Robo In His Element

I've taken issue with his opinion pieces in the past, but when it comes to reporting the buzz, the rumors, or the potential deals, there is no one better than Rosenthal. His latest dispatch from Dana Point is chock full o' goodness, such as:

• The A's adding payroll;

• The Tigers being cost conscious;

• A possible destination for Milton Bradley no one else is talking about; and

• A rebound for a former Yankees prospect.

So many guys on the this beat fall in love with their sources or make too big a deal out of potential scoops, resulting in pieces that are either initially dubious or else look foolish later. Rosenthal just puts his stuff out there, and seems neither too invested in them nor too dismissive of them. This results in satisfying little dispatches like this one.

Is he always right? Well, no, and no one who reports the trade/signings stories ever is. That's not the point. The point is that he gives us hot stove addicts stuff to chew on that is plausible enough for good chewing, yet interesting enough for a little dreaming too, and that's exactly what I'm looking for with this kind of thing.