Doesn't totally suck

I'm still biting my nails, but today's moves from Bavasi (DFA Everett, call up the victim of the Gorokan Horror, and swap Choo and the most traded man in MLB history, a Player To Be Named Later for Ben Broussard and MONEY), ahhh, aren't yet the end of the world.

Broussard's youth and service time mean that the M's could potentially keep him for the next couple of seasons, so paying Choo for him is OK by me. (He settled for his current $2.487M deal to split the difference last year rather than going to arbitration for the first time.)

His left-handedness plays well in the Safe, and it seems reasonable to expect him to become the third-most productive hitter (by rate stats) in the August and September lineups (behind Ichiro! and Ibanez). Let's say, ahh, .315/.350/.500.

Of course, we still have holes in the offense, and while I think that the core of the lineup can continue to hit, I'm pretty skeptical about Beltre and Sexson maintaining even their current weak levels of production. Likewise, All-Star Jose Lopez may regress just a touch. In all, I'd say we've added as much as 1/3 of a Run per game in the upgrade in lineup from Everett to Broussard.

If the pitching and defense produce at exactly their same rates down the stretch, then we're...not quite up to a winning record after game 162 (80-82, or thereabouts). That's not counting the 1-3 additional games that Mike Hargrove will piss away with stupid moves.

Of course, Felix could get better...has to pitch better. Pineiro couldn't pitch any worse; same with Washburn. The pen in is pretty good shape...which leaves Gil Meche as the wildcard here. I'm not a Meche believer, but he's had an excellent 2/3 season, so here's hoping.

I don't think this trade wins us anything, but it doesn't cost anything that the M's were planning to use anyway. Thus, it doesn't totally suck.