carlos lee and nelson cruz to rangers for francisco cordero, kevin mench (shrek), laynce nix and lhp julian cordero. good trade for brewers if they had to trade him. frod should shore up the pen plus mench and nix are pretty good bats for miller park. Lee should help out teix and michael young so maybe its a win/win if they can re-sign him.
Nix was not a good bat for the launchpad in Arlington - how do you figure he will be any different at Miller Park? Mench has likely upside, and Cordero is apparently on the decline after his last two years of wicked stuff. Rangers are renting Lee, but he comes in with 10 or so HRs more then the next highest amount on the team. If the Rangers can get an arm like Lidle they might have a shot in the West. I like the balls on the Rangers' GM Daniels however....much more proactive then Hart was.
nix is not a starter but i think he could be used as a pinch hitter although he has sucked this year. I was speaking as a throw-in since i think cordero and mench were enough to make the trade. cordero on the way down? he's certainly struggled but has a nice upside and could close again with the new scenery. certainly good enough to setup. like i said i think its a good trade for both really. they were forced to trade lee yet got something nice in return. although nelson cruz may be good enough to start for Lee next year if you cannot sign him. you know damn well you're gonna miss shrek. you have a mancrush on him.
i wonder what the Nats will prefer for Soriano. Prospects a couple years away, or ready-made veterans like the Brewers got. I'd assume prospects, b/c unlike the Brew-Crew, the Nats don't think they're going to the postseason this season