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| Fresh AL-Only Meat! Droool, droool... |
early stage, I like to review the transactions so far and see who has switched leagues. I call this segment Dead Meat/Fresh Meat. If an AL player has moved to the NL via trade, free agency, or waivers, he's Dead Meat to us. Vice versa, if he's coming to the AL, he's Fresh Meat.
Note: 2013 will make the entire roster of the Houston Astros Fresh Meat! Imagine the deeper waiver pools! Ahhhh... so luxurious! But I digress....
Obviously, the biggest addition to the league so far is Mr. Albert Pujols. While my wife snickers every time somebody says his name (Poo-holes), this development is definitely not something to laugh about, unless its with delirious joy. The AL is now positively loaded with high-impact 1B, with the Junior Circuit successfully importing Adrian Gonzalez last year and Miguel Cabrera before that.
Will Cecil Fielder follow suit? The mind boggles!
Bank on Pujols getting high $40s salary in your league this season -- maybe even $50+ -- which will cause a cascade effect and create bargains in the 2nd and 3rd tier first-basemen.
Fresh Meat:
1B Albert Pujols (STL --> LAA) Drooooool.
MI Jamey Carroll (LAD --> MIN)
OF Ben Francisco (PHI --> TOR) #4 OF, could prove useful.
C Gerald Laird (STL --> DET)
C Chris Ianetta (COL -- LAA) This is a very intriguing development at catcher.
C Ryan Doumit (PIT --> MIN) Backing up Mauer could mean substantial ABs.
SP Jonathan Sanchez (SF --> KC) Intriguing as buy-low innings-eating starter.
SP Dana Eveland (LAD --> BAL)
SP Jason Marquis (WAS --> MIN) Better than Slowey.
SP Brad Peacock (WAS --> OAK) Rookie prospect traded for Gio G.
RP Mark Melancon (HOU --> BOS) Sleeper for saves?
RP Octavio Dotel (STL --> DET) Never stays any one place for long, does he?
Dead Meat:
C Jake Fox (BAL --> PIT)
SS Yannico Navarro (KC --> PIT)
SS Jack Wilson (SEA --> ATL)
SS Cesar Izturis (BAL --> MIL) Good riddance to all 3 spaghetti-batted infielders.
MI Jed Lowrie (BOS --> HOU) Good luck Jed!
OF Melky Cabrera (KC --> SF) A sleeper surprise in '11, now he's gone.
OF Travis Buck (CLE --> HOU)
OF Jason Kubel (MIN --> ARZ)
OF Michael Cuddyer (MIN--> COL) Wait, aren't they the same guy?
OF David DeJesus (OAK --> CHC) With him and JD Drew gone, who will I waste my #5 OF $$ on?
SP Mark Buehrle (CHI --> MIA) K's will go up in NL, from not-quite passable to barely passable.
SP Mark Bedard (BOS --> PIT) We hardly knew ye in Boston.
SP Gio Gonzalez (OAK --> WSH) What is it with all the lefties going to the NL?
SP Trevor Cahill (OAK --> ARZ) A-Rod can torment him no more.
SP Tyler Chatwood (LAA --> COL)
SP Kevin Slowey (MIN --> COL)
RP Andy Sonnanstine (TAM --> CHC)
RP Craig Breslow (OAK --> ARZ)
RP Frank Francisco (TOR --> NYM) Francisco now fights for saves with Rauch in New York.
RP Jon Rauch (TOR --> NYM) Rauch now fights for saves with Francisco in New York.
