I’ve never had to write the annual, “Boy, is the trade deadline overhyped this year,” story. The trade deadline is overhyped every year, to the point of absurdity.
Mark Teixeira is a powerful switch-hitter who gives the Braves a big bat at a position, first base, where most teams have one and Atlanta hasn’t, since dealing Adam LaRoche for bullpen help in the offseason.
Of course it doesn’t blow up the NL East race as some are saying (re above: “overhyped”). Getting Lou Gehrig in his prime for nothing wouldn’t have done that. The Braves did help themselves, though.
It’s actually a very good trade for Texas, too. Somebody else will pay for the five good years the Rangers got out of Teixeira, and they just flipped him and a marginal reliever for a blue-chip catching prospect with a mega-syllabic name, Jarrod Saltalamacchia, plus three other prospects.
It’s not hard to find a guy who can hit and play first. It is hard to find an anchor behind the plate for the next decade. Not to rip the Braves, who as always are trying to win now, but young Texas GM Jon Daniels did a nice job here.
The Phillies didn’t help themselves, by getting Kyle Lohse, except in the sense that he can start or relieve and somebody’s got to take the innings. It’s not a good sign when when the best things you can say about a pitcher are, “he always takes his turn,” and “he has postseason experience.”
