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Florida a Sporting Powerhouse
Florida is one of the most Southern of all the United States. It is known as the Sunshine State for it's warm weather and pacific climate. "Florida" is a Spanish adjective which means "flowery". Florida was discovered by a Spanish explorer during...
How to Break in a Baseball Glove the Old-Fashioned Way
You learn how to break in a baseball glove as soon as you're able to hold a baseball mitt with one hand. It was a tradition in my family each winter. Come late October or early November, after the leaves had already fallen and been raked up and when...
I Must Get The Newspaper
I Must Get The Newspaper
Every day when I wake up one of the first items that creeps into
my head is getting the newspaper. I have got to get the paper. I
have operated this way for over 40 years. The paper gets me in
the know. More so than...
Successful Baseball Hitters Always Have a Plan!
Successful Hitters Always Have a Plan! Here are some thoughts on the above topic from a buddy of mine. The guy’s name is Steve Springer. “If baseball is 90% mental, why do we work on it less than 10% of the time?” "You cannot control getting a...
Ultimate Weight Loss: Ephedra is Back?
Copyright 2005 Michel Landry I had some questions come in about Ephedra. So I have put together this short article to get you some info. Just to fill some of you in , Ephedra was taken off the market last year , but it is now back on the market and...
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Baseball Trade Review: Carlos Beltran Deal
The Carlos Beltran sweepstakes are over and the Houston Astros are the winners. After spending the offseason recruiting Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte, the Astros have found themselves mired back in the pack of a tough NL Central division race.
Beltran brings a flashy glove to center field and some excitement and run production to the top of the lineup. Of course, players like him don't come without a cost. Houston sent away closer Octavio Dotel and catcher-of-the-future John Buck.
The added wild-card is that Beltran's contract expires at the end of this season. Should the Astros fail to reach the playoffs and also lose their new star center fielder to free agency, this deal could haunt them in the future.
Kansas City, Beltran's former team, sent Dotel on to Oakland in exchange for two prospects, third baseman Mark Teahan and pitcher Mike Wood. The Royals had decided they wouldn't be able to match Beltran's asking price this offseason and picked up the best value they thought they could get. Oftentimes these deals turn out very favorable for the team willing to trade current talent for high-potential minor leaguers.
The Oakland Athletics jumped in to make this a 3-way deal and filled a big need by picking
up a consistent closer. Arthur Rhodes had excelled with other teams in a setup role but hasn't fared well closing out games for the A's. Nothing is more frustrating to a starter than to pitch hard through seven or eight innings in a close game only to see a win slip away in the ninth. Oakland boasts one of the best rotations in baseball and a solidified bullpen should help them overtake Texas and maybe even make a run in the playoffs.
This trade will be seen as a success or failure for both Houston and Oakland by the end of the 2004 season. For Kansas City, however, it could be a few years before anyone knows how their 3 new players will pan out. All three teams did well in accomplishing something that made sense for their situation.
About The Author
Dustin Smiley, Owner of The Baseball Corner http://www.thebaseballcorner.com, your online site for everything baseball. (**You may reprint this column onto your site only if the following information is attached at the bottom and the link to The Baseball Corner is active**)
admin@thebaseballcorner.com
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