I dont remember there being anything "obvious" about Bay/Middlebrook at the time, and with 20/20 hindsight thats the trade you undo. I don't like the Perez signing, but i'll add an unconventional choice here: to protect the franchise's massive investment, and keep it on the field, I make Piazza the 1st baseman starting with Zeile's departure followig the '01 season. Ok, that might not be my first choice, but its at least food for thought in the "what if" machine