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Hat Tip: Oliver Willis:

Rumor Mill: Tigers On Verge of Landing Cabrera and Willis

Prospects galore going to Florida?

The Tigers and Marlins are hammering out the final details on an eight-player trade that would send third baseman Miguel Cabrera and left-handed starter Dontrelle Willis to Detroit for a left-hander Andrew Miller, outfielder Cameron Maybin and four other prospects.

My Oh My. Here is what Baseball Prospectus says about the main two rookies. Who, by the way, are the top two prospects in the entire Detroit system.

Maybin:

On sheer athleticism and tools, Maybin is the total package, with a brutal home park hurting his nonetheless impressive numbers, as evidenced by road line of .333/.416/.517. Excellent hand-eye coordination and big time raw power that should begin to show up more in games as he improves his pitch recognition. Plus-plus runner who almost effortlessly covers the outfield from gap to gap and has a strong arm.

Miller:

Considered by many to be the best talent in the 2006 draft. 92-96 mph fastball has touched 98, while height and angular delivery add downward plane and strong deception. Hard slider features depth and tilt, with late, quick break out of the zone.

Update: ESPN/ Peter Gammons has reported that this is a done deal.

Update II: Mike Rabelo, catcher, is said to be one of the remaining 4 prospects.

Story Link: Nashville Confidential:
Hat Tip: The Big Blue Wrecking Crew:

The Walter O'Malley Tortilla

In honor of the Virgin Mary Grilled Cheese Sandwich and the Jeff Kent on burnt toast highlighted in a recent Dodger commercial I bring to you the Walter O'Malley Tortilla.

Purchased from Ernesto Villafon in 1988 by Los Angeles artist and photographer Tom Meyer, who subsequently donated it to the Baseball Reliquary, the provenance of the tortilla is sketchy. According to Meyer, the tortilla was discovered by Mrs. Regina Flores, a resident of Chavez Ravine, who presented the object to her nephew, young Ernesto, shortly before her death in 1981. Villafon told Meyer that it was the sight of the Dodger patriarch’s jowly visage on the tortilla that convinced Mrs. Flores and family to abandon their Chavez Ravine home peacefully in 1959 prior to the construction of Dodger Stadium. After resettling in Highland Park, Mrs. Flores became a zealous Dodger fan, much to the amazement of her family and friends, who, claims Villafon, had never heard her express any interest in baseball.

All joking aside, what I found really interesting is that some guys umbilical cord rest underneath thirdbase.

(Lou Santillan was) born in a home where third base now resides at Dodger Stadium and, in a Mexican tradition, his umbilical cord was buried there, long before the Brooklyn Dodgers moved west.

ew!!!!

Baseball Reliquary:
Hat Tip: Game Face:

Football Being Reconsidered at Chavez Ravine

The O'Malley ownership came to, what seemed to be, an abrupt end as the Dodgers were sold to Fox ten years ago. As we all discovered, the sale was prompted by the O'Malley's inability to secure a NFL franchise for Chavez Ravine. The Los Angeles City Council continued to push the Coliseum as the favored facility back then. Unfortunately, as the years have dragged on, it has become obvious that USC's home field is not economically viable.

Now, a decade after O'Malley's plan was shot down it appears to be regaining some life. The LA Times has a piece this morning suggesting that the McCourt's are now leading the charge.

McCourt and unnamed partners intend to make another run at the NFL after making major changes to Dodger Stadium and the surrounding areas. The plan, which involves as much as half a billion dollars in investments, calls for upgrading the venue and augmenting it with a nearby mixed-use development that includes retail shops, housing and the like.

McCourt has explored options for developing the Dodger Stadium parking lot since he bought the team, and the 2005 NFL discussions involved a retail and entertainment complex next to the ballpark and an NFL stadium.

Hopefully he succeeds in bringing the NFL back to LA. There is definitely room for stadium near Dodger Stadium. Of course, he'll have to do it without taxpayer money. No way should we be forced to pay for a private business venture like an NFL team or stadium. After all, we've survived a long time without a team and we can surely survive many more years without the NFL.

Story Link: LA Times: