The Dodgers needed a second-baseman to replace Jeff Kent, who comes off the disabled list today. So the Dodgers obtained the D-Rays' sent their shortstop, Julio Lugo, with the intent of moving him to second base, a position at which he has had some limited experience.

Keep in mind that Lugo becomes a free agent at the end of the season and has expressed a desire to return to his preferred shortstop position.

To rent his services for two months, the Dodgers sent the D-Rays TWO of their TOP prospects, both of whom are young position players: OF/3B Jose Guzman, 21, who hit .297 with 11 home runs at triple-A Las Vegas; and OF Enrique Pedroza, 22, who has hit .281 with 21 home runs this season at Class A Columbus, Ga.

Couldn't Dave Littlefield have come up with an offer that would have beat what the D-Rays sent to Los Angeles? Say, for instance, Jose Castillo and a middle reliever?  Doing so would free up second base for Freddy Sanchez, third base for Jose Bautista (or Guzman) and right field for Guzman (or Bautista), while adding a promising prospect, Pedroza, to the farm system. Seems to me that's exactly the kind of deal DL should be making.

The thing that bothers me about this situation is that Jose Bautista today is pretty much relegated to the bench as the next Craig Wilson. He should be playing 3B, Sanchez should be at 2B (although he might merit a Gold Glove for his work at 3B, which he'll never get, because of Scott Rolen and David Wright). And Guzman and Pedroza should be in the Pirates' system, not Tampa Bay's.