So the latest wacky conspiracy theory to come out of MLB is that baseball is conspiring to keep the price on Alex Rodriguez' services down by flooding the market with third basemen. If, the theory goes, there are enough Joe Credes out there, no one is going to want to sign A-Rod.
Which is, of course, patently ridiculous. Let's take a closer look at the so-called evidence:
Joe Crede, on the block in Chicago - Well, he's about to get expensive, his back is shot, and there's a prospect coming up behind him. Of course he's on the block - Kenny Williams would have to be an idiot not to see if he could get a useful part for him.
Garrett Atkins, expendable because of Jeff Baker - Except that the Rox have put the kibosh on this, and Atkins is off the market.
Mike Lowell, free agent - Nothing vaguely conspiratorial about this, and the Red Sox - one of the proposed landing spots for A-Rod - are fighting to keep him. Well, yes - he was the World Series MVP, last time I checked, with a swing made for Fenway. In fact, the rules of baseball are driving up a free agent's price here, not driving down A-Rod's.
Miguel Cabrera on the block in Florida - The man was born to hit, there's no doubt about that. He also plays for an insane cheapskate owner, eats everything in the postgame spread except the tablecloth, and plays defense like Gary Cherone played Van Halen. So, it's not entirely surprising that he's available, though both Marlins fans have to be disappointed.
Miguel Tejada is available - Miguel Tejada is also a shortstop, and has been available since roughly the middle of the 2004 season.
A more suspicious man than I would see the palsied hand of Scott Boras behind these rumors, hoping to spook Bud Selig into having someone make an offer just to kill the rumor. But there's no need because, let's face it, it's hooey.
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