Hot For Trot!
Topic: Transactions
There's a new right fielder in Spanish Harlem! Trot Nixon (32/58), who had one largely unproductive season for me in 2002, has returned, in exchange for Francisco Rodriguez, Ellis Burks, Edgardo Alfonzo and a fifth-round pick (that Joe used on lefty reliever Erasmo Ramirez). I also got a sixth-round pick in the trade, which I used for Miguel Cabrera.

First of all, if I hadn't left Nixon unprotected in the expansion draft in the first place last season, I never would've had to make this deal. That said, I think it'll be worth the effort it took to acquire him. His Strat OPS against righties is 1.203, which is tied for third overall in the league. He'll be batting in front of Albert Pujols (second in the league in Strat OPS against righties with 1.280) and completes a lineup front seven simply unparalled in the league. I have a 56 (Koskie) followed by a 58 (Mora) in front of Nixon and Pujols, who are then backed up by Stairs (52), Posada (54) and Jenkins (48). Don't even get me started on the lefty lineup; I'll do an analysis of that once I get caught up on my draft picks.

This deal never happens without the versatility of Melvin Mora. Once he got a 2e2 at all three outfield positions, he became a viable candidate to play center field. That left me the opportunity to get a top right fielder and Nixon fit the bill in terms of power and defense (Trot is a 2e5, which makes him the worst defender in my outfield). The inability to hit lefties doesn't matter much; Mora can move back to right and Carlos Beltran can take the field at CF against lefties. All that said, Melvin gets the nod for Preseason Team MVP.

A brief word about the players I lost; Rodriguez is a great young reliever who, if used properly will be terrific. He was stuck behind Mota, Marte and Soriano on the depth chart, though, and those three pitchers will assume the bulk of the workload this season. Burks is an old friend who can still be effective as a lefty DH, but I was able to adequately replace him in the draft. Fonzie is an enigma, but he's perhaps the best 3B backup in the set and there are teams who will be starting worse 3Bs this season.