreement has been reached between the teams for Atlanta to receive Teixeira and left-handed reliever Ron Mahay from Texas for catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia, minor league shortstop Elvis Andrus and two minor league pitchers.
Baseball America rates Saltalamacchia and Andrus as the Braves’ top two prospects in their organization.
The Fort-Worth Star Telegram, citing a Rangers source, is reporting that the two pitchers Texas will receive are 19-year-old right-hander Nestali Feliz and another pitcher to be determined.
The deal will be finalized once players’ medical records are reviewed. Major League Baseball’s deadline to trade players without securing waivers is Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET.
Teixeira, a 27-year-old switch-hitting slugger, has won two Gold Gloves at first base. He is batting .297 this season with 13 home runs and 49 RBIs. Since breaking into the majors with Texas in 2003, Teixeira has had seasons of 26, 38, 43 and 33 home runs.
Only Ralph Kiner, Albert Pujols and Eddie Mathews hit more than the 140 homers that Teixeira had in his first four major league seasons. He had at least 33 homers and 110 RBIs in each of the past three.
Teixeira missed 27 games because of a strained left quadriceps muscle sustained running out a ground ball. The Rangers were 16-11 when he was out of the lineup after he played in a team record 507 consecutive games. He will be eligible for salary arbitration after making $9 million this season.
Among the teams that reportedly negotiated with the Rangers for Teixeira were the Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Angels and Boston Red Sox.
The Braves are giving up a lot for 1B Mark Teixeira. This move also makes it seem like the Braves won’t be able to sign Andruw Jones in the off-season unless they don’t give Teixeira a long-term deal. But with what the Braves had to give up in Salty and Andrus it wouldn’t make sense for Teixeira to be a season and a half rental.
But for now the move is a great one for Atlanta. Look for them to make a huge run at the NL East title.
-Jonathan C. Mitchell
Information from ESPN’s Peter Gammons, ESPN.com senior writer Jayson Stark, and The Associated Press was used in this report.
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| Sunday, July 22, 2007 |
The AJC has a feature on Al Downing, the former big league pitcher and baseball announcer best known for giving up Hank Aaron‘s 715th home run.
[I]n an instant on April 8, 1974, Downing became forever linked with Hank Aaron. The Atlanta slugger hit his historic 715th home run off Downing, who was on the mound for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Although 310 pitchers gave up home runs to Aaron, Downing is the Jeopardy question, the clue in the crossword puzzle, the answer in a Trivial Pursuit game.
 “I think people have a tendency to look at me as if that moment defines my career,” said Downing, 66, who retired in 1977 after winning 123 games in 17 years in the major leagues. “I always tell them, ‘That moment was Henry’s moment. It wasn’t my moment. It could have been anybody on that mound giving up that home run. Henry was the common denominator.’ ”
Now the numbers are adding up for Barry Bonds. Very soon an unwitting pitcher — who will it be? — will serve up No. 756 and find his name inextricably tied to Bonds. Downing will empathize with the man on the mound, but he won’t feel sorry for him. “Why should you feel sorry for a guy who’s doing what he loves?” he said. “He’s playing baseball. Very few people get an opportunity to pitch in the major leagues.”
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After Tom Glavine gave up Bonds’ 11th homer of the season on May 8, the former Braves pitcher said that if the Mets had to face Bonds again before he got the record, “I can assure you I wouldn’t want to be the guy who gave up the home run.” Downing didn’t have that attitude when he was playing. “You can say, ‘I hope it’s not me,’ but that’s like saying, ‘I hope I don’t have to pitch in a big game,’ ” said Downing, who pitched in three World Series, was the first black starting pitcher in Yankees history and once was compared favorably with Sandy Koufax. “You live for a big game; you live for moments like that.”
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Dodgers manager Walter Alston chose Downing to pitch after Aaron had hit No. 714 two games earlier. “He didn’t know I’d give up a home run,” Downing said. “But he said, ‘You’ve pitched in World Series, All-Star Games. … You’re a veteran.’ I was almost 33. He said, ‘I know that you can handle the pressure of that moment.’ ”
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Downing is offended by people who say, “You must have grooved the pitch.”
“They’re the people who don’t know much about the sport,” he said. “I say that’s an insult to Hank Aaron. … It’s like saying somebody let Wilt Chamberlain score 100 points on him. He did it because he could; they didn’t let him.”
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Downing, who lives in Valencia, Calif., and has retired as a broadcaster, said Aaron has always been gracious about their shared history. When they saw each other at the 25th anniversary celebration in 1999, Aaron asked, “How many home runs did I hit off of you?” Downing answered, “Three,” which, by the way, was 14 fewer than Aaron hit off Don Drysdale. “He [Aaron] said, ‘I wasn’t sure if it was two or three.’ People always act as if I hit 30 home runs off you. I say, ‘No, Al Downing was a good pitcher.’ “
And seemingly a decent, well-adjusted man. He’s absolutely right about one thing: Whoever gives up Bonds’ 756th home run will be some guy doing what he loves. It could be a kid up for his one cup of coffee in the Bigs or a future Hall of Famer. Bonds is a superstar; he can hit number 756 off of anyone. And, certainly, it’s no disgrace to be the victim of one of the best to ever play the game.
PITCHES OF INFAMY
Selected list of pitchers surrendering momentous hits or home runs:
1927: Tom Zachary, Washington Senators — Babe Ruth’s 60th homer of the season
1951: Ralph Branca, Brooklyn Dodgers — Bobby Thomson’s pennant-winning homer
1961: Tracy Stallard, Boston Red Sox — Roger Maris’ 61st homer of the season
1974: Al Downing, L.A. Dodgers — Hank Aaron’s 715th homer of his career
1985: Eric Show, San Diego Padres — Pete Rose’s 4,192nd hit of his career
1998: Steve Trachsel, Chicago Cubs — Mark McGwire’s 62nd homer of the season
2001: Chan Ho Park, L.A. Dodgers — Barry Bonds’ 71st homer of the season
No Hall of Famers in that bunch but several very good pitchers, certainly including Al Downing.
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| Sunday, July 22, 2007 |
Atlanta Braves left fielder Willie Harris tied an Atlanta Braves record with six hits in last night’s game against the St. Louis Cardinals. He was the first Brave to reach that mark in 26 years.
 On a perfectly pleasant night, in front of a regular season-record 53,953 fans turning Turner Field claustrophobic, the Braves and Willie Harris played up to the atmosphere Saturday night. How else to explain the outpouring of offense in a 14-6 pounding of the Cardinals, featuring Harris going 6-for-6? To run out the Cardinals fans?
NASCAR Night became ego-stroking night as the Braves crawled all over each other for the limelight. The scrappy Harris reached the top with six of the Braves’ 19 hits. The kid from Cairo singled four times, tripled twice, scored four runs and drove in six runs. He became the seventh player in franchise history to reach six hits in a game, the second to do it since the team moved to Atlanta. The other was Felix Millan in 1970.
[...]
Harris set career highs with his six hits, two triples and six RBIs. And he moved to center field in the late innings, so his left-field platoon mate Matt Diaz could get some at-bats, too.
Impressive, indeed.
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| Wednesday, July 18, 2007 |
Julio Franco, the Dick Clark of Baseball, has re-signed with the Atlanta Braves, extending his quest to play in the Major Leagues until age 50.
Julio Franco will get another chance to swing the bat in the big leagues.
The 48-year-old utilityman signed with Atlanta on Wednesday, rejoining the Braves a week after he was cut by the New York Mets. Franco cleared waivers during the Braves’ game against Cincinnati. Atlanta signed him for the rest of the season and said he would be activated for Thursday night’s game against St. Louis.
Franco, who turns 49 next month, played for the Braves in a backup role from 2001-05. He is a 24-year veteran with 2,576 career hits and is a lifetime .298 hitter. He hit just .200 (10-for-50) with one homer as a reserve with the Mets. Franco will serve in the same capacity for Atlanta.
This season, Franco became the oldest player to hit a home run in major-league history. He has said he would like to play until he turns 50.
Good news for the Braves. I predicted this would happen when the Mets cut him albeit, sadly, not on the blog.
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| Thursday, July 12, 2007 |
AJC veteran Thomas Stinson laments the passing of the nickname era in baseball.
Time was, the Braves franchise was a most verdant ground for baseball nicknames.
The Mad Hungarian. The Hammer. Howdy Doody. The Road Runner. Cha Cha.
Classic, handy names, the kind that have helped describe the game since when the Babe was still a babe.
Sugar Bear. Crime Dog. Mad Dog. Big Cat. Knucksie. Murf. Big Tub of Goo.
So what happened? Who are Huddy and Yatesie and Thormie and what did they do with the past? Sounds like roll call for the Mickey Mouse Club.
To be honest, it’s not just the Braves. It has happened all over baseball. Stylized noms de guerre have been replaced by a formula: take the first syllable (first or last name will do) and add a “y” or “ie.” It’s quicker. It’s cuter. It’s kinder.
It’s also nondescript, homogenized and disconnected to a time when Rico Carty was Beeg Boy and proud of it.
Here’s hoping this is just a fad. Happily, some names just won’t fit the formula and stand out, like Brian “Mack” McCann, like a 1960s remembrance.
Below is how some of Bobby Cox’s roster reads, how he refers to them when calling from the dugout steps.
Honor Jeff Francoeur, whose Frenchy provides hope for the future.
CURRENT BRAVES PLAYERS
Player — Cox’s nickname
Yunel Escobar — Yunie
Tim Hudson — Huddy
Andruw Jones — Andy
Chipper Jones — Chip
Edgar Renteria — Rentie
John Smoltz — Smoltzie
Jarrod Saltalamacchia — Salty
Matt Diaz — Matty
Willie Harris — Willie C.
Kelly Johnson — KJ
Scott Thorman — Thormie
Tyler Yates — Yatesie
Brian McCann — Mack
Bob Wickman — Wick
Jeff Francoeur — Frenchy
#
BEST OF BRAVES OLD-TIMERS
Al “The Mad Hungarian” Hrabosky
Hank “The Hammer” Aaron
Darrell “Howdy Doody” Evans
Ralph “Road Runner” Garr
Orlando “Cha Cha” Cepeda
Larvell “Sugar Bear” Blanks
Fred “Crime Dog” McGriff
Greg “Mad Dog” Maddux
Andres “Big Cat” Galarraga
Phil “Knucksie” Niekro
Dale “Murf” Murphy
Terry “The Big Tub of Goo” Forster
Rico “Beeg Boy” Carty
Maybe Chris Berman killed the tradition?
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| Monday, June 25, 2007 |
The brief public spat between Atlanta Braves third baseman Chipper Jones and pitcher John Smoltz is over after skipper Bobby Cox stepped in to mediate.
Braves manager Bobby Cox arranged and attended a meeting between John Smoltz and Chipper Jones on Sunday, one day after Jones accused the pitcher of questioning his integrity.
Jones said hitting coach Terry Pendleton also attended the meeting, and Jones said he apologized to Smoltz. “Obviously there was a misunderstanding,” Jones told The Associated Press on Sunday. “I apologized to him for my comments in yesterday’s interviews. He assured me he wasn’t singling me out. That was it.”
[...]
On Sunday, Smoltz called the incident a “total misunderstanding.” “It’s over with and there won’t be a problem the rest of the time we’re teammates,” Smoltz said. He did not answer any questions.
After Sunday’s meeting, Cox struck a characteristically positive tone. “Everything is as good as it can be,” Cox said. “Chipper thought he was singled out or something and John had no intention of doing that at all. It fact it was just the opposite. He was trying to tell the fans how important it is we have Chipper out there because Chipper plays when he’s hurt.”
Said general manager John Schuerholz: “It’s done. It’s finished and onward we go.”
Smoltz’s comments, and Jones’ response Saturday, were notable in an Atlanta clubhouse that under Cox’s watch has consistently kept such problems out of the public eye. “I think we’re both a little embarrassed that it got outside this clubhouse,” Jones said. “It shouldn’t have. I should have squashed it yesterday. Even if I did think it was directed at me, which yesterday obviously I did, I still shouldn’t have discussed that with you guys. It wasn’t a good example to set forth by either one of us.”
Jones said he should have approached Smoltz on Saturday. “I’m apologizing for my actions, regardless of how many people misinterpreted what he said or what he insinuated,” Jones said. “I should have squashed it right there by going to him and saying ‘Look are you talking about me? If you were, let’s handle this now.’ Instead of assuming what he was saying and firing back through the media.”
Jones acknowledged Smoltz touched a tender nerve because of his numerous injuries in recent years. “If you question whether somebody is hurt, you’re questioning their heart, their integrity, their dignity,” Jones said. “I can assure you that at no time in my career have I missed a game when I felt I could go out there and do a better job than anybody else on the team. It’s hard for me to sit out of games. It’s not an easy process. I fight like crazy to be in there and Bobby has to sit me down and say ‘Look we’re in this for the longer haul.’ ”
Jones said Smoltz did not apologize in the meeting but said the two shook hands. “Our friendship will be fine,” Jones said. “We’ve had disagreements before. We’ve been through riffs before. He and I have not seen eye to eye on things before. We get over it. If I hit a home run to win one of his games, he will love me.”
Indeed.
I can’t imagine that Smoltzie though Chipper was dogging it but it’s not unreasonable that he took it that way. My guess is that Chipper is just a little sensitive about the subject. Probably any high level competitor feels a little guilty and that he’s letting his teammates down when he can’t play.
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| Sunday, June 24, 2007 |
The Atlanta Braves‘ recent struggles have two of its veteran leaders, John Smoltz and Chipper Jones, feuding.
As the Atlanta Braves continue to struggle on the field, there is an unusual sign of disharmony among the team’s most established veterans.
Chipper Jones was back in the Braves’ lineup Saturday, saying he felt pressured by pitcher John Smoltz to rush back from a groin injury. The Braves had suffered three straight shutout losses for the first time since 1988 entering the game, which they lost 2-1 to Detroit — despite Jones’ homer.
When asked before the game if he is rushing his return, Jones said, “Probably. But I feel a little backed into a corner.” Asked to elaborate, Jones indicated some doubted he was injured enough to miss games. “Let’s just say there are people who don’t believe me,” Jones said. “Let’s just say that and leave it at that.”
After Friday night’s 5-0 loss to the Tigers, Smoltz said, “You can’t worry about who’s in the lineup and who isn’t. You can’t worry about that stuff anymore.” Added Smoltz: “I certainly appreciate the effort of the guys who are on the field busting it.”
Smoltz didn’t identify Jones as a player not in the lineup, but Jones said after Saturday’s game that he got the message. “I’d be stupid if I didn’t take it the same way,” Jones said, adding he planned to “play the rest of the games this year and do whatever I can. Somebody I know better not miss a start.”
Smoltz, asked Saturday if he was referring to Jones, said, “I have no comment. I’m not even going to address that.”
When asked Friday about his sore shoulder, Smoltz said: “We all could wish we were feeling better, but that’s the way it goes.”
Jones said he hasn’t talked with Smoltz about the pitcher’s comments. “I got nothing to say,” Jones said. “He made his point through the media. Now I’m going to make my point through the media. If he doesn’t want to do it man to man, then fine.”
The Braves have experienced very little clubhouse turmoil in Bobby Cox‘s tenure as manager, but Cox may have been aware of building tensions on Saturday. “It’s no time to start pointing fingers at people,” Cox said before the game. “We’ll stay in this together.”
Both Smoltz and Jones have missed a lot of games in recent years due to injury but nobody has questioned either’s desire to contribute. Playing 162 games a year, plus spring training and the playoffs, takes a toll.
Hopefully, Cox will get a handle on this soon.
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| Sunday, June 24, 2007 |
Atlanta Braves skipper Bobby Cox has been ejected as many times as anyone in Major League history.
 Braves manager Bobby Cox wasn’t going to argue with plate umpire Chad Fairchild, and he ended up with a record-tying ejection anyway. Cox was tossed from Saturday’s 2-1 loss to the Detroit Tigers in the bottom of the ninth inning. He ran onto the field too late to save Brian McCann from being ejected by Fairchild.
Cox’s ejection gave him 131 for his career, tying the record set by John McGraw. He already has the record for most ejections by a manager, since 14 of McGraw’s came as a player.
“That means you’ve managed a long time,” Detroit manager Jim Leyland said.
McCann argued with Fairchild about a called third strike from Todd Jones. The pitch appeared to be low. Cox said he didn’t come onto the field to argue; he was only trying to keep McCann in the game in case of extra innings. He ended up arguing up with Fairchild after McCann was ejected. “He was the only catcher I had left,” Cox said.
[...]
Cox has been reluctant to say much about the record, and Braves general manager John Schuerholz said there would be no public recognition of a milestone that his manager would rather ignore. “It’s kind of embarrassing,” Cox said recently.
[...]
Leyland said Cox doesn’t need to worry about the record clouding his career. “The guy has been doing this better than anybody for a long time,” Leyland said.
High praise, indeed, coming from Jim Leyland.
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| Thursday, June 21, 2007 |
The Atlanta Braves traded reliever Macay McBride to the Detroit Tigers for Wilfredo Ledezma.
Macay McBride was living his dream, pitching for the Braves. Then came Wednesday, and the small-town Georgia boy got smacked by the business side of baseball. The Braves traded the left-handed reliever to Detroit for another lefty, Wilfredo Ledezma, whom they frankly believed was better. And said so. “Macay’s still a young guy who certainly is capable of getting better,” Atlanta general manager John Schuerholz said. “It’s obvious by our actions we like Ledezma and his future better.”
Ledezma, 26, was 3-1 with a 4.79 ERA in 23 appearances for the Tigers this season, and 15-18 with a 5.15 ERA in 106 games (33 starts) over five seasons. McBride had a 3.60 ERA in 18 appearances for the Braves this season, and had pitched significantly better since returning from an April demotion to Class AAA.
He was shocked when manager Bobby Cox called him to his office Wednesday. “It kind of hits you all at once,” said McBride, 24. “I don’t feel anything right now…. Growing up watching the Braves, I wanted to be part of a team that wins here. But these guys [Tigers] are pretty good, too.”
Schuerholz said Ledezma’s starting ability attracted the Braves, but that they planned to use him out of the bullpen, for now. Ledezma has an 8-13 record and 5.56 ERA in 33 career starts. He was to fly to Atlanta with the Tigers on Wednesday night. They play the Braves in a three-game weekend series at Turner Field starting Friday. McBride took equipment from his Braves locker to a storage room in the visitors’ clubhouse. “It might make it an easier transition, just being able to walk over there,” he said, and smiled.
McBride, from Sylvania, was a first-round draft pick by the Braves in 2001. “It’s a sad day; we all like Macay,” right fielder Jeff Francoeur said. “It’s like when Langy [Ryan Langerhans] was traded. You always hear you lose buddies as the game goes along, and the more I’m here, the more I realize that.”
Detroit GM Dave Dombrowski said the move made sense for the Tigers because McBride has minor-league options left and Ledezma does not. The Tigers needed roster flexibility because they have some players coming off the disabled list soon, including pitcher Kenny Rogers, scheduled to start Friday’s series opener.
The payroll impact is a wash: McBride makes $400,000, Ledezma $415,000.
On paper, this looks like a great trade for the Tigers. They get a kid two years younger who’s already pitching much better. Still, John Schuerholz doesn’t miss too often when making trades involving young pitchers. He knows what he’s doing.
Sad news for McBride, in any case.
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