Links: Brewers trade for Adam Lind, Rockies decline Brett Anderson's option

I just finished working 17 of the last 26 hours for MLBTR, and today was a very transaction-heavy day, so hopefully what follows makes sense.

-P- The Brewers acquired Adam Lind from the Blue Jays to fill their first base vacancy, giving up Marco Estrada in return. This is a nice move for Milwaukee, and I don't love this from the Blue Jays' perspective. Estrada projects to make over $4 million in arbitration next year and looked like he might even be a non-tender candidate after a season in which he allowed 29 home runs, so the Blue Jays aren't even really saving much money here, given Lind's $7.5 million salary. Estrada performed well after moving to a relief role last year and the Jays have a full rotation, so maybe he'll find a home in the Toronto bullpen.

Lind is weak defensively and probably has to be platooned, but as Doug Melvin pointed out after the trade, there's a ton of right-handed pitching in the NL Central, so the Brewers will be able to have Lind's bat in the lineup most of the time. Lind isn't likely to repeat his .321/.381/.476 2014 performance next season, but he's still a very effective hitter. At his age and with his physique, he could go downhill quickly, but this still looks like a very nice pickup for the Brewers at their biggest position of need. It's not as if this move makes the Brewers the NL Central favorites, but you still hate to see the Pirates' competition get better.

-P- The Rockies declined their $12 million option on Brett Anderson, as expected. Anderson is seemingly never healthy, but look out for him -- he's fairly young, his recent injuries (finger, back) aren't arm injuries, he's left-handed, he has a ridiculously high ground ball percentage, and he's supposed to be ready by spring training. The Pirates might be able to work with that.

-P- Tim Dierkes, though, suggests the Pirates will sign Brandon McCarthy instead. I'd be just fine with that, and McCarthy would be a good fit for the Bucs, but after the stretch run he had, they would probably have to pay top dollar for him. Dierkes has Russell Martin going to the Cubs, Francisco Liriano to the Red Sox, and Edinson Volquez to the Braves.