The Braves have sent Mark Teixiera to the Angels for Casey Kotchman and Stephen Marek. According to Baseball America, Marek is the #6 ranked prospect in the Angels system and "profiles as a middle-of-the-rotation starter." On the surface it appears that the Braves got pretty good value for a rental player. Kotchman is a sound defensive first baseman. He is having a down season offensively, but at 25 there is still plenty of upside. Unfortunately for both the Yankees and Red Sox, the best team in the American League just got better.
Angels Land Teixeira
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Teixiera now has the highest OPS+ on that Angels team (139). Howie Kendrick has 125 and Vlad is at 121.
This is some bullshit. The last goddamn thing the Angels needed to do was get some offense.
I’ve been a fan of Kotchman, fantasy-wise, so it’ll be interesting to see what happens now that he’s in Atl. I also have Teixiera in my fantasy league, so that’s definitely a step up.
But ya, the Angels? As if they haven’t already been lucky this year..
As if they haven’t already been lucky this year..
Now they don’t need to be lucky. Damnit.
So do you think Tex will get to Boston in time to pinch-hit later in the game?
That would be amusing. Actually, in the same daily fantasy league, I was going to take him out, but I don’t have anyone healthy on the bench. So I hope he does! ;P
Probably not though. I imagine they have to do physicals and all that stuff..
And Kotchman has been superhot lately, so maybe the Sox lucked out. At least for this game..
This deal pisses me off more and more as I think about it. Poor Teixiera is going to be forced to bunt in stupid situations even though he’s OPS+’ing 139. Stupid Scioscia.
So, what do we think, Sox fans? Should Theo have accepted Atlanta’s offer of Teixeira for Youk/Hansen? I vote no.
On a happier note, Manny is OPS’ing 1.324 since July 7.
Sorry for the off-topic comment, but I need to cheer myself up after seeing Tex go to LA.
Youk has been too good this year to give up for Tex ALONE, let alone with Hansen thrown in. Hansen plus a prospect would have been worth it.
The Angels got a bloody steal on this deal. That pitcher doesn’t look to be anything special.
I gotta say, I didn’t think the Angels would swing this. Their front office has been pretty poor on trades and terrible at free agent signings.
Ath – I wouldn’t say it’s a steal, only because it’s a rental. So we’ll see how it works out for them..
I think they’ll extend him, Lar. They can afford it.
Everyone cool if we also turn this into the Sox/Angels gamer?
i put a sox gamer up at the top.
Ath – his agent is Scott Boras though. So he might/probably test free agency first..
“Should Theo have accepted Atlanta’s offer of Teixeira for Youk/Hansen?”
That’s a double “Hell No” given what they DID take.
Atlanta got fleeced on that deal.
Manny talks heating up, according to another writer who can say such stuff and be wrong and noone will remember:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/baseball/mlb/07/29/manny.dodgers/index.html
I like Matt Kemp a lot, and Pat Burrell is one of the few players attainable who is putting up Mannyish numbers this seasons. He’s also a free agent at the end of the season, so the Phillies have a reason to trade him.
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim = 2008 World Series Champs
Sox = 2008 AL East Champs
Yankees = a rotting pile of garbage