Another huge trade in baseball last night. Did I say huge? I'm sorry, I meant boring. Is it just me, or does every single trade being made this season involve a catcher? This isn't exactly the kind of late-July deals I'm looking for here.The Yankees, however, were looking for a little backup for Jorge Posada. So they sent minor league reliever Jeff Kennard to the Angels for Jose Molina.
"He's a better hitter and he's a better defender, all due respect to Wil [Nieves]," New York general manager Brian Cashman said of Molina, "so I think he upgrades us on both ends."Molina was completely caught off guard by the trade.
"Really it's still a shock," Molina said after going 0-for-2 in the Angels' 5-2 loss at Minnesota on Saturday night. "It's hard sometimes to take it because you have been here for so many years. But the way I have to see it is it's a new opportunity."Molina will replace Wil Nieves who has been optioned back to Columbus. Nieves was hitting only .164 this season, with an OBP of .190. There are dead baseball players who could get on base more often than Nieves right now.
The Angels were able to part with Molina thanks to the return of Mike Napoli, and the emergence of 24-year old Jeff Mathis.
