MLB Talk

Can anybody say wow? The MLB just got a little bit more interesting. This week a few players with big names were traded and/or signed. Let's start with Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee. Let's see how they got here; Halladay was on a damaged Blue Jays team where he could have won at least twenty games last year, but sadly, no offense to support him. There were trade talks surrounding him last season, but nothing came of it.
   Cliff Lee on the other hand, was traded mid-season to the National League Champion Phillies, where he made and immeditae impact throwing two shut-outs. Then on to the postseason where he went 4-0 including two wins in the World Series. You could ask yourself...." Why in the world would the Phillies or any team want to trade a guy like that away?" Simple... Halladay has the same and maybe better game and potential. A career record of 148-76. Last year he threw 9 complete games and 4 shutouts and not to mention a 2.79 ERA. And even though his team wasn't the best with the best, he still got 17 wins and kept himself in the Cy Young conversation.Now the Seattle Mariners get a lot better in their rotation with the 1-2 punch of Felix Hernandez and Cliff Lee. This can be very dangerous for any team if the Mariners manage to make it to the playoffs. Which I think can only be acheived by the Wild Card division. They're still not that good to compete for the division crown.


Now it's John Lackey's turn. Traded to a team he has always wanted to be with, the Red Sox. An 11-8 record is what he got last season; not the best stats you could get, but with the Red Sox all you have to do is throw solid innings and let the offense go to work. Last year, Boston didn't have the best pitchinglast year, yet they still managed to make it to the playoffs, but were eliminated by John Lackey and the Anaheim Angels. Lackey gives the rotation solid innings, relief potential (if needed), playoff pitching and veteran presence (not that they needed more).


World Series MVP Hideki Matsui was signed this week by the same Angels team who were stripped of John Lackey. Another bat added to a dangerous offense with Bobby Abreu, Gary Matthews, Torii Hunter, and surprise of the year Kendry Morales. The Angels can on;y get better from here on out with their batting. If Matsui can remain healthy and be as consistent as he has been throught his career, the team should have little problems on offense. Now pitching....that's another thing.