As usual, the Hot Stove is heating up in baseball right around the time of the Owner's Meetings in Dallas, TX.  In years past, this was the time of mega-signings and collective hand-wringing by the small market clubs.  But if you look at some of the trades and moves made so far this season, it seems that a few things are different at least on the surface. 

First, it is rather obvious that this year's fire sale has already occurred in Miami, as the Florida Marlins have gotten rid of all but two of their big names.  What an unfortunate event to see happen in Florida.  They were building some momentum with young arms and young talent.  While it was not enough to continue their 2003 winning ways, you would have thought that at least they would have a competitive team on the field.  Alas, it was not to be, and the Marlins have purged salaries totalling (already) $45 million.  What's unfortunate about that, however, is that the $45 million dollar purge is still more than some small-market teams are willing to spend...

A traditional do-nothing-until-its-time-to-pick-through-the-leftovers team is my hometown Pittsburgh Pirates.  Now, the seemingly sealed move to bring Sean Casey home (he's a Pittsburgher...leading the local Upper St. Clair baseball team to the state AAAA title a few years ago) provides a needed shot in the arm for the club, but what real difference will it make?  Pittsburgh's strength is centered around a few budding fielding/hitting stars in Jason Bay and Jack Wilson, and a lineup of lefties that should they pan out will make life exceedingly difficult on the rest of the National League.  Should Oliver Perez, Paul Mahohm and Zach Duke pitch well in the next years, then the rest of the NL is going to be in some trouble.  This is the kind of young rotation that the Oakland A's sported from 2000-2003, and that the Atlanta Braves used to start their 14-year run of division titles.  Considering that the Braves got their start by ripping out the hearts of local fans here in Pittsburgh, it's no surprise that the rotation of John Smoltz, Greg Maddox and Tom Glavine are names we still hate to hear. 

One surprise is the relative calm coming from the Bronx as compared to the relative chaos coming from Queens.  The Mets are movers and shakers, buying and selling, dangling players and looking to pick up more talent.  The Bronx Bombers haven't done much, but maybe that's because the team lost between $50 and $85 million dollars in 2005, and could potentially lose more if MLB decides their contract with the YES television network was undervalued.  It seems that even Mr. George Steinbrenner has some limits.  Perhaps.  As with everything regarding the Yankees, nothing is over until George says it is, and he hasn't said much lately.  What's really hurting the Yankees is that they've bled out their farm system.  It makes it hard to trade for young talent when your system is devoid of it in the first place.  Perhaps, for old times' sake, the Yanks will bring Roger Clemens back to town for another farewell year.

Did the White Sox get...better?  Importing Jim Thome from Philly, and resigning Paul Konerko suggests that the Sox are going to keep their lineup mostly intact.  And notice...not one pitcher has moved.  Jon Garland is eligible for arbitration, and Orlando Herdandez is in no-man's-land, so it seems, but Chicago powered their stretch run with fantastic pitching as much as anything else.  Their starting five should remain mostly intact, and that will make unseating the Sox as the World Series Champs a tall order. 

 Have the Blue Jays' moves impressed you?  In a way, they have improved their pitching, adding B.J. Ryan as the closer and A. J. Burnett to their starting lineup to go with the likes of Roy Halliday and the rest of a tough starting five.  The trouble with the AL East is that the 800-pound gorillas are still in the way, and despite no movement, the Yankees are going to win more than they lose, and the same can be said for the Red Sox.  Unless somehow those two teams completely fall apart, it will be a long shot for the Jays to win the division.

St. Louis has lost twice so far in going after big name players.  They lost A. J. Burnett to Toronto, and Brian Giles decided to re-up in San Diego.  They have more possible losses than gains thus far, and they were swept aside rather easily by the Houston Astros last year.  In an improving NL Central, not making any improvements allows the others to catch up.

 Okay, so it's probably far too early to really begin digging into baseball, considering that football is entering its last quarter of the season, and there are huge stories to discuss there.  But, baseball is a sport that captures this country's attention, because off-season moves might be the one thing that brings your team into glory...or prevents it from occurring yet again.