CPA:  Great moment when Tex came into the dugout…from everything you see and hear, it seems like the trades have had a larger impact on the players than it has the fans…with everyone in there, few teams in the league should have a better offensive team 2-8…

They sent Pronto down last night – it looks  like for tonights game, with Dotel and Mahay activated, they will probably send Ascaino back down, along with getting rid of Thorman – I can’t imagine they would get rid of Franco, since they gave him so many AB’s during the last few weeks when they knew this trade was inevitable…I would also expect them to send Corky Miller back down and recall Brayan Pena – I hope the Corky call-up is not permanent (he was batting .210 at Richmond)…

There are plenty of pros and cons…the Braves will control Salty for 6 seasons and 2 months – Tex for 1 full season and 2 months…. Though, for the next season and 2 months Tex will be able to help you more than Salty will…

Last Wednesday night I would of liked to have seen Tex (or Frenchy) in the 4th spot instead of Andruw… I tried to defend Andruw when he went through his slump, but even though he has come out of that now, I think he gives you too many wasted AB’s…

I was not opposed to the Garland for Renteria trade… Renteria has probably been the teams offensive MVP this year, but I think Escobar is ready to play SS everyday… that also would get Johnson back in the lineup everyday… I have not really studied Garland closely, though I was concerned when I heard a comparison to Russ Ortiz…

Escobar may be older - 26,27 - but even if he is, he will still be in his prime for the next 6 seasons that ATL has control of him... at times, they have made Elvis Andruss sound like the next Ozzie Smith, but it seems like he has a great glove but not stick... in this era of baseball, I don't think you can afford a SS who cannot hit...

Last week on ESPN classic, I caught a good documentary on Hank Aaron – Tom Brokaw hosted it in 1973 – titled “The Long Winter of Henry Aaron” – a lot of interviews with Aaron and good film footage from the early 70’s…  

DM: Tex’s wife is from Atlanta, I hear, and budget-wise he’d fill the Andruw void.  Just making the move would signal the team that management wants to win now, which helps team chemistry.  JS thinks Salty is more valuable as a catcher-to-be-traded than as a catcher-turned-first-baseman…hence the Julio pickup and Tex talk.  Hear the Dallas writer on 680, saying Tex was great in the second half, but a slow starter?  Somebody with the Braves really likes switch-hitters.  

Will be interesting to see Andruw get dropped in the order when Tex comes on board.  Guess Cox wouldn’t drop him below Frenchy and/or McCann at the same time…Andruw’s feelings would be hurt enough just to go to the 5 spot.  Like the CPA said…in Boston Andruw would bat way down in the order…same thing for either NY team, the Angels or White Sox.  The big spenders in Houston don’t need a centerfielder…they love that kid the way Braves fans love Francoeur.

I actually found out about the trade while reading Rowland's Office 30 minutes after his 11:29 post.  Didn't have to give up Reyes...seems like everyone's happy.  JS is good about getting the better end of the deal more times than not, so if the trades don't go through, it very well could be because the other team was asking for too much.

DOB had it right about the lineup...to bad Cox won't drop Andruw behind McCann and/or JF.  But maybe he's heating up more as well.  These moves will hopefully lift spirits in the clubhouse, and darken moods at Shea and in Philly.  That starts the Phils got wasn’t anything special, was he?  Of course, Dotel has blown 3 of 14 saves…but he’ll be in a setup role this year.

Hear Kincaid not like the trade Monday?  He thought the Braves needed pitching instead…but there were few pitchers being offered worthy of giving up Salty or Elvis for.  Interesting to have Bill Shanks on there…  Dave O’Brien has been on 680 at 8:30.  Too late for me.

Great SB by Escobar Friday night...then later in the same inning a not bad try by Harris.  Hope Lang's dad saw it...he's one of those who thinks Cox isn't aggressive enough.  I did go to bed while the game was still tied...after Bond's last AB on ESPN. 

You don't think Escobar is older than his stated age, do you?  Kinda like Furcal. Last Wednesday's was the type game Cox would say James only made two bad pitches, though I didn’t pay that close attention.

CPA:  I have decided I am FOR Salty for Texiera:

1)       Since the race is almost even, you are essentially getting Tex for 2 seasons

2)       Everyone (fans) seem gun shy about trading prospects for vets nearing the walk year after the Drew/Wainright trade, but even though Boros is his agent, Tex is not the flake that Drew is.  With more money from Liberty and Andruw’s salary coming off the books after this year, I think they would have a chance to be competitive for him in ’09.  If he likes it here, he might take a few MM less to play here than in NY. 

3)       I just drew up a lineup with him in it, and I am willing to take the chance that you are trading the next Piazza for a 14-month (and 2 postseason) rental.

4)       I don’t want them to leave the cupboards bare for the next era (starting in 2009), but JS, BC and Smoltz have only a few more shots at a WS… I think for everything they have done for the organization, it is worth the risk…even with no Salty, you will still have plenty of good young talent in 2009… 

Willie Harris is turning into an anchor in that lineup… he had the big game Saturday, but I would love to see KJ back in the leadoff spot and Diaz playing everyday…it does not look like Julio has much left in the tank, but I think he will make an excellent coach next year…maybe even Cox’s successor…I stayed up late last night to watch the 9th inning meltdown… after Villareal K’d Bonds in the 10th, I gave up and went to bed…

DM:  I could be wrong, but I think all those Teixeira rumors are way off base…even if Andruw leaves and Liberty expands payroll.  JS knew when he traded LaRoche that Andruw would be leaving, but he also knew what he had in the minor leagues.  Teixeira has Scott Boras for an agent (as does Andruw)…JS has always been patient enough to turn better, less expensive, less obvious deals than most obvious high-priced rumors.  Reports from Texas say Teixeira is backing off his trade demands.  He is a free agent after 2008…so JS wouldn’t trade what Texas would want for offense for one year, when the pitching is in such dire straits.  Boras won’t want to sign without testing the market.

I guess Wickman won’t be back next year…his was a one year contract, right?  Hopefully JS will keep his sanity and not overpay for a mediocre starter…his track record has been pretty good so far on that.  Seems like you can get just as much production from a Buddy Carlyle or Jaret Wright than signing a mediocre 4th or 5th starter for 15 million.  For every flop…we had a few last year, at least you’re saving millions.  Seems like for what you get, it’s not worth it to overpay for pitching.  This may change a little if payroll is increased.

Andruw’s lack of plate discipline is all the more reason to let him walk (he did line out to RF last night…the at bat after he looked at six straight pitches to strike out with runners in scoring position).  Better to have Tori Hunter or Mike Cameron than Andruw or Teixeira.

Seems like this would be potent enough lineup next year…allowing money to buy more pitching...

Escobar            2B

Renteria            SS

Chipper             3B

McCann            C

Francoeur          CF/RF

Salty                 1B

K. Johnson        RF/LF

Diaz/Harris        LF/CF

Last night I watched episode 3 of The Bronx is Burning…I missed episode 2.  They do a good job of recreating actual events…last night was when Martin pulled Reggie from the middle of the game.  At the end of the show they air comments from players, and I haven’t believed any of Reggie’s retorts yet.

At 11 pm I switched to the Braves and watched until Hudson was pulled for Wickman…glad I went to bed at that point.  Leno was supposed to have on Lindsey Lohan, fresh from her DUI the night before.  Since she didn’t make it, Leno had Rob Schneider come out dressed as Lohan.  Schneider’s first comment was ‘I sure am tired…I was out late last night.’  Letterman had on Colts coach Tony Dungy.  I’d been sick Monday and yesterday…feeling so bad on the drive in yesterday I considered turning around, so last night I took it easy…though I stayed up too late.

Fell asleep during the game Monday night a couple of times, though I knew we had the lead.  Saw Smoltz walk Bonds to load the bases, then bounce the wild pitch to the inside, though McCann was set up outside.  Interesting rumor regarding Renteria to the ChiSox, though I didn’t think it as outrageous as Rowland’s Office did.  I’d hate to see Edgar go, though I know he’s not a long term solution…particularly the way he’s been playing.  Even if he is traded, it’ll be interesting to see where he signs his next free agent contract with…the NL, I’d guess. 

Sure, everything changes now after the Clemson loss, but Sports Illustrated's Austin Murphy (no relation) has some interesting things to say this week about his Heisman pick.  All this had to come out just before one of the biggest games of the year.  Another example of the SI jinx. 

Calvin is the finest athlete to play at Tech that I have seen in my 47 years, in any sport.  That includes any of the fine basketball players...Mark Price, Stephon Marbury, Chris Bosh (number two?), or Kenny Anderson, or baseballers Nomar or Mark Teixeira.  I saw Billy Lothridge punt for the Falcons, but didn't see him QB the Jackets as a heisman runnerup.

Austin's kind words...

What about Calvin Johnson? I'd just returned from Atlanta, where I'd spent time with Johnson, Georgia Tech's extraterrestrial wide receiver. Frankly, I can't recall when I've seen a playmaker like this guy, who caught 21 passes for 413 yards and five touchdowns in his last three games.

At 6-foot-4, 235 pounds, Johnson is tight-end sized. But he's run the 40 in 4.38, and has a 45-inch vertical. (Although, as I point out in my story on him this week, his teammates suspect he can go higher: the measuring contraption they have at Tech only goes up to 45. Left tackle Andrew Gardner thinks Calvin's true vertical is closer to 47.) 

Think that will turn some heads at the NFL combine? I talked to one NFL scout whose director had discussed the possibility of Johnson being the No. 1 pick in this spring's draft. Only twice in the history of the draft has a wideout been selected first (Keyshawn Johnson in 1996; Irving Fryar in '84). Traditionally, teams use the primo pick on a quarterback, or a guy who can dramatically improve the defense, right away. A wide receiver is considered a "luxury" pick, said the scout. The thinking among most general managers is that you can win Super Bowls with wideouts taken in lower rounds -- or, at the least, from lower in the first round. He pointed to the cautionary example of the Detroit Lions, who've used first-round picks to select wideouts in every draft from 2003-05, "and they're not winning." 

Two guys who could reasonably be selected before Johnson: Adrian Peterson and Quinn. The day after I spoke to that scout, Peterson, Oklahoma's matchless running back, broke his clavicle against Iowa State. For the third straight season, A.D. has suffered a significant injury. While there's simply no question that so vast a talent will have an immediate impact in the NFL, it's possible that his durability is now enough of a question mark to knock him out of the top spot. Johnson moves up.

Does he move up in Heisman contention?

I say yes, but am contradicted by the Pundit, who comes at me with the first of his ten Heismandments: "The winner of the Heisman must be a quarterback, a running back or a multi-threat athlete."

"The sad fact," he elaborates on his website, "is that the Heisman DOES discriminate. The best player in the country may well be a tight end. But the award is handed out by a select group of voters and they have without fail awarded the trophy to a quarterback, a running back or a multi-threat athlete."

So you're saying Johnson can't win because he doesn't return kicks? I ask HP. He nods sadly, with finality.

My take: as rock crushes scissors, Johnson's outrageous abilities negate this particular Heismandment. See if you don't agree. Go to RamblinWreck.com, click on the picture of No. 21 in the upper right hand corner. Check out the video montage of circus catches by Johnson, whose leaping, diving, one-handed snags fill us with wonderment, and, after awhile, beg the question: In the three years Johnson and Reggie Ball have played together, has Ball ever hit the guy in stride? Does he have any routine catches? 

"Of course he does," Yellow Jackets head coach Chan Gailey told me when I posed the question. "They don't put those catches with the highlights." 

Chan's the head man, so I'm taking his word for it