Horsehide Chronicles

Imagine Miguel Cabrera not in the blue and orange of the Detroit Tigers, but in the red and white of the Los Angeles Angels.

It could have happened.

When Clayton Kershaw steps on the mound Tuesday night, he'll be after career win No. 64. If the Dodgers lefty, still just 25 years old, is ever going to have a chance to step on the mound to achieve his 300th win, when might that be and how will he get there?

Imagine a Major League Baseball trade deadline where the New York Yankees are in Miami Marlins mode: Everything must go.

If there ever was a year for it to happen, it's this year.

...Not that I'm counting on it, mind you.

Like, oh, pretty much everyone else, I had my doubts about the Bombers heading into the season. With guys like Derek Jeter, Mark Teixeira, Curtis Granderson and Alex Rodriguez out of commission, the Yanks went into Opening Day looking like a collection of pinstriped impostors.

If we're being honest, the Boston Red Sox really didn't have to win on Saturday.

It was good enough that Fenway Park was full and that the Olde Towne Team was back on the field again. The scene signified that a horrible nightmare was over; things were going back to normal just a few days after two explosions at the finish line of the Boston Marathon killed three, wounded close to 200 and rocked one of America's toughest cities to its core.

The Boston Red Sox's offseason retooling effort has yielded promising results thus far in 2013. As early as it is, an 11-4 record and a first-place standing in the AL East make for an impressive turnaround from the disaster that was 2012.

In the land that lies beyond 2013, things should only get better for the Red Sox.

As always, we’ll start by taking a look at all the latest injuries around the league and whether a team will have to go outside the organization for a replacement. 

Derek Jeter, SS, New York Yankees 

Sometimes you just gotta hit a guy.

Several potential trade-deadline candidates had question marks coming into the season. Are they healthy and can they stay healthy? Can they bounce back from a poor season? Will they even be available in July, or will their teams be contending for a playoff spot?

A few weeks into the season, the picture is starting to clear up slightly, with a few players forcing their way onto the list after hot starts. 

On a normal night at Yankee Stadium, you're not going to hear too many kind words about the city of Boston. Not as long as those blasted Red Sox are stationed there, anyway.

But Tuesday was no normal night at the stadium. In response to the horrible tragedy that occurred on Monday, the Yankees organization had nothing but love in its heart for Boston.

For at least one day, there is no rivalry. Just fellowship in a time when it is needed.

It’s only two weeks into the minor league season, but that doesn’t mean a prospect’s trade value can’t increase or decline based on performance thus far.

Many prospects have questions surrounding them heading into a new season, especially in regards to their ability to handle a new level or bounce back from a poor season. Getting off to a great start can ease the minds of their own organization and open up the eyes of teams potentially interested in acquiring them.