And let us not forget that Odalis Perez is still taking up valued roster space as well.

Crazy like having Jeff Weaver pinch-hit.

we've just love the last memember of the Perez lelief fund.

Houston and Washington are both stuck on no-hit catchers with defensive reps, and neither has shown much of a desire to have elsewise, and Washington isn't even in the race. Houston is more plausible, but even in the unlikely event that they wanted to finally augment Ausmus, it would be surprising if they were to do so in such a cut-rate fashion. What, Pence for Toby Hall? Right.

St. Louis is into Molina, and he's only 23. It's pretty inconceivable they would decide that Hall's bat advantage substantially outweighs Molina's defensive advantage. If Hall were having a very good year, this would be a darkhorse shot of a contender looking for an edge, but given that he isn't and that StL can improve much more in the outfield, I don't see it.

Colorado and San Francisco are both employing fill-in tandems at catcher. SF will probably ride out what they've got, even if Alfonzo isn't as good as a lot of people probably think at the moment. Colorado probably likes Torrealba's youth enough to stick with him, and my impression is that the vibe up there is pretty solidly against trading anything meaningful to help the 2006 version.

Philadelphia has Carlos Ruiz, and I think he's as good as Hall and they've got him for cheaper. Nonetheless, if they feel like both cutting bait on Lieberthal and adding a Proven Big Leaguer, then I could see some sort of swap (likely internecine) involving Lieberthal and Hall. What with Cincinnati's move today (!!!?) I think I could handle the impending stupefaction.

But if you think it is news, we're back to the Dodgers wanting to get rid of him and other teams having no interest.

Good stuff as always, Tom.

Hall's whining is really remarkable. The gist is essentially, "I could play in Tampa Bay, because they didn't have Russ Martin. He's better than I am, so they should respect my talent enough to trade me to a team with a catcher who's worse than I am."

(By the way, seeing as how Hall was miffed at playing the last couple of innings of a blowout just before the ASB, think he'll be tickled at catching the brief bottom of the 14th tonight? One could interpret Grady's battery choice in the 14th as being one big "Shaddup!" to both players.)

Mike Penner in tomorrow's Times:

"Signing off from Pittsburgh after the American League's 3-2 victory in Tuesday's All-Star game, Fox's Joe Buck wrapped an arm around Tim McCarver and uttered the words that sent shudders throughout America.

"You're stuck!" a grinning Buck told millions of television viewers still reeling from the big-news signing of the day. "You're stuck with us for the next seven years!""

I think Perez will be DFA'd, perhaps as soon as tomorrow.

BTW: Did Lance Carter ever get his videos? Did they turn out to be reruns of Sesame Street or the Wiggles?

good point

"Well Pujols is the best hitter in the game and I can't help it if the manager decides I should pitch to him. He's hit me pretty well in the past, if it was up to me, I'd have walked him, but you have to go after him if the manager says so."

Okay so Odalis didn't say this, I made it up, but it's disturbing that it's within his capability.

"It's a weird thing. I've tried to be positive, but my agent is fed up and I'm fed up. A lot of people ask me why I'm here and I have no answer. It's a top-notch organization, but they have a catcher with a future, so in the equation, I don't add up."

Toby, in case you haven't realized yet (you're almost 30 years old), your career lies as a backup in the majors. Quit complaining. If you shutup and produce, you may get your wish. Complaining lowers your trade value (which wasn't much to begin with).

Bingo!

A lot can be blamed on Perez beyod this game, but this one's all about the 11 consecutive innings without scoring.

They have homer guys. What they need, though, is guys for get on, steal, and score. Enter Kenny Lofton. I can't help but think that he might get a good return from Houston.

They might even be a suitor for Hall? Ausmus, after all, has never hit for power, and he's hitting the same .238 average as Hall. With an OPS of .598, and throwing out 9 of 50 basestealers, Ausmus isn't quite doing it (Hall's 11 of 47 is slightly better?).

If they're not attached to Adam Everett, Furcal or Izzy?

As for who the Astros have, Andy Pettite would be a loaner, and has had a rough start (Pettite for Lofton? And would McCourt accept having another ex-Yankee?), but he has put in 120 innings over 20 starts, and comes with a high draft pick next year. I like Taylor Buckholz, since he's a rookie with a 1.15 WHIP whose only concern is his homer rate, and the fact that he's a rookie makes that less of a concern. Wandy Rodriguez' homer rate improved over last year, but his control isn't weak (1.36 K/BB this year, down from 1.51 in 2005). Or maybe some prospects, though I doubt they'd pick up prospects unless they're about to make a huge impact trade, like for Dontrelle Willis.

Fortunately, I also doubt that Colletti will pull a DePo and make a huge trade only for the impact player not to work out.

As for Odalis Perez, he might be tradeable for Shawn Chacon of the Yankees.

From this account, I can only come to the conclusion that Arn Tellem may be the worst agent ever. But since otherwise we might not have Nomar, I'll say thanks.

"Whatever the situation, Garciaparra insists that he still thought the $15 million-a-year, four-year deal was on the table. When, immediately after the spat between Henry and Tellem erupted in public, the Red Sox leaked to the Globe that Garciaparra had turned down the $60 offer million the team had made in spring training, Garciaparra was shocked.

"'I was like, "Whoa, what is going on here?"' Garciaparra says. 'Since when did I turn it down? At what point did I reject this? I'm scratching my head.'"

It's undeniable Nomar had an ego issue, but after the last couple years - in now his second 1 year deal of under $10 million, I think Nomar's ego has been taken down a notch.

Pitching to Barry Bonds in 2004 wasn't entirely ruled out.

"Perez only allowed a pair of doubles by Alfonzo. He held Bonds to 0-for-2 with a walk and a strikeout, winning a key matchup in the sixth inning. Bonds came up after Marquis Grissom reached on a third-strike wild pitch with two outs."

Meanwhile, it is always a test when tomko throws from a mound, so how is this news?

It's because you have a terrible attitude, and you're simply not a good pitcher. Why would the dodgers keep throwing you out there for an automatic loss every time? Suck it up, work out of the pen and try to build yourself back up to the rotation.

I'm at a point with Odalis where Id honestly put a decent prospect in a deal with him just so someone would take at least a chunk of his contract. Say, Odalis plus an okay prospect and we pay like half his salary next year. I'd do that in a heartbeat just to get this guy off the roster. I'm not blaming him for the loss, I'm just sick and tired of his antics and the fact that we're losing a roster spot AND a lot of money on this guy.

Send him to Pittsburgh, and eat some salary. Don't ask for anything in return (Mike Gonzalez, maybe; throwing in Grabowski here would be great). Say it's a token of our appreciation to Jim Tracy, or whatever, because I think Jim Colburn is the only guy in the world who knows how to get Odalis Perez to pitch effectively. It's an even year, too, but he'll have to break Hershiser's streak to put up his even year numbers.

I hope Hall and Odalis don't rub off on too many of the youngsters, who've all had good attitudes except Guzman.

What?

Huh?

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!

He's not the same pitcher he was years past. From what I've seen he's lost 5 MPH's off his fastball which makes his offspeed stuff less effective. DFA him and eat the contract. It's not only his poor performances its that negative nelly attitude of his. There's nothing a positive petey could say about Odalis. NOTHING.

And Kemp and Drew are starting to frustrate the tar out of me too.

I mean, guys, compared to the Reds, you have to agree that we really underpaid the Devil Rays for Baez and Carter.

I debated that all night with myself and still without a definitive answer.

--

As soon as Perez went in my wife said, hey where you going, you made me watch 14 innings of this? I'll be right back, no worries. (worrying)

Aw, honey..you went and put on your Gagne Game over shirt for luck?

Nope, it's cause it's about to be Game Over.

"I've been treated like trash and I don't want to be in this situation," he said. "My confidence isn't the same anymore. It's killing me as a professional and it's killing my career.

"I want to know what I did wrong to these people. I don't have the answer."

I had the same questions. I had to turn off the game right at that critical moment in the 10th -- but I was satisfied that things were reaching a conclusion. When I turned the game on again at 9, I was shocked that they were still playing.

OP giving up a homer to maybe the best home run hitter in the game? That's not as bad as 1st and 3rd nobody out and failing to score.

That said, I sure wish OP wouldn't shoot his mouth off like that. It's very difficult to support him at the water cooler.

And do we really blame OP or blame Grady for putting him out there in the situation. I also don't know if this has been talked about, but I was not thrilled at Grady leaving in GIO for a second inning. When he didnt pinch hit for him I had Jim Tracy flashbacks and got all sweaty and agitated.

I know that you have Ned's ear, but I don't believe that you have McCourt's wallet. You seem rather willing to throw away millions of his dollars.

And I do not believe that OP has been arrested for DUI or anything of the sort, so it is simply wrong for you to accuse another human of being a drunkard without any knowledge of said drunkenness. You may convince me though that his comments that I just read may be a good sign that he was drunk when he said them.

I wanted to hear his thoughts on the Iverson-to-the-Clippers deal that's on the table.

Washington, D.C.: How does the addition of Kearns affect Soriano and Guillen? Is Casto a potential replacement in left if we trade both?

Tom Boswell: If both are traded, maybe Ryan Chruch will wake up and start to hit in the minors.

That would help the Nats in their long-term project to corner the market on "Ryans" and "Marlons." Ryan Zimmerman, Wagner (someday) and Church. Marlon Byrd and Anderson. By Opening Day of '08, the Nationals apparently hope to field a 25-man roster with only three first names.

From my observations Perez has always seemed distant from his teammates off the field. I don't think he would be missed in more ways than one. Wily Aybar is the only person I've seen OP associate with.

Olmaedo Saenz is far and away the most shy/backward Dodger there is. I don't see him associating with his teammates either.

Seventeen Days to go until we are safe from a poor trade.

Again, the losses can be frustrating but Jon has done a great job to provide a forum for all fans to vent in bad times and to cheer in good times.

But, it is getting rather tiresome to have personal shots taken in advance of what could happen (in regards to potential deals) or for things that happened years ago.

Let's hope that the Dodgers to do something with their player personnel in regards to Odalis Perez but let's refrain from making unwarrented personal attacks.

But... but... she's not in Oklahoma!

It would have been the same article that revealed that he wanted the out clause after two years to see how well he liked L.A., only to discover that he liked it just fine and had made many friends in Pasadena or wherever he lives.

OK, I'll stop making stuff up now.

"Jeff Kent just returned from the disabled list. But whether he's playing or not, word is he's showing considerable power. He has the ear of owner Frank McCourt's wife, Jamie."

I have no idea what that means and please let's not make this a critique of Mrs. McCourt's other body parts. I hear that she has nice legs though.

i.e. "Americans"

And there are players in their early 20s as well as those in their late 30s.

The only thing the men really have in common is playing baseball. Off the field, who knows? I get along with my coworkers, but only one of them has ever been to my home and that was because she bought my old car.

Well, that and I live in a small apartment too.

Maybe one reaseon Pujols didn't comment too much about his home run, he and Odalis were team mates on the Dominican WBC team.

But we all know who wears the pants...

It doesn't make a whole lot of sense, but he's really the only player on the White Sox that is interesting.

the Baez with the flu thing should hopefully put to rest any further discussions of "Why Odalis?" even though I continue to torture myself with visions of the Ball 4 that should have been tossed to Pujols but thankfully there's another game today and hopefully we can soon forget about all this.