Mark Teixeira was expected to get traded on baseball’s trade deadline and he was traded. His destination is the Los Angeles Angels. The Angels, who have the best record in baseball, were able to add the best bat available at the trade deadline.
In return, the Atlanta Braves obtained Casey Kotchman and minor leaguer Stephen Marek from the Angeles. Kotchman is a good, young first baseman who should be able to help the Braves in years to come. Marek is a pitching prospect who is rated highly by a number of scouts.
However, the biggest name in this …read more

Rich Lederer at Baseball Analysts is running a three-part series on the best young players in baseball today. The first installment discusses 24- and 25-year-olds, while the second covers 22- and 23-year-olds. No huge surprises here, but I have to give a special shout-out to fellow b5 blogger Hunter Pence for showing up at #12 among 25-year-olds, right between Jered Weaver and Casey Kotchman.