The Glaus Trade to Toronto

Very good analysis of the Troy Glaus trade to the Toronto Blue Jays by Bryan Smith. However, I think one overlooked reprecussions of the trade is how it effects the market for starters.

Miguel Batista was one of the few non-free agent starters available on the market. Him going to Arizona (assuming that Arizona does not intend to flip him) strengthens the position of the Red Sox front office in their attempts to improve the team by trading David Wells and either Bronson Arroyo or Matt Clement.

Of the free agent starters available - Kevin Millood is by far the most sought after. Rumor has it that the Red Sox are the front-runners for signing Millwood which could mean that BOTH Arroyo and Clement are on the market. Maybe the Red Sox are the front-runners for Millwood (a top three of Schilling, Beckett and Millwood would look good in the playoffs) and maybe the Red Sox are just frightening the other teams like the Rangers into acting quickly so as to not getting shut-out of adding a quality starter.

Two players who may be worth a gamble for teams desperate for pitching but with good pitching coaches are Jeff Weaver and Josh Fogg. Both are workhorses who should give you 200+ innings but both are pretty average as far as ERA. Someone like Leo Mazzone in Baltimore could turn either guy into the poor-man's Kevin Millwood