HEARD AROUND THE LEAGUE

ITEM:

Following a trade reported last week with the Madtown Murlocs that saw them forfeit prized youngster Rick Porcello, the Texas Tornadoes have shuffled their rotation and recalled RHP Colin Balester to join LHP Derek Holland, RHP Mat Latos and RHP Tommy Hanson in the loop's greenest (but obviously talented) rotation. With a future lineup featuring C Matt Wieters, 1B James Loney, 2B Aaron Hill, SS Elvis Andrus, 3B Alex Rodriguez, RF/LF Andre Ethier, LF/DH Travis Snider and CF/RF Ichiro Suzuki, the basis nucleus in Texas has been completely transformed in a single season, a neat trick . . .

ITEM:

Injuries and ineffectiveness have made the plans of this year's expansion club, the St. Francis Friars, fall by the wayside. The club had intended to heavily shop veteran LHP Randy Johnson and Jamie Moyer to contenders in the second half, reasoning that proven southpaws were the hardest thing to come by in a pennant race and likely to fetch prospects. Both Johnson and Moyer's issues and age have instead made them unattractive. The Anointed Ones are thus forced to consider shopping young RHP like Gavin Floyd or Edwin Jackson. The club is known to have more than one offer on Floyd as this item goes to press . . .

ITEM:

Fed up with the shortcomings of their bullpen, the Pottsylvania Creepers have placed both RHP Brad Thompson and LHP Randy Flores on waivers for the purpose of granting them their immediate release. Thompson and Flores can now be signed on a first come, first served basis by any other BARB club. In the meantime, GM Jeff Moore has added free-agent hurler Rafael Betancourt for a salary drive and promoted minor-leaguer Sean West. With Pedro Martinez on the mend, the Creepers seem to be getting stronger at the very moment that surprising Casselton's staff is starting to show signs of wear and tear. . . .

ITEM:

The Darwin Finches are sitting on lots of spare pitching, but circumstances (the improved health of 'keepers' Scott Kazmir and John Smoltz, the unreasonable effectiveness of young Clayton Kapshaw) may force them to finally deal their spare arms for offensive help, now that OF Josh Hamilton's season seems uncertain, DH David Ortiz has faded and 3B Chipper Jones seems increasingly ordinary. Darwin can't shop Kazmir or Smoltz, so look for them to attempt to move a Jonathan Sanchez, an Oliver Perez or a Max Scherzer for another bat or (given Kevin Gregg's inconsistency) a proven closer . . .