I don't really see how giving Jimmy Rollins $39M is a good deal for anyone but Jimmy Rollins......

FTFA:

#1 – Cardinals Sign Carlos Beltran for 2/$26M

Losing Albert Pujols hurts, but adding Beltran and shifting Lance Berkman back to first base will cushion the blow and help keep the Cardinals right in the thick of things in the NL Central. The combination of Beltran’s offense and the upgrade on defense by getting Berkman out of the outfield...

there are durability concerns, but the price tag is so low that Beltran could spend weeks on the DL and still easily earn his salary.

"Upgrade on defense" - did Berkman play the outfield on crutches last year? Beltran is getting pretty gimpy.

How likely is it that Beltran can play the outfield as a (even semi) regular for 2 more years? This hardly seems like the #1 transaction.

He forgot "Atlanta Braves don't trade Jair Jurrjens, Martin Prado plus two top-tier pitching prospects for Adam Jones, no matter how much of a stiffy I still have for him."

Sam,
That wasn't even the best Braves transaction.
Braves are paying Derek Lowe to pitch for Cleveland.

"Upgrade on defense" - did Berkman play the outfield on crutches last year?

At times, Berkman was Klesko-bad out there. Beltran's a shadow of his former self, but getting Berkman out of the outfield is a good thing.

Sam, not making a move is not a transaction.

John, that was pretty much their only transaction. Sigh.

I was kind of hoping these were the 10 best trades proposed by Cameron, in a convenient, easy-to-'zop format.

I was kind of hoping these were the 10 best trades proposed by Cameron, in a convenient, easy-to-'zop format.

#1. Jose Lopez, Mark Lowe, and pocket lint for John Danks!

Remember how acquiring Pineda left the Yankees room to upgrade elsewhere? Meet elsewhere.

I'm not following. Can someone explain how acquiring a starting pitcher for a hitter left the Yankees room to upgrade by...signing another starting pitcher?

I'm not following. Can someone explain how acquiring a starting pitcher for a hitter left the Yankees room to upgrade by...signing another starting pitcher?

They were able to pay for Kuroda to be their 3rd starter because they didn't have to pay for Kuroda to be their 2nd starter (since they got Pineda for that role).

They were able to pay for Kuroda to be their 3rd starter because they didn't have to pay for Kuroda to be their 2nd starter (since they got Pineda for that role).

Oh...ok. I guess. I just don't see that as a strong enough link to make the connection.

Oh...ok. I guess. I just don't see that as a strong enough link to make the connection.

I mostly agree. The money saved has nothing to do with Kuroda. If the plan was to pay for one starter, then Pineda (being cheap) is the extra upgrade, not the FA acquisition.

I don't really see how giving Jimmy Rollins $39M is a good deal for anyone but Jimmy Rollins.

He's still a plus shortstop, defensively and offensively. The risk is health, but aside from '10 he's avoided major problems. Given their win-now mode the Phillies didn't really have a choice once Reyes was off the market.

They were able to pay for Kuroda to be their 3rd starter because they didn't have to pay for Kuroda to be their 2nd starter (since they got Pineda for that role).

Yankees HR Department: Hello, Hiroki? Bad news, the position of 2nd Starter is filled. Yes, it was a sudden decision we had to make, it's nothing you did wrong. In fact, you are such a strong candidate that we are pleased to officially offer you the job of 3rd Starter. Of course, it comes with a somewhat lower salary and a shorter contract. This is nothing personal, it's just our organizational chart, that's how it works.

Cameron's claim that the Rollins' signing was a good one seems odd as fangraphs has him as worth 40m for 2009-2011. Claiming that Rollins has "more than enough value" to justify this deal given he's in his mid30s is wrong. That he's 'still good enough that the contract won't suck and the Phillies really needed a SS' is a more sensible valuation of the deal.

It's grafs like the one on Reyes that makes me realize that Cameron's knowledge of baseball is extremely hit and miss.

Reyes is a better player than Prince Fielder and signed for half of the total guaranteed money. Yes he’s had leg problems, but at this price, Reyes could miss a significant chunk of each season and still be worth the money. The guy is a legitimate +5 win player in the prime of his career,...

1) It's only wishful thinking that makes Reyes better than Fielder. Reyes has played 295 games over the last three seasons. Fielder has played 485 games. That's a full season, and another month, and change.

2) When they've both been in the lineup Reyes is about as good as Fielder, not better; nowhere near better. Reyes doesn't stay in the lineup.

3) When you adjust for BABIP, for Reyes' fluke 2011, Reyes isn't nearly as good as Fielder. Did I mention Reyes can't stay in the lineup, either? So, we have the weaker player who's not nearly as durable.

4) Calling Reyes a legitimate +5 win player is nuts. He wasn't a legit 5 win player last year. He was extraordinarily lucky, as in 2 wins lucky. That'll happen, and more power to him, but you have to be dreaming to call luck a skill.

5) Reyes can't miss a significant chunk of time and "still be worth the money". He missed significant chunks of time in 2009 and 2010 and in neither season was he "worth the money" the Marlins will be paying him.

At the end of the deal Reyes will be old, for a SS. The Marlins had to overpay to get one of the better FAs, and that's what they did. There's no shame in that. Team's have to start somewhere, and this beats the tar out of the deal the Nats had to give Werth.

I mostly agree. The money saved has nothing to do with Kuroda. If the plan was to pay for one starter, then Pineda (being cheap) is the extra upgrade, not the FA acquisition.

I think part of the value of acquiring both Kuroda and Pineda is that it completely removes the need for the Yankees to expect anything significant out of their minor league pitching depth, rash of injuries aside of course. This could give the team some needed flexibility for trades during the season, as I believe every member of the AAA staff currently projects to be a credible major league starter in the next year or two, albeit with various ceilings. Even Dellin Bentances, the wildest wild card in the rotation, put up 10K/9 with lots of ground balls last year, a couple of good months to start the season and he could be a nice trade chip for a team looking for young pitching.