I remember how naive I was in December 2005 when Toronto acquired Troy Glaus for future All-Star Orlando Hudson. A legitimate power threat! Yeah, right. That was before I realized he struck out once every 1.3 at-bats and moved as though he was wearing bricks for shoes. Well, I got my wish last weekend when we dumped him on the Cardinals for Scott Rolen, a player I’m guessing Cardinals fans are as down on as I am on Glaus.
Overall, I still like the trade a lot. I realize Rolen is coming off a nightmarish season and I’m aware of his ongoing spat with Tony La Russa. Still, he’s a defensive upgrade and should be a solid addition to the middle of the order. I’d grown so fed up with Glaus that you could plug just about anyone into the five hole and I wouldn’t complain.
Having spent his entire career thus far in the National League, I’m not too familiar with Rolen. He was, however, a key pickup on my 1997 ESPN Fantasy Baseball championship team (A team I managed as a 13-year whiz-kid. This was a pre-Yahoo!, pre-head-to-head, rotisserie-style league) and for that I’m forever grateful.
Does this put Toronto in a class with the Yankees and Red Sox? Absolutely not. Nevertheless, we’re just two-and-a-half months from Opening Day — the only day of the season when all 30 teams are tied for first (A day that, as a Blue Jays fan, you learn to cherish).
