The 2010 trade deadline, two weeks later… 

Unlike that other New York team, the Yankees made moves in an attempt to keep up with the Joneses. And by Joneses, I don’t mean Chipper. (Wow! Too soon?)  I am talking about the adorably unpredictable Tampa Bay Rays.  When we look back, will these trades be historically significant? Err, probably not.  Upon first glance, does it look like the Yankees learned nothing from their mistakes of the mid-aughts? Yup. 

Ted Lilly was available to fortify a rotation, weakened by Pettitte’s stint on the DL. Yeah.  The Cubs gave him a way for a bucket of chicken and a box of burned-out light bulbs.

Oh, adorable Theodore Roosevelt Lilly…. (No joking folks, that’s his real middle name.)

Truthfully, if Ted Lilly is literally your best guy out there then the Yankees probably made the best moves possible to improve their situation.  Besides, when push comes to shove, what did they lose? 

For virtually nothing, they acquired 1B Lance Berkman from Houston for cash considerations, RHP Mark Melancon and INF Jimmy Paredes.  They acquired RHP Kerry Wood for cash from Cleveland for a player to be named or cash.  They designated RHP Chan Ho Park for assignment and optioned OF Colin Curtis and 1B Juan Miranda to Scranton-Wilkes-Barre. 

None of these moves are going to punch the team a ticket to the Series.  Lance Berkman isn’t even an acceptable back up for Teixeira at first.  Nonetheless, if Wood can give Chamberlain a swift kick in the butt then we might have something here.

Speaking of midseason moves…

I moved back east.  You might ask why?  I’m going to miss out on Chicago’s tropical winters.  How will I get my mid-January tan? 

Eh, it was time for a shake-up. Besides, I got tired of making fun of Cubs fans.  Making fun of Cubs fans is like making the fat kid the anchor on your elementary school relay team.  It’s mean and a bit fruitless.  So, this week I find myself knee deep in boxes.  The only t-shirt I can find is a Xavier Nady shirt from his two minutes with the New York Mets.

Yes, like Yankeographies, teams will make a shirt for anything or anybody. 

If anyone can find a Piazza shirt from his stint with the Marlins, hit me back…

Speaking of hitting…

K-Rod!  Wow!  No better way to haul your subpar team kicking and screaming back into the media spotlight, like punching your girlfriend’s father out in front of your teammates’ families and loved ones.  Sure, why hold a press conference to talk about your team’s winning streak when you can talk about your closer being a selfish jackass?  I’m sure David Wright totally preferred to do the later.  Wright is starting to age five years every game.  Way to think about the team on that one. 

K-Rod’s return is going to be as awkward as the Westboro Baptist Church accidently booking Nathan Lane to speak at their next service.

Besides K-Rod, didn’t you learn anything from the news this week?  If you really want to torpedo your career, pull the emergency shoot.  And don’t forget to grab a couple of beers on your way out.