Crisp deal dead?
Well, no. Not dead. Not dead in the way that you see it. It is with us always. Not dead in the way you see it, it is with us always.
Anyway, I was a bit perplexed by Mark Shapiro's "They're human beings," remark earlier this week. As if every reporter has to drop ledes on a trade because he or she might hurt the player's feelings. For God's sake.
So let's see where we stand:
-Guillermo Mota failed his physical. This pleases me in a selfish way, since I would have a real hard time spelling "Guillermo" all season. So in the trade's current form, Coco Crisp will not be heading to Boston.
- OK, so the Indians were going to trade Arthur Rhodes and David Riske? Well, I'd shed no tears over the loss of Riske, but the Rhodes deal would bother me, since Arthur really strengthened the pen after a season where it was the weak spot. Can't we trade someone else?
-I love Austin Kearns, and if the Reds are dumb enough to part with him, fine. But there's a problem. Reds' general manager Dan O'Brien was given his walking papers last week. So who does Cleveland negotiate with? And is there a way to pry Kearns without losing Crisp? I'll tell you right now, I'd trade Westbrook for Kearns, and I also think the Reds, desperate for pitching, wouldn't agree to it.
Can you imagine an outfield with Crisp, Sizemore and Kearns? And no Casey Blake?