Keeping up with the Tigers

Because Minnesota has been reluctant to part with ace Johan Santana – at least for now – the most interesting trade talks going on now involve the Oakland A's.

A's general manager Billy Beane has put Dan Haren on the trading block, and several teams are in the mix.

One is the Cleveland Indians, who have been very quiet this offseason, acquiring a Japanese middle reliever (Masahide Kobayashi) and former Rockies infielder Jamey Carroll. That's not exactly a counter to Miguel Cabrera, Dontrelle Willis and Edgar Renteria, who are now playing for division rival Detroit.

Counting the playoffs, the Indians won 102 games in 2007 and were a home win away from the World Series. This is Cy Young Award winner C.C. Sabathia's final year of his contract. Their window of opportunity closes a bit after 2008.

That's why a Haren deal makes sense. The Indians have a good minor-league system and some young players who could appeal to Oakland (pitchers Aaron Laffey and Jeremy Sowers, second basemen Josh Barfield or Asdrubal Cabrera, a few major league-ready young outfielders in Ben Francisco and Franklin Gutierrez). A deal would make the AL Central every bit as interesting as the perennial AL East heavyweight bout between Boston and New York.