Sexson deal a steal for Diamondbacks

ATM reports:

1) The Brewers traded 1B Richie Sexson, P Shane Nance and a player to be
named later to the Diamondbacks for 1B Lyle Overbay, 2B Junior Spivey, INF
Craig Counsell, C Chad Moeller and Ps Chris Capuano and Jorge de la Rosa.

This deal is a steal for the Diamondbacks.

After 13 RCAA/.889 OPS and 25 RCAA/.867 OPS seasons, Sexson hit .548 SLG,
..379 OBA, .927 OPS, 33 RCAA in 162 games. He has a .876 career OPS,
compared to his league average of .779, and 80 RCAA in 813 games.

Sexson is the Brewers record for OPS above the league average (min: 2000 PA)--

OPS DIFF PLAYER LEAGUE
1 Richie Sexson .127 .902 .775
2 George Scott .105 .798 .693
3 John Briggs .103 .799 .697
4 Sixto Lezcano .089 .805 .717
5 Jeromy Burnitz .089 .870 .782
6 Paul Molitor .085 .811 .725
7 Geoff Jenkins .084 .865 .781
8 Ben Oglivie .080 .806 .726
9 Cecil Cooper .080 .809 .730
10 Gorman Thomas .066 .786 .720

SLG DIFF PLAYER LEAGUE
1 Richie Sexson .103 .536 .433
2 George Scott .086 .456 .370
3 Geoff Jenkins .079 .516 .437
4 Jeromy Burnitz .071 .508 .437
5 Gorman Thomas .069 .461 .392
6 Cecil Cooper .069 .470 .401
7 John Briggs .068 .441 .373
8 Ben Oglivie .064 .461 .398
9 Sixto Lezcano .063 .452 .388
10 Greg Vaughn .051 .459 .409

Nance has a 4.70 ERA/-1 RSAA in 30 career games, including a 4.81 ERA/-1
RSAA in 26 games in 2003.

In addition to improving the lineup by adding Sexson, the Diamondbacks also
improve themselves by getting rid of Counsell. After -14 RCAA/.721 OPS and
-15 RCAA/.699 OPS seasons, he hit .304 SLG, .328 OBA, .631 OPS, -19 RCAA in
89 games. Counsell has a .700 career OPS, compared to his league average of
..774, and -60 RCAA in 658 games.

Counsell ranks 2nd in Diamondbacks history for worst RCAA--

RCAA
1 Tony Womack -96
2 Craig Counsell -46
3 Rod Barajas -45
4 Kelly Stinnett -28
5 Damian Miller -24
T6 Travis Lee -21
T6 Karim Garcia -21
8 Matt Williams -20
9 Yamil Benitez -15
T10 Jorge Fabregas -14
T10 Andy Stankiewicz -14
T10 Bernard Gilkey -14

Overbay has -6 RCAA/.748 OPS in 98 career games, including a .402 SLG, .365
OBA, .767 OPS, -4 RCAA in 86 games in 2003.

After starting his career with -1 RCAA/.778 OPS and a career year 22
RCAA/.865 OPS, Spivey hit .433 SLG, .326 OBA, .759 OPS, -10 RCAA in 106 games.

The only thing standing between Moeller and becoming another double digit
negative RCAA player was being limited to 78 games. In his first year with
more than 48 games, he hit .4356 SLG, .335 OBA, .770 OPS, -8 RCAA and has a
..715 career OPS, compared to his league average of .777, and -27 RCAA in
188 games.

Capuano had a 4.64 ERA/1 RSAA in his first 9 career games (5 starts).

2) The Yankees re-signed 3B Aaron Boone ($5.75 million) and INF Enrique
Wilson ($700,000) to 1 year contracts.

After 8 RCAA/.834 OPS and -12 RCAA/.753 OPS seasons, Boone hit .453 SLG,
..327 OBA, .780 OPS, 4 RCAA in 160 games (first 106 with the Reds). He has a
..780 career OPS, compared to his league average of .777, and -7 RCAA in 722
games.

The only thing that stood between Wilson and his 3rd consecutive double
digit negative RCAA, and 4th in 5 years, was to be limited to just 147 PA.
After -26 RCAA/.519 OPS and -10 RCAA/.534 OPS seasons, he hit .363
SLG, .276 OBA, .639 OPS, -7 RCAA in 63 games. Wilson has a .653 career
OPS, compared to his league average of .779, and -68 RCAA in 447 games.

3) The Marlins re-signed free agent 2B Luis Castillo to a 3 year, $16
million contract, with an option for 2007 that will vest if he accumulates
a certain amount of PA during the first 3 years.

After -13 RCAA/.685 OPS and 5 RCAA/.726 OPS seasons, Castillo hit .397 SLG,
..381 OBA, .778 OPS, 11 RCAA in 152 games. He has a .722 career OPS,
compared to his league average of .778, and -4 RCAA in 856 games.

4) According to the Chicago Sun Times, the Cubs are interested in free
agent Ps LaTroy Hawkins, Gabe White and Ricardo Rincon, while they might
also be interested in Marlins P Braden Looper and Astros 3B Geoff Blum, if
they are nontendered.

5) The Cardinals re-signed free agent P Chris Carpenter to a 1 year,
$300,000 contract.

Carpenter missed the entire 2003 season and has a 4.83 ERA/-7 RSAA in 152
career games.

6) According to ESPN's Peter Gammons and the New York Post, the Yankees are
interested in free agent CF Kenny Lofton.

7) According to the LA Times, the Dodgers are working on trying to trade
for Royals CF Carlos Beltran.

The Pirates re-signed INF Abraham Nunez to a 1 year, $625,000 contract,
which avoids salary arbitration.

After -9 RCAA/.662 OPS and -14 RCAA/.631 OPS seasons, Nunez hit .357 SLG,
..310 OBA, .667 OPS, -14 RCAA in 118 games. He has a .626 career OPS,
compared to his league average of .778, and -74 RCAA in 518 games.

9) Rangers owner Tom Hicks says offers have been made to free agents Rafael
Palmeiro and John Thomson. According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, if
Palmeiro isn't re-signed, other possibilities are Travis Lee, J.T. Snow or
Ben Grieve, while if Thomson's isn't re-signed, other free agent
possibilities are Bret Tomko, Sterling Hitchcock, Jeff Suppan and Miguel
Batista and the team is looking at medical reports on free agent P Pedro
Astacio.

10) According to the Rocky Mountain News, the Rockies are expected to sign
free agent 3B Vinny Castilla. But, they've wait until after December 7
deadline for the Braves to get draft picks by offering arbitration.

The paper also reports the team is interested in free agent SS Rich
Aurilia. But, Aurilia wants to wait to see what Miguel Tejada and Kaz
Matsui get.

11) According to NY Newsday, the Yankees and Dodgers are discussing a Kevin
Brown for Jeff Weaver trade.

12) Padres GM Kevin Towers denies rumors that they are in the running to
trade for Redsox SS Nomar Garciaparra.

13) According to the Kansas City Star, the Royals are interested in free
agent OF Matt Stairs.

14) According to the Newark Star Ledger, the Braves are interested in free
agent P Andy Pettitte.

Lee