Hot Stove Quick Hits

by Matthew Taylor

Some tongue-in-cheek instant analysis as the Hot Stove, um, heats up. (Certainly that must be the most overused off-season cliche? Any other nominees?)

Aubrey Huff named top DH

An Orioles player topped a Red Sox player at something? Now that's news. I'd be excited if Aubrey Huff beat David Ortiz in a game of checkers much less at DH.

How about selling high? It's too bad Tampa Bay hasn't come knocking for a trade as Huff loves the Tampa nightlife.

If the Rays are going to consider Giambi and Griffey, why not Huff? As long as they're going to make a bad move, it may as well benefit Baltimore in the process.

Ramon Hernandez to the Reds

Apparently it’s not just football where players “hear footsteps.” Matt Wieters is creating thunderous echoes for any and every Baltimore catcher as he marches toward Charm City.

With the multidimensional (read: not overly talented at any one position) Freel in the fold, the O's are going to have back-ups for their back-ups in the outfield. May as well grab Felix Pie while we're at it.

Luke Scott must indeed have strong faith if he thinks he'll have a full-time role in 2009.

C.C. to the Yankees

The Yankees appear to have settled on a new organizational philosophy. Rather than overpay for old, injury-prone pitchers, they’re now overpaying for youngish, injury-prone pitchers.

With this new Yankee free-agent philosophy in mind, could A.J. Burnett be far behind?

How long do you suppose it will be before Sabathia changes the “About" section of his web site (pictured above), so it no longer reads as follows: “Baseball is his passion. Family is his life. The Brewers are his team.”

C.C. should also consider re-working his even-more-dated bio: “When all is said and done, there’s no reason not believe that CC can continue to pile up the wins in front of the amazing fans on the lake. Sabathia is spearheading the Indians’ resurgence in one of America’s great baseball cities. CC knows what’s at stake for the city and for his team and yearns to be a part of a championship with the organization where he started his career. So he puts every bit of his 6’7”, 290 pound frame into every pitch that he throws.”