MLB Trade Deadline Thoughts

[Editor's note: Due to the frenzy surrounding baseball's trade deadline and the game's exciting pennant races taking place, Ramblings From The Rafters will now be published five days a week starting Monday. Tod made the decision after an exciting week of baseball in his baseball-crazed (and sports-crazed) town of Chicago.]

Oh, Manny. I hope you are happy now. Your wish has been granted. Do you still feel disrespected? Perhaps you will be happier playing for Joe Torre in LA-LA Land. Perhaps Ned Colletti will feel more comfortable coddling you than Theo Epstein. I hope Frank McCourt will not do anything to disrupt the Manny legacy that you so industrially worked for during your time in Boston.

Three words Manny: Shut your mouth. Three more big boy: And play ball. Enjoy your mediocre ballclub and below-average fans. Welcome to the land of insignificant baseball: the National League.

As for Manny's old Red Sox team, Craig Hansen has yet to develop into the consistent relief pitcher the Sox had hoped for this season, while Brandon Moss is nothing more than a solid fourth outfielder. Jason Bay was a perfect snag to fill King Manny's cleats, as Pittsburgh continues to kill off its franchise.

Junior Griffey may resemble more of Senior Griffey these days, but Kenny GM finally has the centerfielder he has coveted for three years. The White Sox acquired the first-ballot Hall of Famer at a moderately cheap price, though I still believe Danny Richar has the potential to be a Delino DeShields-type player. And despite his recent ineffectiveness, Nick Masset has good stuff and should get a chance to start for the Reds the final two months once his arm gets stretched out.

Yanks GM Brian Cashman made one final move on the heels of the Nady deal, getting Ivan Rodriguez for Kyle Farnsworth. While Jose Molina is more effective behind the plate, Pudge gives the Yanks an extra bat to outhit its opponents, which I still think they will need to do to get to the Show.

The Rays failed to get a much-needed right-handed bat, which may be the difference in their tight race with the Red Sox. Though I believe that Matt Garza and James Shields have not hit their peaks yet for the season. However, how long can that bullpen hold up?

By the way, do the Cards want to compete in the NL Central race this season?

On the field, the Cubs outscored the Brewers 31-11 in a four-game sweep that stunned the previously surging Brew Crew. After taking down aces CC Sabathia and Ben Sheets in the first two games of the series and cruising to victory last night, the Cubs showed no mercy today as Rich Harden remained dominant in posting 9 strikeouts in seven innings of one-run ball.

And the White Sox have a chance to escape the Metrodome still in first place by 2 1/2 games if budding young lefthander John Danks can lead the team to a series split tonight.