Teixeira deal strengthens an already strong team

July 30, 2008|On baseball, Nick Cafardo, Globe Staff

They had arguably the best manager in the game (Mike Scioscia), one of the best pitching staffs and closers (Frankie Rodriguez), but other than Vladimir Guerrero and the steady Garret Anderson, it appeared they lacked a little oomph in their lineup. Well, no more.

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim continue to show the Red Sox they are no longer the pushover they were in the playoffs last year when Boston swept them in the Divisional Series. Torii Hunter, their exciting center fielder, kept using the word "scary" to describe their lineup yesterday after the Angels took one of the premier hitters off the trade market in acquiring former Red Sox draft pick Mark Teixeira from the Atlanta Braves for first baseman Casey Kotchman and minor leaguer Stephen Marek, a righthanded reliever who throws hard.

The Angels and their young general manager, Tony Reagins, are going for it.

The Angels, who now have no fear of the Red Sox, swept them in Anaheim last week and look as if they might sweep them again. John Lackey, the man who couldn't beat the Sox, is suddenly looking like a No. 1 starter and seemed buoyed by the trade as he no-hit them for 8 1/3 innings en route to a 6-2 win last night.

With the premier switch-hitting power hitter in baseball on board, the Angels might now be prohibitive favorites to win the American League pennant.

Though these deals don't ensure anything, should - or will - the Red Sox counter?

GM Theo Epstein isn't going to do anything against his philosophy of sticking to a long-range plan. He has a stable of top-tier prospects he'll only deal in the right trade. He can take this stand because he's won two championships in the last four years while the Angels haven't won since 2002.

Epstein could make a deal similar to the six-player swap the Yankees consummated last week when they obtained Xavier Nady and Damaso Marte from Pittsburgh for four players who don't fit into their plans. Epstein did that a year ago when he sent David Murphy, Kason Gabbard, and Engel Beltre to the Rangers for Eric Gagné. Murphy, a Rookie of the Year candidate, never would have played for Boston. Neither would Gabbard, except as a spot starter or fill-in. Beltre might be the one who got away, but we'll see how he develops.