There are three converging fronts that might make the trading deadline as meaningless and boring as Ann Coulter.
The first is Budonomics. "The fact is that there aren't any teams that have to unload salaries," said the GM of an NL contender who was looking to trade. "Everyone is making money, and no one has to dump cash. There's not even a Bobby Abreu out there, like last July." Pittsburgh actually ate a moveable contract feast in Morris. Credit Bud Selig, or blame him, but while he rails at teams about their spending habits and the New York office tries to rig the amateur draft bonuses, teams like the Pirates,
Reds and Royals don't have to get rid of anyone because of payroll. And did not.
The second is the fear and loathing some ownerships have draped around their general managers. "There's a lot of pressure on guys like Wayne Krivsky [Cincinnati's general manager] and Dave Littlefield [Pittsburgh's GM] from their owners not to make what will be perceived by the media and talk shows as a bad deal," another GM said.
"The Reds were supposed to be remade into the model of the Twins, but 16 months into a five-year rebuilding plan, the owner wants immediate results. It's unfair, but it really puts some general managers in boxes."
The third is that many big-market, big-budget teams like the Yankees, Red Sox, Dodgers and Mets are not on the Paris Hilton shopping plan. Instead, they are adopting the business plan so successfully implemented by the Twins, Angels and Braves, which is to hold to one budget level and focus on scouting, development and the integration of their young players into the pennant races in lieu of high cost, high risk, short-term investments. "That's true," said Yankees GM Brian Cashman, who was out of the Teixeira or Gagne sweepstakes at the mention of one of the Yankees' top pitching prospects, Joba Chamberlain. "We value the stability some organizations can create through scouting and development," added Red Sox GM Theo Epstein.