Hot Stove: 2/3

African American Player Profile: Larry Doby (1947-1959)

Larry Doby is one of the most underrated players in the African American player movement, having debuted for the Indians in July 1947, less than three months after Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier for the Dodgers that April.  The American League's first African American, Doby had to deal with the adversity of being the only colored man in his league and for many players, was the first African American played against. He helped Cleveland to the 1948 World Series title and went on to hit 253 home runs and bat .283 over his 13-year career. Arguably his best season was 1950, where the South Carolina native hit 25 home runs, knocked in 102, and batted .326 in 142 games. The Indians retired the seven-time All Star's No. 14 in 1994, and in 1998, the 74-year-old was elected into the Hall of Fame.

Free Agent Signings

Nationals agreed to terms with Edwin Jackson (12-9, 3.79 ERA, .290 BAA, 2012 age: 28) on a one-year deal worth between $9 and 12 million.

Indians agreed to terms with Casey Kotchman (10 HR, 48 RBI, .306 AVG, 2 SB, 2012 age: 29) on a one-year, $3 million deal.

Padres agreed to terms with Micah Owings (8-0, 3.57 ERA, .240 BAA, 2012 age: 29) on a one year, $1 million deal.

The Cubs reportedly agreed to terms with Cuban rookie star Gerardo Concepcion (10-3, 3.36 ERA, 2012 age: 18 or 19) on a multi-year, $7 million deal (plus up to $1 million in incentives).

Pirates signed Juan Cruz (5-0, 3.88 ERA, .211 BAA, 2012 age: 33) to a minor league deal.

Edwin Jackson may not be the Justin Verlander or Roy Halladay type guy who just goes out and throws a no-hitter (actually, Jackson threw one in 2010), but I can guarantee you he will take the ball every fifth day and go out there and give you six or seven solid innings. He doesn't bring home Cy Youngs or ERA crowns, but he gives you a guy you know you can count on to put you in a chance to win. I am excited to have Jackson as a member of the Nationals. His addition, which knocks John Lannan out of the rotation, gives the Nationals some of the best starting pitching in the game. The German-born right-hander debuted in 2003 with the Dodgers at just 19 years old, but it was not until 2007 with the Devil Rays that Edwin actually pitched a full season. The 23-year-old was 5-15 with a 5.76 ERA in 32 games (31 starts). He was a large part of the Rays' turnaround in 2008, when he was 14-11 with a 4.42 ERA in 32 games (31 starts). He was sent to Detroit for Matt Joyce, where he posted the best year of his career. In 2009, Jackson was 13-9 with a 3.62 ERA and .247 BAA in 33 starts for the Tigers, earning his way onto the American League All Star team. He was sent to Arizona as part of the huge trade involving such players as Curtis Granderson, Austin Jackson, Ian Kennedy, and Max Scherzer as well as other players. In 32 starts between Arizona and the White Sox (he was traded again midseason), Jackson was 10-12 with a 4.47 ERA. In one June game, he no-hit his former team, the Rays, despite walking eight batters and throwing 149 pitches. He was actually better down the stretch with Chicago, going 4-2 with a 3.24 ERA in eleven starts. In 2011, he began the year with Chicago but ended up in St. Louis after another massive trade, this one involving Colby Rasmus and Octavio Dotel among others, then finished out the year 12-9 with a 3.79 ERA in 32 games (31 starts). He struggled in the Cardinals' World Series run, going 1-1 with a 5.60 ERA in four starts. Over his nine-year career spanning six teams (now seven with Washington), Jackson was 60-60 with a 4.46 ERA in 203 games (173 starts).

Casey Kotchman brings the Indians the proven first baseman that they have been looking for. Matt LaPorta, previously considered a top prospect, has not panned out and Cleveland does not trust him to rebound in 2012. Kotchman is an excellent defensive first baseman who has shown flashes of success at the plate.  Once considered the Angels' top prospect, the 6'3" lefty never evolved into the hitter the Angels dreamed he would. He began to show flashes in 2007 as a 24-year-old, hitting 11 home runs and batting .296 in 137 games. Kotchman was off to a solid start in 2008, having hit 12 home runs and batted .287 in 100 games, when the Angels dealt him to Atlanta in the Mark Teixeira deal. He did not perform nearly as well there and finished with 14 home runs and a .272 average overall in 143 games. In 87 games for the Braves in 2009, he was off to another good start having hit six home runs and batting .282 when he was shipped to Boston for Adam LaRoche. His performance dropped again and he finished with just seven home runs and a .268 average in 126 games. He was traded yet again, this time to the Mariners for Bill Hall, and finished a poor season in Seattle with nine home runs and a meager .217 average. Picked up by the Rays in 2011, he rebounded strongly, hitting ten home runs and batting .306 in 146 games, including a red-hot first third of the season where he batted .361 in 42 games between April and May. Over his eight-year career, Kotch has hit 59 home runs and batted .268 with eleven stolen bases in 791 games. 

Other News

With Edwin Jackson in DC, the Nationals are now looking to trade John Lannan, who lost an arbitration case and will make $5 million in 2012.

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Teams followed in this update: Boston Red Sox, Washington Nationals, New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs, Tampa Bay Rays, Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies, Atlanta Braves

If your team is not included, please leave a comment.

HR: home runs.  RBI: runs batted in. AVG: batting average. SB: stolen bases.bERA: earned run average. BAA: batting average against. K's: strikeouts. WPCT: winning percentage

Zack Silverman