The day before the beginning of the free agent signing period saw two more trades. One between the Yankees and White Sox while the other being between the Marlins and Cubs.

In the American League transaction, the Yankees aquired 1B/OF Nick Swisher and minor league pitcher Kaneoka Texeira from the White Sox in exchange for INF Wilson Betemit, and minor league pitchers Jeff Marquez and Jhonny Nunez. To read more on this move, please follow the link to the ESPN article By Jerry Crasnick. To see what fans are saying about this move, please visit our friends at The White Sox Locker and The White Sox Blog to hear from the Chicago point of view. Then you can also go to Pinstripe Alley who have looked at this move a few times here and here. There’s also River Avenue Blues with their take on the Swisher deal and free agency.

I think this is grand larceny. The Yankees gave up next to nothing to land Swisher, who like I stated above, plays all three OF positions and 1B. The White Sox gave up on Swisher too early and sold him short after a poor season as far as batting average goes. What do you think?

In the National League transaction, the Marlins made yet another move, this one is more understandable than some of the others in the past few weeks. This time they dealt with the Cubs by aquiring 21 year old minor league pitcher Jose Ceda for former closer Kevin Gregg. To read more on this move, please follow the link to the ESPN article which they gleaned from the AP. As the article notes, this seems to indicate that the Cubs will allow their 2008 closer, Kerry Wood sign elsewhere during this off season. To see what fans are saying about this move, please visit our friends at Bleed Cubbie Blue to get their take on seeing Kerry Wood leave via free agency, Carlos Marmol close with Kevin Gregg setting him up. For the other side of the coin, you can go to Fishstripes to get their take on this deal.

I don’t know what the Marlins are going trading away Olsen, Willingham, Jacobs and now Kevin Gregg, but it seems as if they are practically giving players away. I’m just glad I’m not a Marlin’s fan, but at least they won 2 championships already. Some teams haven’t even won their first yet! What are your thoughts?

Now, let the free agent signings begin!

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