I’m ready for the weekend, but it’s month-end Friday at work, so I’m probably not done yet. Anyway, some notes:
- The Simpsons Movie is out today, and you better believe I’ll be seeing it tonight. Metacritic, a review aggregator I like to check on occasion, rates it an 81, which is very good. I’m expecting nothing less after 18 years of great episodes. I hope it doesn’t signal the end of the TV show, as many people once thought it might.
- The Braves are seemingly on the verge of dealing for Rangers’ 1B Mark Teixiera. I will note that Teixeira has a career .851 OPS away from the Ballpark in Arlington/Ameriquest Field/Rangers Ballpark or whatever it’s called now. That doesn’t get me excited, not when one of the players involved (Jarrod Saltalamacchia) is millions cheaper and could be as good as Tex as soon as next year. Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports thinks the Braves have offered Salty, Elvis Andrus, and Matt Harrison, which would be a horrific tragedy. Then again, I said the same things about the Millwood and Renteria deals. Not every Schuerholz deal has worked out well in the end, and this is another seemingly short-sighted deal involving top prospects. It looks very bad on the surface, but as with most of these deals, it will probably take years to figure out who wins in the end. Having said that, the deal isn’t done yet.
- I’ve started an NCAA Football 08 tournament with a couple of friends. Four of us drafted 8 teams each, and we’re starting a 32-team tournament that will probably take a few weeks to finish. My teams are West Virginia, Texas, Texas A&M, Cal, Oregon, Hawaii, Florida State, and Missouri. Anyone who has played me is certainly not surprised about the first pick…I love my scrambling QBs. I’m also prepping for a keeper fantasy league with these guys, so we’re in for a packed fall of football.
jfwiii.net 
I saw one variation of the trade that involved the Braves getting Eric Gagne. If that were true, I would be much closer to being on board with it.
If we’re just getting Teixiera for a year and a half rental, I’m not excited at all. We could use another starter or a good reliever much more than a first baseman. Pitching is the Braves’ main problem, and Teixiera isn’t going to help that.
I’ve heard the same about Gagne, and lefty C.J. Wilson as well. The Rangers want to give us Ron Mahay, but I’m not sure the Braves will accept that. I hope not, at least.
I’ve read that Liberty Media may increase the Braves’ payroll $10-20 million by 2009, which might allow them room to resign both Andruw and Teixeira, since Hampton will be off the books after next year.
That’ll be a pretty solid lineup, but like you said, the Braves need pitching. I think Salty could get them a pitcher, which makes me uncomfortable with this trade. The price is just too high.