The Smart Getting Richer
[Sorry, Blogger ate this last night]

There have been a number of interesting moves and I just want to mention a few:

- The Giants were left for dead at the end of the season, but with the signing of Edgardo Alfonzo today they become a very interesting team. Alfonzo will cost more than outgoing David Bell but is a better, younger player. Kent apparently will now not be re-signed, but if he does then it would move recent acquiree Ray Durham to center. Durham's defense in the outfield is suspect, but he is a quality player and a good leadoff hitter, two things that the Giants could use. All that they need to do is sign/acquire a decent right fielder and possibly upgrade a spot or two in the rotation and they look pretty strong going into next year.

- The Red Sox swallowed up the Phils' expendable Jeremy "The Other" Giambi for minor-leaguer Josh Hancock. This gives them depth at DH, first base, and left field and they give up for little in salary. The Red Sox have had a string of smart, cheap moves to plug holes with better than average talent. It seems to be their new philosophy. However, Hancock could have made their rotation, possibly. In Philly he will be another young arm looking for a real staff leader. By the way, the Phils lost Chuck Finley--who re-signed with the Cardinals-- last week. That makes three free-agent, left-handed starters that they have pursued and lost. Hancock (though right-handed) may be some form of rotation insurance for them.

- In another persona non grata move, the A's picked up Erubiel Durazo for a player to be named in a 4-team deal. Durazo was no longer wanted in Arizona (and had been traded in a nixed deal earlier this offseason). He will get a lot of playing time at first and DH for the A's. The D-Backs get an interesting pick-up in Elmer Dressens, another unwanted man, from Cincinnati. If Dressens proves a decent tail-end of the rotation starter, this will be a good deal for the D-Backs. The Reds get Felipe Lopez to eventually replace the aging Barry Larkin.

- The Mets were able to rid themselves of Rey Ordonez and at least $2 M of his contract for two players to be named from the Devil REYS. This allows the Mets to move rookie Jose Reyes into the starting shortstop spot for 2003. The Devil Rays had begun a youth movement last year. Acquiring Ordonez and paying him $2 M is still a bad deal in my book, but I guess they could have done worse. They speak of his great defense but forget a) that it has been slipping of late and b) his offense is dreadful. But then again they are the Devil Rays and this is a typical deal for them.