Khalil Greene is also a Cardinal

Khalil Greene was reportedly traded yesterday to the Cardinals from the Padres for reliever Mark Worrell (no relation to Todd) and a PTBNL. I have mixed reactions to this. As much as I like to root for ex-Portland Beavers, like Jason Bay (not so much since he joined the Red Sox) and Xavier Nady, I never really latched onto Greene even though he's spent his entire major league career so far with the parent club Padres. And I like the Padres. Greene was always the Golden Boy shortstop, but I felt like he never really made anything of himself. In 2007, he finally had what most would term a breakout season, but it seems like an aberration now after this past season. If he can produce somewhere in between that season and his truly awful 2008, he might be a marginal improvement over Cesar Izturis. His batting averages are always low, however, and he doesn't make up for it by getting on base any other way. Fortunately, the Cards are only stuck with him for a year if things don't go well. From the field, he should be solid but probably not spectacular.

In the exchange, the Cards send over apparently disgruntled reliever Mark Worrell, who is best known for hitting a 3-run home run in his brief stint in the Cardinals' bullpen last year. That feat got him an autographed card in the 2008 Topps Updates & Highlights set, but not a base card. I'm still interested in getting ahold of that card despite the trade, but now I'd probably only be willing to spend $1.50 on eBay for it instead of $2.00.

My Dodger-loving friend keeps reminding me that at least the Cards aren't stuck with Orlando Cabrera and a big contract. I suppose, in that sense, he's right. It sure would've been nice to get Rafael Furcal or Yunel Escobar, however...