Things are just starting to heat up on the transaction wire.  The Blue Jays and Rangers play their desperation card as veterans on the wrong side of their career sign deals to fill holes.  Yes sir, it is baseball time again!

Red Sox Release C Doug Mirabelli.

It will be interesting to see how long this lasts.  Doug Mirabelli is a no-hit catcher who will be replaced by Kevin Cash another no-hit catcher.  The difference between Mirabelli and Cash is that Mirabelli is a proven knuckleball catcher.  There just are not many guys like him.  The Red Sox did this last year and Mirabelli was required before the trading deadline.  He’s got a skill that no one else has and that makes him near indispensible.  It is not like you’ll have Mirabelli on your roster.

Placed RHP Curt Schilling on the 60-day disabled list with degeneration in his right biceps tendon.

Here is a deal that just might bite the Red Sox.  Schilling resigned with the Red Sox for $8 million.  Part of the contract was a promise to loose some weight.  Schilling reports with some arm problems.  Did he know about them and not disclose them?  Questions, questions, questions.  He needs surgery, but the Red Sox have told him to rehab it and try for a All-Star Break return.  Needless to say, it looks like the end of the line for Schilling.

Red Sox Reassign RHP Dan Kolb to Minor League camp.

I only mention Kolb because he completed 39 saves back in 2004 and if you take part in too much pre-auction festivities, in the fog of the cigar smoke, you might see him on your list and take a flier on him and think, “he’s a sleeper...”  Worse yet, you could get into a bidding war.  He’s not the same pitcher he was before.

Reds Claimed LHP Jose Capellan off waivers from the Giants.

This is a clarification call.  This Jose Capellan is a 21-year-old Rule 5 draft left-handed reliever, not to be confused by the oft-traded Jose Capellan formerly of the Braves, Brewers, Tigers and now Rockies.  Our Rule 5 guy here has a middle initial of ‘M’ and is a couple of years from Major League service.

Marlins Option RHP Daniel Barone to Triple-A Albuquerque.

To think I actually drafted this guy.  Okay, it is a very deep Strat league.

Mariners Release LHP Horacio Ramirez.

What a terrible trade.  The Mariners traded Rafael Soriano, now the closer for the Braves for him.  I how hard it was to keep a straight face when making this deal.  “It’s really going to be tough giving up Ramirez.  But, you drive a hard bargain.”   I wonder if the Braves asked for an additional throw-in just to make the Mariners think that they were a tough negotiator.

Blue Jays Option LHP Gustavo Chacin to Triple-A Syracuse.

This answers the question of whether Chacin would be moved to the bullpen or to Triple-A.  Chacin had surgery on his shoulder in September to fix a small tear, but he’s not back up to strength.  Take him off your depth charts.

Brewers Option C Lou Palmisano to Triple-A Nashville.

There was some small talk that Palmisano could be called up at some point this year.  They found a torn meniscus in his left knee and he’ll miss three to four months.  He has some potential as a backup catcher.

Rays Option OF Justin Ruggiano to the Minor Leagues.

Interesting move on the Rays part.  There was talk that Ruggiano could make the team out of spring training with the problems that Rocco Baldelli is having.  Just as they say that, they send to the Minor League camp.  He’ll play full-time in Triple-A and be called up after some seasoning.

Blue Jays Sign RHP Armando Benitez to a Minor League contract with an invite to Spring Training.

I wondered how long it would take for someone to take a chance on him.  He’s going to be a setup man for B.J. Ryan and provide some emergency depth at closer if Ryan isn’t 100% on opening day.

Rangers Sign RHP Sidney Ponson to a Minor League Contract with an Invitation to Spring Training camp.

He’s, um, well, in the battle for the #5 spot in the rotation.  He has lost some weight.  Ponson in Texas is like throwing phosphorous grenades at a fuel depot.  Nothing good can possibly come of this unless you are the A’s, Mariners and Angels.

JP Kastner is the winner of the 2007 Strat-O-Matic Baseball Online Expert League World Series.  In five seasons of SOMBOE, JP Kastner has five winning seasons, four playoff appearances, three World Series appearances and now one World Championship.  He is in his third season in the Tout Wars mixed league.