Indians are all in,Pirates just a small wager

The Cleveland Indians shoved all their chips into the table in an attempt to win now,the Pittsburgh Pirates made a one dollar spin on the slot machine to take a chance as both teams made trades on the day before the deadline.

First,a look at the Pirates,who dropped another game to the Phillies last night 7-4.
Pittsburgh attempts to avoid the sweep today at 1:35.

Neal Huntington attempts to replace the worst hitting first baseman in baseball in Lyle Overbay with the seemingly near the end of the road Derrek Lee.
Lee was obtained yesterday from the Orioles for Bradenton first baseman Aaron Baker,who was assigned to the Frederick Keys.
Lee's numbers are not anything to get too excited about-.246 with 12 homers and 41 RBIs,but he has hit well over the last three weeks and with some luck,might be getting hot at the right time.
Lee has to be an upgrade over Overbay,but should not be looked at as the answer to the offensive woes.
Baker was leapfrogged by Matt Curry as the top first baseman in the Pittsburgh farm system and does not seem to a loss that I'll worry about for now.
Baker is most noted for being 2010's target by the Hagerstown Heckler,that shows up occasionally and acts like an ass for an evening.
Baker shut the guy down with a long homer on this night.

The Indians made two moves,one major and one lesser.
The major deal was obtaining Colorado ace Ubaldo Jimenez in exchange for the two top pitching prospects in the Cleveland system in 2009 top pick Alex White and 2010 first rounder Drew Pomerantz,along with AA starter Joe Gardner and utility player Matt McBride.
Jimenez struggled early this season,but has been strong since April despite a reported dip in velocity.
Well,considering he was a 97-98 MPH guy,I can live with a drop to 95.
It's the 90-92 pitcher falling to 88 that concerns me more than Jimenez's fall.
Give the Indians credit,they went out and got a top of the rotation starter after losing their past ones.
I hate losing Drew Pomerantz,who looks to be the best of the four.Pomerantz has elite stuff and could have been in the 2012 Indian rotation.
Power armed lefties are not easily available and Pomerantz is the type that the team could have controlled for six seasons.
Alex White is another loss,but between his finger issues and something I just cannot put my finger on (No pun intended),I do not feel as bad about.
Joe Gardner was a super guy,when I met him last season,but his numbers at Akron are pedestrian and his reliance on the sinker makes me think that he is a 5th starter at best.
Matt McBride has always been a favorite of mine,but has always struggled in his AAA attempts and might not hit enough for a corner outfielder or first baseman and is unlikely to ever catch again.
Whether you like this deal or not and I am in the middle,one has to give the Indians credit to getting the major leaguers in a big deal instead of prospects.
As much I love prospects and minors-none of them can be sure things and Jimenez is an established player signed at a reasonable rate for multiple seasons.
I think the Tribe will miss Pomerantz,but I applaud the gamble.

Cleveland also traded Orlando Cabrera to the Giants for AAA outfielder Thomas Neal.
Cabrera had been playing second base for the Tribe,but was going to have his time reduced with the recent callup of Jason Kipnis.
Cabrera will be starting at short in San Francisco with Miguel Tejada currently on the DL.
Neal was hitting above .290 in Fresno,but has seen a dip in power since he played for AA Richmond last season after hitting 22 homers in the hitter friendly California League in 2009.
I am not sure on Neal's future,but whatever the return was for Cabrera,who was leaving at the end of the season was worth the effort...

Browns trade for Broderick Bunkley

The Cleveland Browns traded their fifth-round pick in the 2012 draft to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for defensive tackle Brodrick Bunkley.
Bunkley was the Eagles first-round selection in 2006 and despite missing some time with an arm injury last season is a solid and durable run-stopper.
The former Florida State Seminole is added to the defensive tackle rotation with Ahytba Rubin and first-round pick Phil Taylor in a rotation that looks to me to be a very solid group against the run.
Bunkley is not known as a pass rusher with just six sacks over his career but should prove to be an excellent addition.

I generally am not a huge proponent of moving draft picks, but since the Browns have two fourth-rounders in the 2012 draft, adding a physical run stuffer like Bunkley to the rotation not only gives the team depth at defensive tackle but keeps two quality players in the lineup at the same time at all times.
It is refreshing to see that someone with the Browns has finally realized that after years of ignoring the fact that you play in a northern and run-oriented division, you need to have a physical defense that stops the run-like say the successful teams in the division in Baltimore and Pittsburgh!?
This is the type of deal that does not improve you overnight but helps to change the culture by saying to other teams-you are not going to run over us anymore.

Good move by the Browns in addressing a need, the next stop has to be a corner.
I would love Nate Clements, but someone has to be brought in to be the third corner at worst and preferably the second, and move Sheldon Brown to the third spot.
The Eagles had to move someone after their free agent moves of yesterday and kudos to the Browns for taking advantage of the Eagles issues to add a nice player at a more than reasonable price. 

Pirates bombed,Seahawks add building blocks

Charlie Morton was ripped for eight runs in the first two innings and the Phillies cruised to a 10-3 win that frankly,I quit paying much attention to after the third inning.
Morton dropped to 8-6 with the loss and other than Chris LeRoux being placed on the disabled list and Pedro Ciraco returning from Indianapolis,I do not have much else on this one.
I have to go into work early,so it is unlikely that I will have coverage on tonight's game in Philly....

The Seattle Seahawks said goodbye to the long time face of the franchise,but signed a passer to compete to replace him,added a top notch receiver and the best run blocker that Seattle has had since the loss of Steve Hutchinson a few years ago.

Matt Hasselbeck was supposedly the top priority for the Seahawks at quarterback,but something either went awry or the efforts were not all that strong as Hasselbeck signed a three year deal to start in Tennessee.
As much as I respect the years of service,Hasselbeck is past his prime and Seattle needs to see if Charlie Whitehurst is worth the cost of dropping down in the second round and adding a third to bring Whitehurst from San Diego,only to sit behind Hasselbeck last season.
Whitehurst will be challenged by former Viking Tavaris Jackson,who was signed to a deal.
Jackson does not do much for me and even though I am not a Whitehurst believer,I lean more towards giving him the shot first.
Neither are the long term answer in my opinion,although either would make fine backups..

The other two signings are excellent ones with Robert Gallery added from the Raiders to start at guard and Sidney Rice signed from the Vikings to add the deep threat that the team lacked at wide receiver.
Gallery is stronger as a run blocker than a pass protector,but with Gallery and Russel Okung on the left side,Seattle is stronger on the line than they have been since the Super Bowl season.
Gallery also will be key in helping the O-line adjust to the new line coach-Tom Cable of the Raiders.
Sidney Rice is young (24),somewhat proven and has the type of ability that makes average quarterbacks good.Size and speed make Rice the type of addition that is different than past Seattle receivers signed through free agency like Nate Burleson and T.J. Houshmanzedeh.
Seattle lost linebacker Will Herring to the Saints and replaced him with former starter Leroy Hill,who re-signed with the team.
Herring is a small loss,but nothing to lose sleep over...

I like the Seahawks moves,especially adding Robert Gallery as the team has to be committing to the run more with the questions under center.
Look for more Seahawk coverage this season with my work schedule changing to open up Sundays....

Browns dip into the free agency pool

The Cleveland Browns and Seattle Seahawks chose two different ways to get into the water that is the free agency pool.

The Browns slowly tested the waters and made some lower name signings, while the Seahawks leaped in with a splash.
We will look at the early moves by the Seahawks either today or tomorrow.

Cleveland signed just two players early and re-signed another that should be a starter.
The Browns traded for Minnesota defensive end Jayme Mitchell last season and never dressed him for a game. Mitchell was a bad fit for the 3-4 defense preferred by Eric Mangini but was a solid 4-3 end for the Vikings.
Mitchell must have liked something after getting paid last season to practice as the Browns re-signed Mitchell to a two-year contract.
Mitchell becomes an immediate starter for the Browns at the left defensive end.

The Browns added a new starter at safety in former Saints Usama Young. Young played his college ball at Kent State and spent the last four seasons as a reserve and special teams player for New Orleans.
Young will step into the spot vacated by free agent Abram Elam, who was not going to be re-signed.

Cleveland also added a needed player in Green Bay running back Brandon Jackson.
Jackson is not a full time back, but he is a reasonably decent blocker and excellent pass catcher from the backfield and fits the third-down pass-catching back role perfectly.
Jackson had been a disappointment in his attempts to become the full time back in Green Bay and had been unable to hold off various backs throughout his Packer tenure, but used in the proper positions could be a nice addition.

The Browns lost corner, Eric Wright, to the Lions and the unexpected loss puts the Browns into a position of needing to add a cornerback over the next few days.
Wright had an awful 2010, but still has plenty of talent and I wish the Browns would have found a way to keep him.
However, the Browns are now down to two corners with experience in Joe Haden and Sheldon Brown and a veteran is a must.
One player that is surprisingly on the market is former Ohio State star Nate Clements, who was dropped by the 49ers. Clements was released for contract reasons more than performance issues, so signing Clements to go with Haden and transitioning Brown to the third corner would be an upgrade even over the expected trio of Haden, Brown, and Wright...

As of this writing, the Browns have signed all of their draft picks except first-rounder Phil Taylor, which is expected to be sometime tonight or tomorrow.

The Browns do have some money to spend as they are under the salary "floor" and will have to spend some although the team has said they will not be a huge player in the market.
The Browns should have a few positions targeted besides the gaping need at the corner.
Despite re-signing Jayme Mitchell, another defensive end is needed, a right tackle to ensure against another injury to Tony Pashos might be a nice thought as would be a linebacker against D'Qwell Jackson's latest return from injury and I still would like to see another wide receiver brought into the fold.
I'll be here with more when players are added and I'll try to do a Seattle version of this soon...

Pirates win despite another delay

So for the fourth and final time of the series between the Pirates and Braves,I did not get to see the entire game due to a just under an hour rain delay.
What I missed was most of the scoring in a 5-2 Pirate win that salvaged a split of the wild four game set.
Kevin Correia allowed two runs over six and a third innings to improve to 12-8 and Joel Hanrahan clicked up save number thirty on the season.
Andrew McCutchen hit his 15th homer as part of a three RBI day.
The Pirates are in Philadelphia tonight for the first of three games against the Phillies....

Pirate Hooks

1) Andrew McCutchen had been in a mild slump,but an adjustment resulted in a three hit,three RBI night.
One thing about this game from whatever level it is that the game is played-it takes very little to screw up your mechanics in any part of the game and the slightest change can change  or fix things....

2) Kevin Correia had been awful in his first two post All Star starts,but looked a bit fresher Thursday as only one of the two runs,he allowed was earned..
One difference from his last outing is this-1 walk in six plus compared to three in four plus in his previous start.
This sounds elementary,but Correia is not the type of pitcher that can afford being behind in the count,not that many can,but especially pitchers with ordinary stuff....

3) Finally a win against Derek Lowe,who had taken the ball ten times against the Pirates and walked away with ten wins! Nice to break that string!

4) One thing that shows the desperation of the Pirates to get some offense going-Garrett Jones hitting second?
Not great speed,doesn't move many runners over and is not a terrific contact guy-that Jones is in that spot shows the lack of options at this point for Clint Hurdle...

(Photo by Mike Zarrilli/Getty Images)

Tribe lands Fukudome

The Cleveland Indians obtained outfielder Kosuke Fukudome today from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for minor leaguers Carlton Smith and Abner Abreu.

The Indians needed an outfielder in the worst way with recent injuries to Grady Sizemore and Shin-Soo Choo and Fukudome should step right in and fill some of that gap created by those injuries.
Fukudome brings an above average on base percentage,some decent speed that does not show up in his stolen base numbers and has an excellent arm from right field.
Fukudome will never live up to the "poor man's Ichiro" comparisons that accompanied him from japan and he is overpaid for his production,but is not a terrible player at all-just not as valuable as his salary would suggest.

Headed to the Cubs are AAA pitcher Carlton Smith and High A outfielder Abner Abreu..
Smith is not a huge loss and looks to be just another organizational arm,but Abreu has some upside and after injuries slowed him in 2009 (after a great start at low A Lake County) and 2010 at Kinston has rebounded well this season.
Abreu has plus power and an excellent arm to go with underrated speed,but plate discipline has been the main issue.
I rated Abreu as the fourteenth rated prospect in the system entering the season and I do hate to see the Indians give up on him,but the immediate need for a contending team in a winnable division took precedence.
For Tribe farm expert Tony Lastoria's take on the deal,click here.

Devils swap Rolston for Hunter

The planned "Hawk Talk" goes on the back burner with two trades today with one involving the Indians (Post later) and the Devils swapping the high salary of Brian Rolston to the New York Islanders for Trent Hunter.

Brian Rolston had picked up his play last season after passing through waivers,but was still owed over five million dollars for the upcoming season,while Hunter has two years remaining on his contract,but at a much smaller hit of two million a season.
The obvious way to look at this is to say that the money saved from this trade will help sign Zach Parise and it very well might,but let's look at this from a strictly hockey angle for now.

Assuming that Trent Hunter is 100 % healthy after a torn MCL that limited him to 17 games last season and assuming that the team did not acquire him to simply buy him out and create extra cap space,I can see how the Devils could actually profit on the ice as well as off it with the trade.

The Devils moved a player from their strongest position (left wing) and added a player to their weakest (right wing).
Hunter looks to a player that you can count on to score 10 to 20 goals a season and is a reasonably decent two way player.
In other words,a healthy Trent Hunter could be a nice fit on the third or fourth lines.
Hunter is 31 and coming off an injury,so this is far from a sure bet,but considering the cost and age of Brian Rolston,this type of return was about as good as the Devils were going to get.
This could mean the end of David Clarkson with the Devils as Hunter,Clarkson and recent additions Eric Boulton and Cam Janssen,look to be four guys for two spots.
Clarkson has always been a favorite of mine,but he looks to be the most marketable player of the four and possibly the odd man out.
Here is hoping for Clarkson(IF he HAS to go) to be shipped to Winnipeg and the Jets...

Brian Rolston did not bring the game that he was so heavily paid for to town and with the exception of his second half of last season was wildly overpaid,but he did so with class and did not become a locker room cancer,even after bring waived-which many players would have done.
Rolston still can help a young team like the Islanders,so it makes sense for them as well.

I hope to be back later with some thoughts on the Indians trade for Kosuke Fukudome with some luck from the clock....