Sabathias, Hardens, and Gaudins... oh my!  Lots of trades this week.  CC Sabathia—who very well may be the best pitcher in baseball, with respect to Tim, Brandon, Johan and perhaps Edinson—was dealt to the Milwaukee Brewers for Matt LaPorta and some other pieces.  First off, CC can deal.  He’s a great, great pitcher with track records chock full of not only success but durability.

 It’s funny, people—Steve Phillips—continue to wonder if Sabathia’s big frame will hold up.  Big pitchers typically do last well—remember Boomer Wells?  It’s hitters—I’m looking at you David and you Prince—who break down and start to stink—remember Mo Vaughn and Cecil Fielder? 

Truth be told, I can’t think of many pitchers that I’d bet on for the next four years more than CC.  The next four years don’t help the Brewers—LaPorta will help the Indians, though—but the next four months sure matter to them.  Sabathia and the oft-injured—the back of his jersey ought to read Sheets and then beneath that, in tiny print: Handle With Care—Ben Sheets make a dynamite one-two punch for the Beer Drinkers rotation.  I’m not sure this move guarantees the Brewers are in the playoffs, but it sure helps.  Props for the move to build faith in winning, too.  Robin Yount is long gone.

Rich Harden.  I don’t understand, Jim Hendry, I just don’t.  You’d think someone would learn that playing with fire will usually get your idiot butt burned.  I mean, how many times did he get slammed on radio and in print for the injuries to Mark Prior and Kerry Wood?  (Good thing Dusty is gone... although Aaron Harang is now decaying, so I guess the cycle never ends.)

Harden’s a very good pitcher who at times is excellent.  However, his favorite vacation spot is the trainers’ room.  That’s a bit of a problem.  Plus, a GM like Hendry—8 years and 136 to Alfonso Soriano!—shouldn’t be dealing with the Han Solo of GMing, Billy Beane.  I mean, for God’s sake, he wrote that book and everything.

***

Jason Varitek on the All Star Team?  Ugh.

Good thing this thing doesn’t count!

***

Aaron Harang is getting an MRI on his forearm.  Poor guy.  Harang was a good pitcher and fun to watch.  I always thought he had a hunched over delivery, but I’m also certifiably crazy.

This damage may not be as much about Dusty—I think there is more than one smoking gun.  Harang’s been among the leaders in Pitcher Abuse Points for years (just like Big Z). 

Maybe this was just bound to happen.

***

Here comes the inevitable ‘Yankees Are Getting Hot!!!’ headlines. 

But who am I to complain?

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