Hot Stove Roundup - Blockbuster!

The Trades section is being moved to the front this week because, well, yeah:

Trades:
The big news of the week is, of course, the Lee/Hallady deal. It's a big trade, involving four teams and eight players changing hands. First, a look at who went where:

Philadelphia Phillies: Get Roy Halladay from the Blue Jays. They also picked up prospects Phillipe Armont, Juan Ramirez, and Tyson Gillies from the Mariners.

Seattle Mariners: Get Cliff Lee from the Phillies

Toronto Blue Jays: Get prospects Travis D'Arnaud and Kyle Drabek from the Phillies. They also get prospect Brett Wallace from the A's.

Oakland A's: Get prospect Michael Taylor from the Blue Jays.

In my opinion, this was a terrible trade talent-wise. Seattle improves immensely. After already signing Chone Figgins, they added a second ace to a pitching staff that already includes Felix Hernandez. In two moves, Seattle made themselves a strong contender for the AL West next season. The Phillies, however, made a lateral move. Lee was the best pitcher in the playoffs in 2009, and they picked up a pitcher who is incredibly talented but has never pitched in the postseason. They knew they had a big game pitcher in Lee. They don't know that about Halladay. The three prospects they picked up, two pitchers and an outfielder, basically replace the ones sent to the Blue Jays. The Jays move to get three prospects shows they have pretty much committed to rebuilding rather than winning now. Picking up top catching prospect D'Arnaud and top pitching prospect Drabek are solid additions, and could see time in the majors next season. The part of the deal where they exchange Taylor for Wallace looks like it was just thrown in to get the deal done.

Looking at the talent, there is almost nothing I like about this trade. Financially, though, the trade makes perfect sense. Lee and Halladay would both be entering walk years in 2010. Lee is believed to want more than Philly was willing to offer. By trading him now, they get back known prospects, rather than taking a chance on compensation picks in the draft. Halladay has already signed a contract extension for less money than what Lee is expected to get, with the same level of talent. The Jays cut payroll and brought in prospects that many consider to be near-MLB ready. It hurts the team now, but it's a commitment to the future. None of these teams really improves right away, except Seattle, but they all improve for the future.

Free Agents:
The unfortunate thing for the Red Sox is they signed John Lackey to a 5-year, $82.5 million contract just about an hour before the Lee/Halladay rumors started, so maybe you didn't notice it. The signing has immediate implications on the Red Sox and the AL East as a whole. It's a clear sign the Sox aren't going away any time soon. Lackey adds to a pitching rotation that didn't always live up to expectations last season(Daisuke), but still got the team to the playoffs. His signing limits the team in other areas, though. Jason Bay is all but confirmed gone from Boston. The Sox also signed Mike Cameron this week, most likely to replace Bay in left.

The Yankees made less impactful news this week, both for who they signed and who they didn't. First, Hideki Matsui signed a one-year deal with the LA Angels. He is expected to DH and maybe play the outfield for a team that probably won't be resigning Vlad Guerrero. The Yankees responded by signing Nick Johnson to a one-year deal to DH. Signing Johnson is a bit of a surprise, as he's been injured much of the past few years, and the Yankees weren't expected to be looking for a full-time DH. The prevailing wisdom was that the team would be DHing their older players, giving them a rest from playing in the field while keeping their bats in the lineup. That could still be the plan, with Johnson in a platoon-like situation when the regular starters are fully rested.

Rumors:
The previously laughed-off Bay to the Mets rumors may have actually been true. The Mets are reported to be aggressively going after Bay. The major problem at this point is length of time. The Mets are believed to have offered four years, and Bay is wants five. Obviously, Bay is in the stronger position here. The Mets need him more than he needs the Mets right now.

The St Louis Cardinals officially offered a contract to Matt Holliday, showing that they at least would like to keep the slugger. The Terms of the contract are believed to be less than the yearly salary Holliday is looking for. Even if he turns the deal down, the Cards could remain players in his free agency.

With Matsui gone and Johnson signed, the Yankees are believed to be out of talks with Johnny Damon. One rumor says the Yanks last offer was for two years and under $10 million per. Damon is believed to be looking for around $15 million per year. After declining the offer, it is believed his agent, Scott Boras, came back with $11-$12 million per year, and was immediately shot down. At 36-years-old, Damon's career isn't over, but its getting closer to the end. He seems to have stepped back from his original search for a three-year deal, which it was doubtful he would get for the money he wants. It's still possible the Yankees could stay in touch, but the idea of resigning him looks doubtful at this time.

Coming Tomorrow:
Due to the weather, I have to cut the Roundup short today. I'll be back tomorrow or Monday with the Free Agent of the Week, and a look at a couple of other trades.