Baseball's trading deadline gives the haves and have-nots opportunities to improve their short and longterm prospects...with contenders looking to load up on hired hands while cellar-dwellers try to build their talent pool. Much like the "salsa-seltzer" bit from Seinfeld I was amused at the St. Louis' trade for "the other Holliday"--not Toronto ace pitcher Roy Halladay, aka the prize of this July's trading deadline... but Oakland outfielder Matt Holliday. Can't you just hear Cardinal fans?--"We got Halladay?"..."No, Holliday"..."That's what I said!"...One doesn't often think of the Cards as a team heavily involved in midseason swaps, but in the last month they've added a quality utilityman in Mark DeRosa, a legitimate shortstop in Julio Lugo and now a run-producing corner outfielder.
Both the Nationals and Orioles are in the "sell" mode this year... while I don't think the O's will part with gems Nick Markakis and Brian Roberts--the Nats are reportedly making just about their entire roster available--including slugger Adam Dunn. It's tough to imagine what a team on a pace for 47 wins would be like minus their best hitter (on pace to hit 40+ homers and tally 110 RBI)...I'd rather see the club send Nick Johnson or Christian Guzman somewhere for prospects than watch the Nats give up their one drawing card (although Ryan Zimmerman's the future of the franchise, Dunn's power potential during his late inning at-bats keep fans at the ballpark--where they'll buy ice cream, another soda and one last beer).
One major blemish on this year's team has been the multitude of errors-- the Nats lead all of baseball with 94 errors--and the left side is remarkably swiss-cheeselike: third baseman Ryan Zimmerman and shortstop Christian Guzman are tied for the team lead with 13 errors apiece...and leftfielder Adam Dunn's one off their pace with 12 errors. Reserve infielder Alberto Gonzalez has committed the majority of his blunders at short--I guess the idea when batting against the Nats is hit 'em where they are.
Tom Watson's near-miss at the British Open was heartbreaking...as a perfect storm powered the hall of famer for 71 holes: no Tiger, no Phil, a familiar course...Watson missed a chance at his ninth major thanks to a poor putt at the end of regulation--which is somewhat fitting because it was his putting that fell off the map in the mid-80's when it seemed he had at least 3 or 4 more major championships in his career. At age 59, it looked like Watson would vanquish the demons that left him with "only" eight majors and a PGA shy of a grand slam... instead it's another near-miss at a magical moment (aka Kenny Perry at this year's Masters and Rocco Mediate at last year's US Open)-- making Jack Nicklaus' Masters miracle in '86 all the more outstanding.
Sergio Garcia (tied for 38th) credits his recent poor play to his breakup with Greg Norman's daughter... I'm sorry Sergio, I'm sure she's nice--but wouldn't you be better off pursuing somebody with a better family history in majors? Doesn't Jack Nicklaus have a niece? Perhaps Arnold Palmer has a granddaughter? I don't know Gary Player's family tree, but you get the idea...
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