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Day 2 of Baseball’s Winter Meetings wrapped up today in Indianapolis.  The Hot Stove is really heating up (did I just write that?).  How about, the Hot Stove is hotter than the Perkins manager Tiger was boning in his SUV.  That’s not saying much, that girl was subpar for the world’s first billion dollar athlete.  The lesson here is that Tiger is a creep who will bang anything.

The D-Backs latest mistake.

Lone Meaningful Trade: The blockbuster trade of the meetings was completed today.  The three-way deal (not a Tiger joke) between the Yankees, Tigers and D-Backs is done, pending the dreaded physicals.  Nobody likes to turn their head and cough.  Curtis Granderson is taking his great attitude and complete ineptness against left-handed pitching to the Bronx, the D-Backs are sending (good) prospects to Detroit in return for half-season wonder and full-time enigma Edwin Jackson and Yankee punchline Ian Kennedy, and the cash-strapped Tigers downgraded from a luxury SUV to a fuel efficient compact by the way of prospects and low cost players from the Yanks and D-Backs.  The Yankees and Tigers are getting exactly what they wanted from the deal.  The Yankees are adding an All-Star caliber centerfielder, one of the few weak links in the lineup.  The Tigers turned their two most marketable trade pieces into major-league ready prospects, a couple of them with considerable upside, to help start what should be a hellish rebuilding process.

The team that is a head-scratcher in this trade is the Diamondbacks.  Why deal Scherzer to get Jackson?  Both are top level prospects with excellent stuff but Jackson in particular has never distinguished himself as an ace of a staff.  He seemed to realize his Number 1 destiny in the first half of the season earning an All-Star nod in the process but there was a preciptious fade in the second half as the Tigers tried to hang on to win the Central.  It seems that the D-Backs are not even paying for one career year, they are paying for half of one.  That’s a steep price in giving up on their 2006 and 2008 first round picks in Scherzer and Dan Schlereth.  When you consider that Scherzer had a 4.12 ERA for the worst defensive team in MLB and struck out 174 hitters in 170 innings and the difference between Jackson and Scherzer isn’t readily apparent.  When you consider that Scherzer and Schlereth were under club control for 5 and 6 years respectively, you are giving up on cheap talent.  (Jackson is only under club control for 2 more years and is represented by the dreaded Boras.)  The only explanation that makes sense is if the D-Backs don’t feel Scherzer is a full-time starter and would be a better fit in the bullpen (could be a hell of a closer).  In an age where prospects are gold and cheap talent is key it’s a curious move for Arizona.  It’s not as curious as the Russ Ortiz signing a few years back but curious nonetheless.  (I didn’t forget about Ian Kennedy, he’s not worth analyzing.)

Cubs News: Miltie has not moved and we can only hope this “Day After Tomorrow” like winter storm will delay the flights out of Indy to help Jim Hendry unload his burden.  Dream scenario would be Jim Hendry has a line on the last charter flight out of town.  Sure, Jim would love to fly you home Mr. GM who needs an outfielder.  He may need something from you however……  Until Miltie has been lanced off the Cubs like the wart he is, the Cubs are handcuffed.

The Yankees trade makes Melky Cabrera available for the black hole that is centerfield for the Cubbies.  Other names being thrown around for centerfield include Mike Cameron, Marlon Byrd, and (gulp) Scott Podsednik (ugh).  Cameron would be a nice fit considering that he could help cover for Soriano in left.  Any of these besides the horrific Scotty Pods would be an upgrade over what we had last season.

Halladay Moving?: Not yet.  Every team knows they have Jays by the beak on this one.  It feels as though they have overplayed their hand.  The Red Sox still don’t want to part with Clay Bucholz and the Yanks unloaded some of their pieces today with the Granderson trade.  The Dodgers are in Divorce Court, the Cubs aren’t players here.  Watch for the Angels in this process, especially if Lackey goes away in Free Agency.

Where’s Holli-Bay going?: I love that name.  Any chance they will start dating?  No movement on either of these guys.  They are both represented by Satan spawn super agent Scott Boras.  He never is in a hurry to come to terms.  Boras knows that the market on one directly affects the other so expect him to make this a ridiculous production.  I know he has a role and I know he is good at his job but I hate him anyway.

Wolf-man going to Milwaukee: This isn’t a done deal yet but is looking likely at this point.  This sucks for the Cubs.  Against the Cubs the Wolf-man transforms himself from slightly above average left-hander into a Spahn/Koufax hybrid that is completely unhittable.  Let’s hope he isn’t as effective pitching in the cosmic vulva that is Miller Park as he was in the spacious Dodger Stadium.

Crappy players working the hotel lobby: Jacque Jones is there, Geoff Jenkins wants back in the bigs, and Michael Tucker who has been out of baseball since 2006 is looking to get back in.  They should take Matt Murton’s lead and learn Japanese.