Intelligent acquisitions

First, let's all say "Woot-Woot!" for the sweep in KC. We avoided blogging on the beat downs here just because while we do a lot of things well (chicken-mushroom quesadillas for example) we don't do a great job of gloating. Also it's just mean, and we are not mean...we are from heaven.

But now let's focus on the bigger fish in need of some frying namely: the trade deadline which is now a mere two days away. While the Twins always seem to be hunting for someone or something to complement the team for a stretch run rarely do we actually pick up the big gun.

And this, actually is okay by me. Sure I'd love to have a Cy Young winner like Roy Oswalt or a significant talent like Dan Haren, but it seems more and more like the major league baseball trade deadline is like a block long string of garage sales. You walk down the road and see something that's strange and amusing and would actually look pretty cool on your bookshelf...like, say, a ceramic giraffe doing the splits!

I mean...look at that! it would totally tie Target Field together! We must have it!! Except...a whole bunch of other people at the garage sale are convinced that the ceramic giraffe is perfect for them too, and all at once everybody starts yelling offering obscene prices for that ceramic giraffe. Someone says: 10 bucks, you say 20, a third person goes to 30 bucks plus their girlfriend!

While this is happening a bunch of other people gather round and tell you that you have to buy this ceramic giraffe--it's an absolute neccesity they cry...once you have that all your problems will be solved! Unfortunately the giraffe seems to be sneering at you, like it doesn't really want to go home with you no matter how much you want it. Finally this hot shot from New York comes in and offers 50 bucks, their girlfriend and their first born child and that's that the ceramic giraffe is theirs.

So you're bummed, because, well...if you had 50 bucks or weren't so fond of your girlfriend then the ceramic giraffe would be yours. But you walk down the road and see a ceramic crocodile pot! It's hilarious! You must have it!!

...but so do the other three guys who missed on the ceramic giraffe...

Ultimately, the trade deadline is a massive crap shoot...the kind of thing where you're almost guaranteed to overpay for whatever you buy and will be unlikely to notice it for very long afterwards. Take last year for example: sure Orlando Cabrera did a great job for the months he was in town...how many of us can really remember his stats though?

A great deadline deal is as rare as a Rembrandt in a garage sale. So don't hope for too much...and keep an eye on the waiver wire after the deadline. It's like the transfer window in futbol...you conduct your business in private and pay just enough to satisfy the team and the player you want--done and done!

That's how we got Carl Pavano from the Indians...and Danny from Valencia CF. (He made a pretty bad soccer player carrying a glove into the field.)