Manny finds glamour in L.A. as White Sox get bargain in Griffey Jr.

I actually believed the Red Sox were going to keep Manny Ramirez around until the end of the season. Rather the organization chose to get one of their best players the heck out of dodge and piss away talent in a bad trade. Don't get me wrong Boston remains a tenacious contender in the AL, but Jason Bay won't replace Ramirez by a long shot! What were the Red Sox's thinking by getting rid of a central part of the team's nucleus? Saying goodbye to a nagging thorn in their side won't necessarily make them a better team overall. At least Boston could've got was another veteran power hitter or good reliever. The Dodgers came off great in the three-team deal. Before the trade their odds of clinching the NL West were slim. With Ramirez inserted into the middle of the order they can compete with the younger D-backs team.

The other big, somewhat surprising trade was Ken Griffey Jr. moving from Cincinnati to Chicago for a reliever Nick Massett and prospect second baseman Danny Richar. I can't believe this deal! See how this Chic Sox's supporter feels about it at http://www.southsidesox.com/

First of all, I didn't expect Griffey to go anywhere. He seemed to be favoring staying put in the area where he grew up. Besides that, this was a STEAL of a bargain for the White Sox! The Reds sure didn't care about the rest of their season or investment in the future with this trade. To me I can't believe a MLB team can make such a bone-headed move. Plus, this is the same club who wanted to depart with Adam Dunn. Cincy isn't moving in the right direction at all because now they're going to be rebuilding the franchise around young players.

From the other side, the beneficiary from this negotiation, the White Sox have to be applauded for this GM decision. They knew the Twins will be nipping at their heels for the rest of the season and give them a run for the division title. Adding another clutch bat with playoff experience may do wonders during a late season spurt leading into a playoff birth. Another good aspect too is if one guy is slumping at the DH then Griffey can fill the spot off and on.

Carlos Quentin is hitting power shots this year, plays pretty good defense along with veteran right-fielder Jermaine Dye who's also having a banner year. I think Griffey will make a nice fit with the White Sox and give them depth and extra power. Plus, the former All-Star slugger still has a keen eye in the field and make catches when they count. Out of all teams wheeling and dealing I think the White Sox came out ahead of the pack.