Angels land Teixeira

According to Jayson Stark, the Angels have acquired Mark Tiexeira for Casey Kotchman, and a second "lesser name". This move may come as a bit of a surprise to many, as Arizona and Boston appeared to be the front runners.

Finally a trade that helps both sides. I honestly believe that as of row now, this is as even as it gets. Of course, a lot can change in the next 2 months.

The Braves definitely made the right decision to trade Tex, considering that he is destined to hit free agency this winter. Teixera will probably command a $20MM+ contract, and it was clear that the Braves were not going to resign him. Once the Braves were finally smart enough to realize that they cannot contend this year, trading Tex was a no-brainer. So, all things considered, anything the Braves get in return is good. Casey Kotchman is an excellent hitter, with loads of potential. At only 25 years old, he could easily develop into a player that resembles Teixeira. It hurts me to say it, but this was an excellent move by the Braves.

On the other side, the Angels solidify their position as the best team in baseball. As much as I like Kotchman, Teixeira is an instant upgrade. The key to the Angels is clearly pitching, but this lineup is downright scary right now. Vlad, Tex, Torii Hunter, and Garret Anderson...wow. The only downside to trading for Tex is that he could just as easily flee to NY in the offseason. The Angels certainly have the resources to sign him, but are they willing to overpay like the Mets will?

Only time will tell who wins in this trade, but I really feel like the Braves got the better end of the deal. Not that its a bad trade for LA, but I feel like Tex is a little overrated, and theres a chance that he is simply a 2 month rental.

UPDATE: MLB.com is reporting that the second player in the deal is AA pitching prospect Stephen Marek. The 24 year old reliever is 2-6 with a 3.66 ERA this year. He also sports a 57/21 K/BB ratio.