Apologies for the tardiness on writing about this, but I’ve had other pressing things to do lately.
A couple of days ago, the Anaheim Angels traded Gold-Glove winning shortstop Orlando Cabrera for Chicago White Sox starting pitcher, Jon Garland. As an Angels fan, the only way this deal makes sense is if this was to acquire trade chips to flip a bigger deal down the road. I’m clinging onto that belief, because as it stands it does nothing to fix the problems of the team, namely hitting. The Angels aren’t getting bounced in the first round of the playoffs every year because of terrible pitching, they’re getting bounced because the dudes simply can’t hit in the postseason. Watching the games last season, Cabrera was the second most clutch guy in the lineup last year behind Vlad. He batted .302 and won the Gold-Glove at shortstop. Don’t get me wrong, Garland is an above average pitcher, but the Angels have a gaggle of above average pitchers. Between Lackey, Escobar, Weaver, Saunders, Santana, and Mosely, there just isn’t room in the rotation for any more pitchers. Especially at the expense of a key batter.
If this deal gives us what it takes to land a Miguel Cabrera that’ll be perfect. I can deal with Erick Aybar at short if it means a huge bat like Miguel Cabrera is batting behind Vlad. On the other hand, I sincerely hope Tony Reigans isn’t thinking about Miguel Tejada as the power solution because he is as powerless as the Queen of England these days.
(Also, my mind is trying to put the names of these players in a transitive Frankenstein. Orlando Cabrera Cabrera Miguel Miguel Tejada. Is there a player named Orlando Tejada?)
Angels Trade Cabrera [ESPN.com]
