Putting the "Dead" in Deadline

There was a time when the MLB trade deadline was my favorite part of the season.

Not that long ago, it wasn't unusual to see the likes of Randy Johnson and Mark McGwire change uniforms mid-July. Now, we're forced to settle for deals like Kenny Lofton to the Indians and Tadahito Iguchi to the Phillies.

Am I supposed to get excited about that?

Don't get me wrong, I think both of those were good deals for the contending teams, but it's not as if we're about to witness a huge shift in the balance of power. Paul Konerko, Roy Oswalt, Mark Texiera, and Troy Glaus are all rumored to be on the move, but I think rumors are all we'll get.

There are a lot of factors involved in deals that do and don't go down, and I don't claim to be an expert on the subject. But two possible explanations come to mind.

First, player contracts have taken on an extraordinary level of complexity in recent years. At one time, you agreed to play for a certain team for X number of dollars for X number of years, and that was that. These days, though, agents wheel and deal and get things like no-trade clauses, limited no-trade clauses, player options, and the like.

The power of the player, the incredibly high dollar amounts involved, and luxury tax issues combine to make settling on a deal more difficult than ever.

Secondly, the implementation of the Wild Card makes more teams believe that they can contend for a playoff spot, and beyond that, a World Series. As recently as a couple of weeks ago, Giants general manager Brian Sabean hinted that his team could still be looking to improve come the July 31 deadline. And San Francisco was entrenched in the cellar at that point!

When 24 out of the 30 teams in baseball consider themselves buyers, you have a limited supply of talent available. The teams that are sellers know this and often raise the price tag to match the perceived demand. Then, most of the 24 buyers walk away in disgust.

If you're a fan of a contending team (and I mean a real contending team, not those seven or eight pretenders that round out the 24 buyers), good for you. Enjoy the pennant race. But for the rest of us, the next week won't be much better than the rest.

If it's trading action and new blood you're looking for, you'll probably have to wait until November.

MLB: Who's Hot, Who's Not

Who's Hot

• New York Yankees - The hard-charging Yanks have won six in a row and eight of their past ten. Granted, three of the victories have come over the lowly Kansas City Royals, but a win is a win, and New York is just 6.5 games behind Boston in the AL East. At least one blogger has predicted a coup of the division, but the Yankees may soon be making believers of all of us.
  
  
• Ryan Howard - After a rather slow start to the season, Ryan Howard is feeling it. He's got a Major League-leading 12 dingers in the last month, including a walk-off in last night's extra-inning victory over the Nationals.
  


• Alex Rodriguez - Yes, we all know that A-Rod has cooled off after his superhuman start to the season. But he's continuing to make an airtight case for AL MVP. His 35 home runs, 102 RBIs, and 96 runs are all tops in the Major Leagues. Oh yeah, and with one more round-tripper, he'll have 500 for his career. Maybe he'll do it tomorrow on his 32nd birthday.
  
  
• Ryan Braun - This guy's been hot all season, but we've only seen him since the end of May. Since being called up May 24, Braun has hit .346 with 16 home runs and 43 RBIs. Prior to being called up, however, Braun had already racked up 10 home runs and 22 RBIs. Quite a season by any standard. If I was voting, it would be tough not to name this guy Rookie of the Year.
  
  
  

Who's Not

• Hunter Pence - Pence, who many believed to be the frontrunner for NL Rookie of the Year, received word Monday that he'd fractured his wrist on a swing Sunday. Pence will miss 4-6 weeks with the injury.
  


• Seattle Mariners - Talk about streaky. Just a week ago, the Mariners were the team everyone was talking about. Now, they've lost six straight, including one on a blown save by J.J. Putz last night. It was his first blown save this season.
  


• Barry Bonds - Yes, Bonds is on the cusp of breaking one of baseball's most hallowed records, but it seems like everyone is in a hurry to get it over with. Everyone, that is, except Barry. Since his two homer game July 19, Bonds is 2-14 with two singles and two DNPs. At this pace, we may be well into August before "the chase" is over.
  


• Randy Johnson - It had to happen with one of these 40-something pitchers eventually. Johnson is struggling to return from a back injury, and he hasn't pitched in nearly a month. Johnson acknowledged that the end may be near for the Big Unit.

Patrick Arnold "Clears" up Barry Bonds Scandal

It's not breaking news, but it's another nail in Barry Bonds' coffin.

Patrick Arnold, long regarded as a big fish in the performance enhancing drug community, affirmed his belief that Bonds and Gary Sheffield used "the clear." If this was the first (or tenth, for that matter) such allegation, Bonds would be quaking in his boots.

But this kind of news has become routine.

Back in the days before they'd become famous authors (Game of Shadows), Lance Williams and Mark Fainaru-Wada reported about Bonds' testimony before the grand jury in 2004. Drip, drip. Thanks for the leak, Troy Ellerman!

Even then, Bonds admitted to using "the clear" that Victor Conte had supplied him. Of course, Bonds understood it to be flaxseed oil for his arthritis. Riiiiiight.

Anyway, Arnold is far from the first person to point the finger at Bonds. But as a 2006 Sports Illustrated article describes, Arnold is a huge figure in the world of illegal chemistry, and he's given credit for creating "the clear."

So while some may decry Arnold's allegations on the basis that he's crooked, I'd disagree. As creator of "the clear," Arnold might be just twisted enough to consider Barry Bonds a success story.

Anyone read Frankenstein lately?

Welcome Back, Anthony Reyes!

Congratulations to Anthony Reyes for regaining eligiblity as the worst pitcher in the major leagues this year!

Reyes, who is 0-10 with a 6.40 ERA in 12 starts this year, has spent the last three weeks in AAA Memphis. After laying an egg in his first start back on the farm, Reyes rebounded with a couple of decent outings.

Reyes' reward? A chance to worsen his abysmal record!

With the pitching corps looking awfully thin these days, the Cardinals figured they could do worse than Reyes for a spot start this weekend. That's what I call being in the right place at the right time.

Reyes should expect a phone call from Jose Contreras, thanking him for reclaiming the "worst" label. Then again, they do play in separate leagues.

Minus Woods, British Open Playoff Lacks Drama

It was a tremendous day of celebration for Padraig Harrington, who won his first major at the British Open this evening at Carnoustie.

His wife and parents must be ecstatic. Sergio Garcia, whom Harrington beat in a four-hole playoff, must be devastated.

But does anyone else care?

Harrington has had a couple of top 10 finishes in prior majors, but he's no threat to become a dominating force in the sport. Garcia, who is arguably the more talented of the two, only solidified his reputation as a poor finisher, a guy who can't come up big when push comes to shove.

Mostly, though, the major tournament demonstrated how badly the sport needs Tiger Woods. Or more specifically, a nemesis for Tiger Woods.

Woods, who undoubtedly lacked focus following the birth of his first child last month, finished tied for 12th. Yet even those who root against Tiger had to wish that he had been contending today.

When Tiger's in it, which he usually is, the final round takes on an entirely different flavor. When he's not, tournaments -- even those that end in playoffs -- just seem bland.

Is it too much to ask for another golfer to step and challenge Tiger Woods, to push him to become an even greater golfer? Perhaps. But two-and-a-half years ago, who could have imagined that anyone in this generation could challenge Roger Federer?

Whether it be Garcia, Phil Mickelson, Vijay Singh, or some golfer we've never heard of, golf needs its Rafael Nadal now more than ever.