Cardinals trade Lugo to Orioles (NOT an April fools Prank!)

[charlie and algernon]

KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- The Baltimore Orioles acquired infielder Julio Lugo and an undisclosed amount of cash from the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday for a player to be named later or cash.

The Cardinals will pay most of Lugo's 2010 salary of $9 million. He is in the final year of the four-year, $36 million contract he signed with the Red Sox before 2007. Boston dealt Lugo to St. Louis last July.

Baltimore will have Lugo as insurance in the event second baseman Brian Roberts will not be able to start the regular season. The Orioles open at Tampa Bay on Tuesday.

Lugo, 34, batted .280 with three home runs and 21 RBIs in 88 games for Boston and St. Louis in 2009. His role with the Cardinals was diminished after St. Louis brought in Felipe Lopez to start spring training. Lugo can play short, second base, third base and left field.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=5046999

I like that the Os are bringing in a healthy dose of veterans to compliment their large newbie contingent. I think they could win 75-80 times and play more of a spoiler to the top teams of their division.