Ty Wigginton traded for Dan Wheeler

What role does he fill in Houston?  

I like the addition of Wheeler for the Rays.

man they are out of it, there is like a 1% chance of them getting back into it. I wonder if they are they trying to use Wiggy as a piece to get Milledge,Gomez,Humber,or Pelfrey in a package for Qualls or Lidge.  That could be a good idea for Houston to try to pry Gomez or Milledge off of the Mets since they need a true centerfielder.

Is Wheeler going to close?

I know the conventional wisdom is that Reyes is gone.  But it's not like Tampa is dealing from strength yet -- two decent relievers is still too few in the AL East.  Keep Reyes and Wheeler both and go shopping for live arms in the offseason.

The guy is 37 years old, you have to get something for him.  He could blow out his shoulder again and that would be it.

watching the d rays game tonight, and what a pathetic excuse for a team. did management just unilaterally declare that defense doesn't matter? granted crawford isn't playing, but except for Iwamura, they are uniformly awful. Gomes plays left field like a little leaguer, upton and delmon young are a bit better, but still don't know how to take a straight line to a ball. Harris is a simple joke at SS, I don't know who's playing 2B, but he sucks. And Pena -- who I would expect would be okay -- let a dribbler (well, i exaggerate, but this is a rant....) get by him for a double.

josh paul seems ok behind the plate.

for all the talk about this club needing pitching, why doesn't management put out a team that can field? a complete and utter joke. I feel like i'm watching Vero Beach rather than Tample Bay.

and, by the way, the poor D-Rays pitchers, their stats should all have an asterisk stating that their ERAs would be half as much as they actually are if they had major leaguers behind them.

but i thought it was an an okay trade for both sides.  It's always hard to guess the reliever trade market/interest.  Could the Astros have gotten better?  Perhaps, who knows, though.  Wheeler's been worked really hard for the last couple years as well.

While Wigginton isn't anything special, he does upgrade at 3rd for them in 2008.  They can find someone to split time with Lamb in the OF (or give Lamb the RF job), have Berkman at first, give Burke a look at 2nd (perhaps add a veteran to compete, but veteran 2nd baseman can be found).  Add in Pence/Lee, and the offense looks improved, and you can spend your assets (cash or talent) to focus on upgrading the pitching.  It gives them an outside chance at competing in the NL next year ... and yet, it doesn't really harm any long term plans either if it doesn't work.

Nobody mentioned Mike Lamb yet. Wiggy makes a better corner infielder than 2nd baseman, so maybe Lamb is being shopped around.

He would fill the first base spot fine.  Then the braves can trade Salty for pitching help.

I'd like to have the Braves pick him up for cheap instead of getting rid of 3 prospects for a slightly overrated 1st baseman.