Robins get Crowell from Snow Sox, other deals made

The St Louis Robins improved their chances for a pennant push by landing the biggest bat available in trade, Hank Crowell. Crowell was hitting .323 with 23 HR and 80 RBI for the Snow Sox. The Sox get St Louis's 1st round pick, 2B Rich Almanzar, and P Denny Romero. RHP Bart Evans also joins the Robins in the deal.

Phoenix made two trades designed to lower payroll, trading RHP David Burke to Denver for Ron Hodge, and OF Vernon Coles to Toledo for OF Corey Feldman and Duane Beltran. Burke (8-8, 4.38) has one year left on a contract that will pay him 12.5 million. Coles makes 8 million per season, and has been a major disappointment in Phoenix, hitting .224 with 14 HR. Coles is one of the most talented players in the game, with power, speed, and capable of gold glove defense in center field. He has not played up to the contract he signed after hitting .268 with 39 homers in 2004 for Toronto.

New York Knights trade RF Cesar Ramos to Baltimore for a second round pick plus minor leaguers Travis Griffin and Dan Beck.

Philadelphia trades OF Gabe Kotter to Cleveland for 19 year old RHP Kyle Bonderman.

Mars trades 2B Jimmy Urbano and RHP Ray Swanson to Detroit for a second round pick plus LHP Steve Saldana.

Our sources report Mars GM George Bush tried to make it a larger trade, offering several of his top veterans if Detroit would part with SS BJ Lewis, but had to settle for this deal. Saldana is a lefty who throws 97 MPH with mechanics that make it look like his arm might fall off every time he does.