Missing the Trade Deadline

My wife and I just returned from a 17 day road trip. We left our home in Kansas City on July 18th, and got back yesterday. It was quite the vacation. We visited my family the first week, and spent time with my wife's side in Yellowstone and Jackson Hole the second week.

I read a few blogs and baseball news items the week we were in Salt Lake City with my family, but that second week spent in the mountains, I was completely unplugged. So, first thing I did this morning was catch up on my baseball news. Looks like the Royals have won seven of their last ten (of course, now that I'm back, things will probably get back to normal), so that was a pleasant surprise. But what really threw me was pulling up the MLB homepage and seeing a picture of Manny Ramirez in a Dodgers uniform.* It was then I realized that I had missed the Trade Deadline.

*Not sure which was stranger: seeing Manny in Dodger Blue, or seeing him, or any everyday player, for that matter) wearing number 99.As a Royals fan, I'm glad that Manny will no longer tear-up Kansas City pitching. Keep in mind that I haven't read anything but this generic news brief from MLB on this issue. I am just having a hard time imagining why the Red Sox traded him. In return, they gained 29-year old All-Star Jason Bay from the Pirates. Bay is a good hitter, and maybe his numbers will increase when he is surrounded by the big bats in Boston's lineup, but he's no Manny. Then again, that may be a good thing, if you're the Red Sox. And who knows? Besides trading for a more stable personality, perhaps they unloaded Manny just in time. Although, with Andruw Jones not meeting expectations, I would feel really bad for the Dodgers if Manny's production takes a downturn upon his arrival as well.

And Junior is now with the White Sox? Wow. That's hard for me to picture. Then again, he'll probably always be a Mariner in my head. I had heard that the Reds had been looking to deal him, but the White Sox? They must really be pushing hard for other pennant this season. Too bad the Mariners have stunk so badly this year. Otherwise, Junior could have helped his original team with a playoff push. It would have been a nice homecoming for him if he'd have been able to return to Seattle. But now that he's in the American League Central Division, at least I'll be able to see him play before he retires.