Just to be on the safe side, if I were a GM, I wouldn’t  swing any deals today with any team named “Indians” or “Braves.” … 

If you’re a pitching-shopping Theo Epstein weighing trade vs. free agent options, you have to give a lot of consideration to this:

• Roy Halladay versus the Yankees: 18-6 with a 2.84 ERA.
• John Lackey versus the Yankees: 3-7 with a 5.25 ERA.

Free-agent Alex Gonzalez signing with the Blue Jays — could be the first step in them “swapping” shortstops with the Red Sox, who are keen on Marco Scutaro. … 

Of course Boston is changing shortstops. The next mystery guest — Scutaro or whoever — will be the Red Sox’s seventh different Opening Day shortstop in eight years. Didn’t Simon & Garfunkel sing, “Where have you gone, Nomar, a lonely Red Sox Nation turns its eyes to you … “

Got a chuckle out of Wally Beckman’s declaration upon being named the Brooklyn Cyclones’ manager that, “No bones about it, my ultimate goal is to manage in the Major Leagues someday again.” Again, as in beyond the four  days in November 2004 that he had the job, before the Arizona Diamondbacks changed their mind? …