Todd Helton

[train514]

I really wish this deal would have gone down if it was Declarmen not Hansen being dealt. Helton is not washed up, he was playing 15-20 pounds under his healthy playing weight for much of last season after a stomach virus and that is such an odd injury that you can't be concerned that he'll get hurt. He hit .367 the second half of 2005 the last time he was 100%. He has some back problems but I still think he's capable, even at Fenway, of hitting .320 with 20 HR especially hitting 2nd in front of Papi and Manny.

It would have been a steal to get him and half his contract for Lowell, Tavarez, and Declarmen. I just never see Decalrmen being better than a decent 7th inning guy, which I think would have been expendable to get a great hitter, fielder, and gamer with a few more good years left in him.

[APAP]

That's true, but I think Theo realized he couldn't afford to deal anybody with potential from the pen with the current state of things in that area. That seems to be a somewhat weak link right now. But that lineup with Helton would have been nasty.