2007 Offseason Update

• As mentioned in my previous post, the Atlanta Braves traded shortstop Edgar Renteria to the Detroit Tigers for pitcher Jair Jurrjens and minor league pitcher Gorkys Ramirez. Renteria fills a hole at short for the Tigers, as the incumbent Carlos Guillen will be moved to first base in 2008.

• The Mets 2008 lineup got a little clearer, as they picked up their $7.5 million club option on 41-year old left fielder Moises Alou. Alou was an intricate part of the Mets near-playoff run, as he supplied a right-handed power threat, and that 30-game hit streak didn't hurt either. The Mets also re-signed veteran utility man Damion Easley to a 1-year $950,000 contract, in hopes to keep what was a great bench in 2007 equally stable.

• The New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers are each going to have a cup of Joe in 2008. Joe Torre, who recently turned down a contract offer from the Yanks, accepted a 3-year $14 million deal to manage the Dodgers.

• Meanwhile, the Bombers replaced one Joe with another...Joe Girardi. Remember him? He managed the Florida Marlins in 2006...lead a very young Marlins team to an impressive 78-84 record....on the National League Manager of the Year award. Yeah him. Girardi has many ties to the Yankees. He was a Yankee catcher for four seasons, and served as Torre's bench coach in 2005. Girardi, who beat out in-house candidates Don Mattingly and Tony Pena, agreed to a 3-year $7.8 million contract to become the Yankees 32nd manager.

• The St. Louis Cardinals named their replacement for General Manager Walt Jocketty. They named John Mozeliak, who was acting as interim GM, the General Manager of the club. Jocketty was asked to leave the Cardinals' front office last month.