Weekend Buzz: Strong acquisitions put BoSox, Phils ahead

Knobler: Look Ahead

The Weekend Buzz while you were awaiting a ruling from the government on whether the Pittsburgh Pirates qualify for the Cash for Clunkers program. ...

Trade Deadline Winners

Matt Holliday, batting .606 in his first nine games with the Cards, is already a celeb in St. Louis. (AP)

Phillies: How does Cliff Lee look in Philly red? He threw 5 1/3 no-hit innings against San Francisco in his Phillies' debut Friday night, pitched a complete game, singled, doubled and scored a run. "I'm kind of glad I didn't throw a no-hitter," Lee said. "If I did the first time, I'd be having to live up to some high expectations." No problem, Lee and Cole Hamels will handle those in October.

Cardinals: Holy Redbirds. Matt Holliday, in his first nine games for Tony La Russa, batted .606 with a .659 on-base percentage and a 1.061 slugging percentage. Finally, Albert Pujols can take that well-deserved summer vacation (well, maybe one day off. ...). One worry for down the road: While acquiring their Holliday, Mark DeRosa and Julio Lugo, the Cards traded four of their top six prospects (according to the Baseball America list). Answer to that: When you've got Chris Carpenter and Pujols together, you don't worry about four years from now. You worry about now.

Red Sox: The Red Sox might have missed in luring Mark Teixeira last winter, but in their never-ending death battle with the Yankees, Victor Martinez provides a huge bat (see Sunday's five-hit, four-RBI game) and his versatility (catcher, first base, DH) will play huge as manager Terry Francona juggles the health and age issues of Jason Varitek, Mike Lowell and David Ortiz.

Tigers: Jarrod Washburn is pitching as well as anyone in the game right now: an 0.25 ERA over his past five starts. With his acquisition, the Tigers' rotation now includes three of the AL's top seven ERA leaders -- Washburn and Edwin Jackson were tied for second at 2.64 Sunday and Justin Verlander was eighth at 3.16. The Tigers are living right: In addition to nabbing Washburn, they got to Cleveland this weekend just after the Indians had traded away Lee and Martinez. Alas, they still lost two of three.

Rangers: For what they didn't do. Those frantic talks for Roy Halladay 24 hours before the deadline were dangerous. First, this franchise is so broke and concerned with what bills it can pay that it is only ordering some supplies -- like, baseballs -- a month at a time. Second, finally, the farm system is re-stocked with outstanding young arms ready to produce. Following owner Tom Hicks' lead in the past has led to disastrous results (that Alex Rodriguez contract didn't go so well, did it?). Good thing they're now following the lead of club president Nolan Ryan and Jon Daniels. The Rangers are tantalizingly close to hitting paydirt, and had they sacrificed pitchers Derek Holland or Neftali Perez (or some of their other good, young arms) while chasing the short-term vision of overachieving this summer, it would have set the franchise back yet again. Good job in staying the course, Rangers.

White Sox: As Padres GM Kevin Towers said, "Jeff [Moorad, San Diego's chief operating officer] and I talked about two weeks ago and said, 'If somebody was really smart right now, they'd bring Jake Peavy up [during trade talks].'" Nobody did, until White Sox GM Kenny Williams phoned late Friday morning. "I'm pretty sure Jake will be toeing the rubber in the next 30 days," Towers says. Peavy, who swears he'll be pitching by the end of August, will make a difference down the stretch. And anybody want to face the Sox with Peavy and Mark Buehrle going in a short October series?

Giants: OK, Ryan Garko and Freddy Sanchez aren't exactly Willie Mays and Orlando Cepeda. But with Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain and Co., the Giants can play in October. But they needed a few bats to get there. No big boomer bats were available, but GM Brian Sabean advanced the Giants' cause.

Cubs: They didn't help themselves nearly as much as the Cardinals did, but in left-handers John Grabow and Tom Gorzelanny, they added depth. Which, the way manager Lou Piniella chews through relievers, they'll need.

Mariners: Didn't know GM Jack Zduriencik spoke (Luke) French. Seattle received two pitchers from Tigers, upgraded at shortstop with Jack Wilson and through all the juggling, the M's continue to position themselves to make a strong comeback from last season's 101-loss debacle.

Pirates general manager Neal Huntington: Hey, nobody's torched the guy's house (so far). Anybody with guts like this deserves a pat on the back from somebody. I'll give this guy credit as he stubbornly sticks to his vision. He's less popular than head lice right now in Pittsburgh after trading six everyday players, including four of the first five Pirates to bat this season on opening day -- Nyjer Morgan, Freddy Sanchez, Nate McLouth and Adam LaRoche, plus Jack Wilson and pretty much anyone anybody else has ever heard of. But the barren Pirates farm system at least has some players now.

"They had no inventory," an executive with on NL team said. "They had no players. No players winning at the major league level and no players coming through. It just wasn't going to work."

Losers

Blue Jays: All that jawing, and no Halladay trade? Toronto's ace loses value each day he remains. Somebody could have had him for two stretch runs -- this year and next. That would have brought a larger haul than Toronto will receive this winter.

Dodgers: While the Dodgers swung and missed on Roy Halladay, Philadelphia and St. Louis each significantly improved themselves. The days of April, May and June when Los Angeles was by far the best team in the NL have passed. It's no longer them and everybody else. George Sherrill will help an overworked bullpen. But the Dodgers don't have the starting pitching to match up in October.

Indians: In the midst of one of the most disappointing seasons of anybody in the game, the Indians now have traded two Cy Young winners in consecutive summers -- Cliff Lee this year, and CC Sabathia last. They did add 11 players into their system -- including nine pitchers -- while attempting to re-tool. Odds of success? This year is lost, next year probably will be ugly, but when GM Mark Shapiro dealt another Cy Young winner, Bartolo Colon, in 2002, he got Grady Sizemore, Brandon Phillips and Lee in return. So there is hope. Maybe not until 2011 or 2012, but. ...

Cleveland marketing department: The Indians went ahead and handed out more than 31,000 Victor Martinez Bobblehead Dolls as scheduled Saturday night, a day after the trade deadline. Amazing thing was, each of those little bobbleheads shed tears, too, just like Victor on his way out of town.

Twins: Pitching. They needed pitching. Shortstop Orlando Cabrera is a nice addition, but he can't pitch. This weekend's totals while getting swept by the Angels: The Twins surrendered 35 runs in three games while the Angels slaughtered them with eight home runs and a .394 batting average.

Yankees: They were 0-8 this season against the Red Sox before Boston acquired Victor Martinez. How are they supposed beat the Sox now? With Jerry Hairston Jr.? I don't think so.

Astros: The players are playing their stones off and have climbed back into the race, only to get no reinforcements at the deadline? Memo to Astros players, from management: We don't think you can do it.

Angels: The Angels say they like their team as is. The statistics, which reveal Angels relievers to be ranked 12th in the AL with a 4.82 ERA, disagree. The Angels added nobody at the trade deadline and, unless they get lucky in August with a waiver claim or two, it probably dooms them to more October disappointment.

Brewers: Last year ... Sabathia! This year ... Claudio Vargas. Ugh.

Pirates fans: Tonight's Bobblehead giveaway is tomorrow's 25 cent garage sale trinket. Any Pirate anybody's heard of is going as the club careens toward a major league record 17th consecutive losing summer. It's frustrating both to be a Pirates fan and to work for the club these days. On the other hand, now's a great time to buy tickets to see the Pirates: In attempting to assuage the anger, between now and Aug. 7, the Pirates are paying the service charge on all single-game tickets to any game the rest of the season. Go get 'em, Bucs fans!