Tejada to Astros; Rowand to Giants

I'll probably have a post later on today (unless Brendan or someone else beats me to it) about the Mitchell Report and Bud Selig's response to it, but for right now, let me just mention the two biggest deals of the last couple of days. 

Arguably the best player on the Baltimore Orioles team in 2007, Miguel Tejada, the four-time All-Star, was traded yesterday to the Houston Astros.  Though he has had a cloud of discontent about him in Baltimore, his addition to Houston's roster gives the 'Stros more power with the likes of Brad Ausmus, Lance Berkman, Geoff Blum, and Kaz Matsui.  They'll probably be looking to gain some steam after finishing 16 games below .500 this year.  Will they win the NL Central?  Probably not, but Tejada will help them both offensively and defensively this year.

Furthermore, the Giants have acquired Aaron Rowand, the spectacular Phillies' outfileder, to nominally fill the hole left by departing Roider, Barry Bonds.    The difference?  Rowand can actually play the outfield well (he won a Gold Glove this year).  This adds a strong bat to a slumping lineup and gives SF a good shot at finishing better than 2007 (when they went 71-91, dead last in the NL West, and 19 games out of 1st).  This one addition won't catapult them to the front of the pack, but Rowand will likely give aid to the struggling club.

Comments

[JO]

And the Cubbies get Fukudome!!! World Series here we come.

[Anon]

Unofficial list of those named:

Brady Anderson, Manny Alexander, Rick Ankiel, Jeff Bagwell, Bar ry Bonds, Aaron
Boone, Rafaeil Bettancourt, Bret Boone, Milton B radley, David Bell, Dante
Bichette, Albert Belle, Paul Byrd, Wil Cordero, Ken Caminiti, Mike Cameron,
Ramon Castro, Jose and Ozz ie Canseco, Roger Clemens, Paxton Crawford, Wilson
Delgado, Lenn y Dykstra, Johnny Damon, Carl Everett, Kyle Farnsoworth, Ryan Fr
anklin, Troy Glaus, Rich Garces, Jason Grimsley, Troy Glaus, Jua n Gonzalez,
Eric Gagne, Nomar Garciaparra, Jason Giambi, Jeremy Giambi, Jose Guillen, Jay
Gibbons, Juan Gon zalez, Clay Hensley, Jerry Hairston, Felix Heredia, Jr.,
Darren Holmes, Wally Joyner, Darryl Kile, Matt Lawton, Raul Mondesi, Ma rk
McGwire, Guillermo Mota, Robert Machado, Damian Moss, Abraham Nunez, Trot
Nixon, Jose Offerman, Andy Pettitte, Mark Prior, Neifi Perez, Rafael Palmiero,
Albert Pujols, Brian Roberts, Juan Rincon, John Rocker, Pudge Rodriguez, Sammy
Sosa, Scott S c hoenweiis, David Segui, Alex Sanchez, Gary Sheffield, Miguel Te
j ada, Julian Tavarez,Fernando Tatis, Maurice Vaughn, Jason Varitek, Ismael
Valdez, Matt Williams and Kerry Wood

[Brendan Loy]

I actually have a post about that all set to post shortly after noon. :)

[Brendan Loy]

I bumped my post to now, because I wanted to address the "list." So it's up.

[David K.]

Wow i didn't even realize Gary Sheffield was still playing...

Wow i didn't even realize Ken Caminiti and Darryl Kile were still alive...

[Adam]

"[H]is addition to Houston's roster gives the 'Stros more power with the likes of Brad Ausmus, Lance Berkman, Geoff Blum, and Kaz Matsui"

How about Carlos Lee, Hunter Pence, Ty Wiggington, Michael Bourn, and J.R. Towles. Brad Asmus isn't starting this year and Geoff Blum is a utility man.

[Condor]

I can't wait for the new baseball* season.

[Andrew]

Rowand is "spectacular"? I had him on my fantasy roster in 2005 and 2006, and he was anything but spectacular. I'll bet anything that 2007 is as aberrational for Rowand as was Gary Matthews' season in 2006.

[NDLauren]

While the 'Stros certainly could use some offense, they gave away quite a few players in order to get Tejada, also a member of "the list." I'm not sure I'm a fan of this move, or many of the moves they have made in the offseason. They're still seemingly deficient in pitching.