Baseball Odds and Ends

As we near the end of July and the trading deadline approaches, a few thoughts on the 2009 season.

First, boy was I was off on the Oakland A's. I had them picked to go to the World Series. They are locked on last place in the A.L. West and just made the inevitable trade of their best player to a contender. I said it was an "odd hunch". Frankly it was just nuts.

I seem a little off on the A.L. Central where I had Minnesota. While not dead yet, this race looks like the Twins watching the Tigers and White Sox battle it out.

I seem to have the A.L. East and N.L. West right (Dodgers and Yankees). I clearly underestimated the Cardinals in the N.L. Central, but this is still a good four team race.

Now on to the trading deadline. The big players is Roy Halladay. As of tonight the Blue Jays G.M. says he is not going anywhere which means he'll be traded tomorrow. I don't like the idea of the Dodgers ripping apart their roster to get him. Minor leaguers, fine, but when I start hearing Billingsley, Martin or Loney, I get nervous. The Dodgers are in first place by eight games, don't try to reinvent your lineup and clubhouse in late July.

The Blue Jays however, may be overplaying their hand. Yes, they don't have to trade him. They can have this same auction next July and still do pretty well, but by waiting they risk injury to Halladay and a dropping price tag. A few years ago the Washington Nationals tried to gut several teams' farm system in a trade for Alfonso Soriano and ended up blowing all of their leverage. The Blue Jays might do that here.

Speaking of big time pitchers (well, former big time pitchers) Jason Schmidt returned to the mound for the Dodgers. Schmidt, with his $47 million contract, has not pitched in the majors since 2007. He had a reasonably effective start first time out, then got knocked around today.

I will say this for Schmidt, it would have been real easy to coast through rehabilitation and collect the checks. The guys has worked his way back and pitched at such outposts as San Bernardino and Albuquerque. I tip my hat to him for staying with it. He will never be the pitcher he was, but he did not just take the money and mail it in.

Finally, Rickey Henderson and Jim Rice went into the Hall of Fame today. Two great players, one great quote machine (Rickey). Congratulations.