This from Ken Rosenthal:

The Dodgers are informing clubs of their willingness to trade RHP Edwin Jackson or LHP Greg Miller for the right hitter, but their options are limited. The team pursued Astros RF Richard Hidalgo before Paul DePodesta replaced Dan Evans as GM, trying to offset Hidalgo's $14 million salary by offering RHP Paul Shuey and C Todd Hundley, who will be paid a combined $10.9 million. The Astros would consider trading a pitcher for a lefthanded bat, but no longer are interested in moving Hidalgo, in part because Jason Lane has not proved he can hit major-league pitching. . . .

Apparently this is old news... maybe pre-Pettitte. I like that he says we're no longer interested in trading Hidalgo. But most of all, I understand better why Los Angeles has had such problems with ownership: Stupid trade offers like this.

A couple things I didn't like: Lane not being ready. There was a lot of argument about this on Astrosdaily. Basically the consensus reached was that Lane's 96 ABs mean nothing, and agree with that. Too bad we haven't really given him a chance. I think he'd be decent, but nowhere near Hidalgo.

And I don't think we're looking for a lefty bat anymore. In fact, I think the only situation to monitor is the bullpen. And maybe the order of the 2-3-4-5-6 hitters. Seems Jimy and everyone else in baseball is assuming we'll stay with last year's lineup of Biggio-Ensberg-Bagwell-Kent-Berkman-Hidalgo.

First of all, Hidalgo was our best hitter last year with a .957 OPS. He did this while hitting in the six spot, right before the black hole that is Brad Ausmus. Think what he coulda done if we moved him up to #3. Hm. Contract year. Hm. Also, Berkman was outstanding at getting on base, with a .412 OBP. He was in the five spot. HM.

Last year's OBP and SLG:

Ensberg: .377, .530
Bagwell: .373, .524
Kent: .351, .509
Berkman: .412, .515
Hidalgo: .385, .572

Seems to me the best order would be Biggio-Berkman-Hidalgo-Bagwell-Kent-Ensberg-Everett-Ausmus.

I'm not sold on Biggio leading off, but we'll leave that alone. And why bat Ausmus ahead of Everett? Why? Everett hit .256/.320/.380. Ausmus hit .229/.303/.292. How Ausmus drove in 47 runs is beyond me. He probably hit a 30 or 40 weak RBI groundouts to second base with Bagwell, Berkman and Hidalgo all on base.

Now then, back to sleeping on the couch while it snows all night. Oh, the parents locked me out of my own apartment tonight. I get home from work and this is what I have to put up with? Sheesh.