Trade, Trade, Trade

The Tribe has been busy the last few days. Three regulars on the roster, including two longtime Indians, have been traded prior to today's 4 p.m. deadline.

The most notable deal was just completed. As part of a three-team deal, The Indians sent ace Jake Westbrook and cash to the Cardinals. The Tribe received Double-A righty Corey Kluber from the Padres. Former Indian Ryan Ludwick was traded from St. Louis to San Diego, and San Diego sent minor-league left-hander Nick Greenwood to St. Louis.

Also today, the Tribe traded Austin Kearns to the Yankees for a player to be named or cash.

Wednesday evening, Jhonny Peralta became a Tiger, as the Indians dealt him for Class-A lefty Giovany Soto.

Overall, I can't complain about these deals. The post-All-Star winning streak was obviously a tease and we are quite clearly not going to be making a run at the playoffs, so we might as well get some prospects for some of the good players we have.

My only complaint is that I wish we could have gotten someone a little more definite for Kearns, who has been having a solid year.

I am glad Peralta is finally gone. How overpaid was he? He never lived up to the hype. He is the reason we got rid of Omar, who, at 43 years of age, is still a better ballplayer than Jhonny has ever been. Heck, Omar is hitting .285 this year and is still a wizard on defense.

I am happy for Jake Westbrook. He is a hard worker and has fought through Tommy John surgery, so he deserves to be with a contender.

EDIT: Make that four trades. Right before the deadline, the Tribe traded Kerry Wood to the Yankees for a player to be named or $500,000 cash. The team has until Oct. 15 to decide between the two options. The Indians have to pay all but $1.5 million of the more than $3.6 million remaining on Wood's $10.5 million salary this year.

So end two very disappointing and injury-plagued years for Kerry Wood in a Tribe uniform.