-Dexter Sports
5:17 PM
Dexter-Sports Inbox

I'm Alive! Not as much as jello, but I'm here. I haven't been blogging as of late, but I sure have been enjoying the classic summer baseball magic that is upon us. I've enjoyed Manny being Manny in Hollywood, and David Ortiz just wishing that Mr. Ramirez was still a Red Sox. I've watched Jeff Karstens develop at the major league level fairly quickly. And I have watched the Yankees and Tigers make transactions that haven't paid off (See Kyle Farnsworth and Ivan Rodriguez). Then Again, I love what Joe Torre has done. Completely fill the outfield with a bunch of capable stars. Did they really get Manny Ramirez for Andy LaRoche? Yup, they did. Anyways, let's take a look at the news floating around the league.

• According to ESPN, the Red Sox have placed a waiver claim on Brian Giles. Theo Epstein reportedly tried to go after Giles in the past. Not a bad pickup by the giants, but I think that pitching is more of the desired. Freddy Garcia could be a possibly solution to that issue. Giles could fill in at first base if Mike Lowell continues to be hurt. Either way, that lineup needs someone that can draw a walk, and Giles gives that to them. Sox fans shouldn't be excited though, because this means that lineup isn't going to be healthy for a good amount of time.

• Speaking of Freddy Garcia, he and his agent hope to nail down a team to sign with pretty quickly. Garcia prefers to sign a deal just for 2008, and then hit the free agent market for a bigger deal. Of course he does. If he can have any type of success, someone will give him way too much money. It has happened in the past. There are a lot of teams that could use his help, but I think he will end up in New York. Either the Mets or Yankees will be the heavy hitters.

• And in more news in the NL East, The Rays have acquired reliever Chad Bradford from the Orioles. This is a great move by the Rays. Though their pen is one of the best in the AL, it gets better with Bradford. His numbers stun me every year. He just gets the job done. I'm not going to say this is a deal that puts them over the top, but it surely helps them in the hitter heavy AL East. The Orioles will receive a player to be named later. I have quietly been rooting for the Rays all season. Adding Bradford makes me come out of the closet so to speak.

Columns of the Day:

• Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times Revisits the Adam Jones trade. This one almost makes you want to go, DOH!

• Hal McCoy of the Dayton News writes about the rest of the Reds Season. As always, Hal adds a bit of humor. For Reds fans, it doesn't seem like a .500 season is in reach.
  

• Jean Jacques Taylor of the Dallas Morning News touches on the C.J. Wilson situation in Arlington. Have you heard about it? It is kind of hard not picturing C.J. as the closer of the future. Oh well, he is still young. But I understand the Rangers situation. You have to do something. Especially since your team has a chance at clinching a wild card birth.