The Tigers traded minor league outfielder Jeff Frazier for Mariners right hander Yorman Bazardo.  NBCsports.com liked the deal but it’s worth taking a look at both players.

First off is Jeff Frazier, who the Tigers gave up.  Frazier had a very rough year at High A Lakeland in 2006 and this was as a 24 year old.  And he didn’t even show up as an honorable mention in John Sickels top 20 Tiger prospects.  Because Bazardo was designated for assignment, it looks like Frazier was all the Mariners could get for him before somebody scooped him up on waivers.

Yorman Bazardo came in as the Mariners ninth best prospect and while his strikeout rate wasn’t great, he had a very solid season in the Texas League as a starter.  He was even better in winter ball as a reliever in the Venezuelan winter league and he threw five shutout innings in the Caribbean World Series.  He has an option left, so he’ll probably start 2007 in either Erie or Toledo.  This is one of those deals that could mean nothing but if Bazardo even turns into just a quality reliever, the time put into this deal will be worth it.

If you didn’t buy the book Fantasyland by Sam Walker last year, you now have a new reason to pick it up.  The book recently came out in a paperback and it’s only around $10.  This was one of the best baseball books I read in 2006 and it was picked as a top read in the Hardball Times Baseball Annual.  I reviewed the book last year and you can check it out here.

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