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Just saw a bit on Rotoworld about the Cubs and Orioles discussing a swap of Miguel Tejada for Mark Prior. Now, I love Mark Prior (one of my former coworkers was so fascinated with the boy’s calves that it bordered on creepy), and I think he’s a fabulous pitcher with just the right amount of mean to be an all-time great. But I think I speak for all Cubs fans when I say: Make that trade!

Pierre, Jones, Lee, Miggy, Aramis, Murton, Barrett. Sweet mercy. That is a potent lineup, right there. The sticking blocks seem to be in the additional players, as the Cubs want lefty Erik Bedard and the O’s want raw five-tool prospect Felix Pie. So Mr. Hendry and Mr. Angelos (I know he’s not the GM, but he’s still running everything), let me broker this deal for you both. Jim, send Prior, shortstop Ronny Cedeno, Corey Patterson and pitcher Angel Guzman to Baltimore. Peter, simply send us Tejada and Bedard. Cedeno is ready to play in the bigs, and the O’s get two good to great pitchers, not to mention a player who could blossom into a star with a change of scenery. Everybody wins.

There is big time pressure on the Cubs to at least make an attempt to win it all next year. If they pull this trade off, it will be a hell of a start. Do it, Jim. Cubs Nation is counting on you.

Red Sox Nation is likely planning a public burning at Government Center this morning after news leaked that Johnny Damon switched teams, taking a deal from the Yankees for four years and $52 million. They’re going to turn on him just like they turned on Nomar. They’ll call him a lousy bum, a traitor.

Which is, of course, nonsense. ESPN Radio’s Colin Cowherd nailed it this morning on his radio show The Herd. Boston wears its players out. If they hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth to win a game, a fan will still say, “Well, what about last week, when you popped out to end the game?” New York, on the other hand, treats its players like stars. Is it any wonder why so many players go from Boston to New York, but very few go from New York to Boston? It makes me laugh to think that there was once talk of Derek Jeter playing for the Red Sox. Never in a million years would Jeter play for Boston.

Now that this deal is done, expect the Manny talk to heat up some more. You know he’s looking at that depleted offense and thinking, “Aye, carumba!”