This hot stove goes to 11

Hot Stove season means nonsensical sport column season.

Examples:

A) The Yankees should trade for Matt Cain
B) The Giants should sign Prince Fielder
C) Now is the time to trade Tim Lincecum
D) The Mets are bringing back Benny Agbayani

Wanna take a guess at which one of those moves makes the most sense? In recent years, and I blame twitter, sports columns have veered so wildly into the fringes of reasonable trades and moves it makes you wonder if the columns are serious or just a ploy to get readers. Sports columns have begun to be filled with Enquirer-esque stories so outlandish you’d think we were writing about a Kardashian. (SEE!! Obligated to make a pop culture reference, even I am afflicted)

I keep coming back to the question of "why". Why do these columns get written. Is sports writing getting less sophisticated, not very far to fall to begin with. Am I just getting way too smart, sincerely unlikely. The idea occurred to me that the stories could just be competing team plants. Taking a cue from political campaigns teams could float a story that, for example, the Giants should consider trading Matt Cain. Citing his impending free agency and their need for a big bat now is the time to trade Cain before he gets too expensive or decides to leave on his own. The problem with a story like that is IT MAKES NO SENSE AT ALL. I feel like Obama defending his birth certificate here.

So why would someone write it? Headlines and sound bites pure and simple. To get readers you have to write something that catches. So lets debunk these tall tale trades and signing.

A) The Yankess should trade for Matt Cain.
I am sure the Yankees would love to. A pitcher who has been reliable his entire career. Throws strikes and has a low walk rate. Don’t look at his win/loss record cause that hides the truth about the quality of pitcher he is, though it will ultimately cost him several million. The problem with the article I read about this trade is who the Yankees said they would trade for him. Nick Swisher. Nick Swisher? Really? An All-Star pitcher for a .230 hitter whose home run power is greatly inflated by playing in a hitters park? The article continues to state that in no way should the Yankees include top prospect Jesus Montero in the deal. Then why in the world would the Giants make that trade?

B) The Giants should sign Prince Fielder.
Would this be great? Yes, of course it would. Does it make any sense at all, No. The Giants already have a first baseman. Two to be exact. And one is already being paid a premium price to decline. Prince is going to get a deal in the 120 million range. At this price the Giants would be unable to resign any of their pitching. You know that pitching that won the World Series. But by all means keep pushing the idea that without a big bat free agent the Giants can’t win.

C) Now is the time to trade Lincecum
Because all signs point to him declining plus he's really not that popular in San Francisco. Wait, what’s the opposite of all that? You don’t trade a pitcher who is the face of a franchise during the prime of his career because he MIGHT breakdown. Especially when there is zero indication of said breakdown happening. Again the “clear money for a big bat” argument doesn’t hold water here. Lincecum is far more valuable to the Giants than Prince Fielder would be, and yes, even more than Albert Pujols. Look at the ransom that pitchers like Cliff Lee and CC Sabathia have gotten from teams that need a sure every 5th day stopper. Big time pitching>Big bat. Just ask the Nationals about Jayson Werth.

So sensationalize all you want sports writers of America. I understand the arm chair quarterback mentality. The hot stove season is that time of year where fans can fantasize about that AJ Burnett for Pablo Sandoval deal. And the poor Mets deserve to dream a little don't they.