Whilst I’m delighted with the acquisition, (we’re stronger immediately, hallelujah) you’d have to look at the current roster / depth chart and think there’s either some serious juggling to be done by Mr Scoscia or there are more moves afoot. 

Two serious options for next year, Figgins as rotating super-sub and Napoli as part-time DH, appear to have been taken off the table by this move, which really puts the squeeze on Wood and Mathis.

Here’s my take on the situation:

OF Current starters:

4-way OF/DH rotation: Abreu, Vlad, Hula-Dula, Johnny Rivers

Candidates for assignment / trade:  Willits, GMJ

I’d be hugely surprised if this 4-way OF rotation doesn’t happen.  There are still a lot of cheap FAs out there, so the trade value for these two is in the shitter (especially so for GMJ, who we can’t trade even if we want to), unless someone wants Willits just because he’s cheap and they need a lead-off.  Either way, someone has to go.

IF Current starters:

3B/SS/2B/1B: Figgins, Aybar, Kendrick, Morales

The rest: Wood, Mice Tits, Quinlan, S-Rod, Brown

The right side looks nailed on – Howie and Kendry.  Q will stay, because he’s versatile and seems to give Mike a boner.  As for the rest, you’d have to say that the only one who’s untouchable is Wood (and perhaps Kendrick), but he doesn’t appear to have an opening at present, because Figgins won’t be playing super-sub, since Abreu is nominally taking up the DH.  I would suggest Figgins, Aybar, Izturis, S-Rod and perhaps Kendrick are all possible candidates for trade, with Figgins most likely.  But if so, who leads off…?

C Current starters:

Napoli, Mathis

The rest: Wilson, Budde

Since he’s got forearms like Popeye and is no longer going to be DHing 50 odd games (which is what I was hoping for), Napoli is the chosen one and Mathis is relegated to 1 start each time around the rotation.  Which begs the question, can we find him another team with a CF for him to play catch with once a week while the runner advances to 3rd? Budde or Wilson can back up.

Rotation:

Lackey, Santana, Saunders, Weaver, A.N.Other (Adenhart, Moseley, Ortega, Loux?)

Here’s the gap that needs filling.  Adenhart needs another year, Ortega and Moseley both fill me with a certain amount of suspicion.

Pen:

Fuentes, Shields, Oliver, ‘Dondo, Speier, Jepsen,

The rest: Loux, Moseley, Bulger, Thompson

Speier needs to have a good spring.  Loux and Moseley are either going to be long man or starter, I would have thought.  Bulger, Thompson look like possible trade bait.

So, what would you do if it was you running around in the dead of night, dressed in black, laying waste to Del Taco outlets with your katana and throwing stars? 

Who do you start?

Who do you trade?

What do you want in return?