Eat My Sports: Best and worst of the trade deadline

Stop your complaining about me not addressing the Brett Favre issue yet, I’ll have plenty of time for that when Aaron Rodgers commits himself to an asylum.

The media circus last week revolved mainly around the trade deadline, who (specifically Manny Ramirez) was going where, and who was going to get what. In one of the busiest deadlines I’ve ever witnessed, we saw three future Hall of Famers get shipped, and some for some questionable returns. You know what time it is kids, time to find out who got the good, and who got screwed.

The Winners
New York Yankees
How the Yankees were able to steal Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez from a Detroit Tigers’ team in the thick of a division race is a complete mystery. The cherry on this stink bomb of a sundae is they only gave up Kyle Farnsworth. Trade value: HOF catcher for a middle of the road reliever. Throw in that the Yanks were also able to steal away Xavier Nady and Damaso Marte from Pirates, they were able to lease themselves a potential run for the Wild Card. But don’t anoint anyone yet. The Yankees, even with the big trades, have not shown the huevos to make up ground on the Rays or the stumbling Red Sox, even when they have golden opportunities.

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Angels GM: OK, here’s what I’ll offer you: Casey Kotchman (one letter short of the greatest sports name since Dick Butkus) and his .281 BA, 12 HR and 55 RBI along with Steve Marek, and you’ll give me Mark Teixeira and his .281 BA, 21 HR and 82 RBI and freaking sweet fan marketing ability.
Braves GM: Deal.

How does the league approve stuff like this?

Boston Red Sox
In defense of last week’s column, I was 75% right. I said Manny should be traded to Los Angeles for a power hitting All-Star. Now, aside from the fact that I misconstrued Vladimir Guerrero for a bleach-white virtual unknown from Pittsburgh, I was right.

Jason Bay over his career will never be Manny Ramirez, but what Bay is right now is a welcomed ray of light replacing a dark cloud that has been hovering over the Sox for years. While Manny was busy being Manny, Bay quietly produced 30 HR and 100 RBI seasons for an atrocious Pittsburgh Pirates team. The Red Sox are 3-1 since the trade, and it appears that this team is poised to now make a run.

When it is all said and done, the Red Sox would not have won as many games with Manny, as they will with Bay for the rest of the year. Call me crazy, but didn’t everyone think the Sox were idiots for trading away Nomar Garciaparra and not re-siging Pedro Martinez? Two World Series later ….

Los Angeles Dodgers
We never said the man couldn’t produce. Manny’s first weekend in L.A. was bigger than the fourth installment  of The Mummy. Manny might be enough to push L.A. past the tepid Arizona Diamondbacks in the final month and a half of the season. But there are some questions being asked …
(actual conversation between myself and Bryan McBournie)
Bryan S.: How close are Manny and Paul Pierce? I guess the only question left is whether he’s going to be a Blood or a Crip.
Bryan M: UNGAWA!!!
Bryan S: You think he’ll fit in?
Bryan M.: Guy is so delusional I bet he’ll think he’s the only person in L.A. with the last name “Ramirez.”
Bryan S.: Welcome Hurricane Manny.
Bryan M: Yeah, L.A. got hit hard this week, first the earthquake, now Manny.

But in the end folks, don’t be surprised if Andruw Jones and his .161 BA sinks this ship.

Losers
Chicago White Sox
Ken Griffey Jr. is a solid addition to any team … except the White Sox did not need an additional bat. Pitching has been the issue with this squad. Chicago may have seriously screwed up their chances of a second pennant in four years by going for the bat over the pitch.

Detroit Tigers
Did the AL Central do anything right this year? The Tigers are right in the thick of things with this catastrophe of a division, and yet they trade away their most consistent AND recognizable player in their organization. Here’s what they got in return for Rodriguez: a man named Farnsworth (not Bentley) who can only locate the batter’s head, and not the strike zone. Brilliant front office move.

New York Mets
Man, did these guys screw the pooch or what? A team many thought was down and out, is now up and in the middle of a three-team division race with the Florida Marlins and Philadelphia Phillies. I’m sorry, but “the Marlins” should not be part of any conversation that includes winning a division, and yet, here are the Mets. No one knows the status of Martinez, and the rest of the staff outside of Johan Santana is banged up. News Flash: PICK UP SOME PITCHING. Hitting can win you a division or wild card, but what the Sox (both Boston and Chicago) and the Cardinals have shown us over the past five years, is that pitching will win you a World Series. All this season has shown is that that Yankees’ little sister just doesn’t get it.

Atlanta Braves
Mark Teixeira wanted to be a Brave. How often do you find an All-Star player, happy with his contract, on the team he wanted to play for? Atlanta gained nothing by this trade, and proved to their fans that this franchise has become nothing more than a shipping point for future trades. You heard it here first: Chipper Jones demands a trade to a contender next year.

Top five things that annoy me in sports this week:
5. MLB 2K8
I wanted an updated roster for the post-trade deadline, thanks a lot.
4. 7-11
The Guys have given how much business to this franchise over the years? And they still force us (me) to buy a hotdog in order to get the “free” demo version of Madden 09.
3. USA Men’s Basketball
An 11-point win over Australia, with them sitting their top player? I smell silver.
2. Manny Ramirez
How’s that knee injury going? Traitor.
1. Washington Redskins
For taking John Riggins off the air. Seriously? The guy had his daily six pack of questions. Easily the most informative and entertaining show on the radio, and Dan Snyder pulls it. No wonder this team hasn’t won anything in 17 years.