The MLB trade deadline is fast approaching and outside of the Brewers acquiring Sabathia in what seems like months ago there hasn’t been many big trades to speak of overall. This has been the trend in recent years and unless something happens in the next day or so it will continue. That being said, I think the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim pulled off a stellar deal yesterday with the injury riddled Atlanta Braves. The Angels picked up Mark Teixeira for hot young prospect Casey Kotchman and minor league pitcher Stephen Marek.

Many people are criticizing this deal because Teixeira’s contract will expire at the end of the season and the Angles won’t be able to resign him in the offseason yet they gave up a huge prospect. I say, who cares if you win a World Series! The Angels are arguably the best team in baseball, but definitely have some power issues with their lineup until now. Teixeira was the best bat available and the Angels went out and got the deal done. The Angels are now head and shoulders above the rest of MLB.

Chipper Jones is currently batting an astounding .420 through two months of the season and the whispers have already started about whether he can match Ted Williams feat of 1941. He has very close to 200 at-bats so far this year and he seems to be getting hotter by the day. That being said, does Chipper have a chance to actually hit .400 for the season? Nope, notta, won’t happen, so forget about it. Agree?

The Atlanta Braves have required a much needed first baseman in Mark Teixeira today from the Texas Rangers. Teixeira is batting .297 this season with 13 home runs and 49 RBIs and will be a major upgrade from Julio Franco who was playing first for Hotlanta. Texas traded Teixeira and middle relievevr Ron Mahay for Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Elvis Andrus and two minor league pitchers. Saltalamacchia and Andrus were considered by many to be the Braves top two prospects. The Teixeira acquisition will be helpful this year, but did the Braves actually give up too much?

Note to self and all people attending a Major League Baseball game. Do not bring a flashlight into a game and try to shine it into the pitchers eye. I know it sounds trivial, childish and down right silly, but don’t do it unless you want to spend some time in the clink. It also will ensure that you don’t attend another game in that specific stadium for a LONG time. What am I talking about? A Mets fan has been banned from Shea Stadium for three years and has to spend 15 days in jail for these exact antics in a game April 20th.

***Mets fan banned from Shea Stadium full article***

Mike Hampton will have tendon repair surgery tomorrow and will be held out of pitching activities for at least six months. This will leave the Atlanta Braves without a starting pitcher for an extended time for the second straight season. The thing that blows my mind the most is Hampton signed a $121 million dollar contract in 2001 with the Colorado Rockies and is still due $14.5 million this year from them and $15 million next year. I know he might like the sport, but now after his second big injury and a fading career I will call it quits and count my benjamins.

I have either been asleep at the wheel or I just haven’t been keeping up because I had no idea this team was up for sale. Time Warner is going to sell the Braves, some magazines, and a billion in cash to Liberty Media in exchange for about $60 million shares of Time Warner which are roughly worth $1.27 billion. No more Ted Turner at the games? No more Braves on TBS? Stay tuned and we will let you know if and when this deal closes.