That grabbed you, didn’t it? Hey, there’s a lot of competition for your eyeballs, and here at Baseball Nation we’re not averse to the lowest of low tricks.
Diamondbacks Bolster Pennant Chances With Blockbuster Trade
Still this is news, right?
The Arizona Diamondbacks have a magic number of one to clinch the N.L. West. But they are taking no chances, acquiring a left-handed reliever, Mike Zagurski, from Philadelphia on Friday for a player to be named.
The deal is a reminder that the trading season doesn’t always end on Aug. 31. Players must be in an organization by that date to be eligible for the postseason roster, but if teams need a lift for September, they are still free to deal.
Okay, so I nominate this as Weirdest Trade of 2011.
The only thing that would make it weirder? If Zagurski is the player to be named later. Which is entirely possible. As Kepner notes, villainous headhunter Dickie Noles and innocuous infielder John McDonald were both traded for themselves.
Still, even if Zagurski remains with the Diamondbacks, this is just plumb weird. He's pitched 3⅓ innings in the majors this season, and 10⅓ since 2007. The D'backs have a six-game lead with six games to play. They do have three games against the second-place Giants this weekend ... but the Giants don't rely on left-handed hitters for their scoring. I mean, on those rare occasions they actually score.
So I just don’t underst-- Hey, wait a minute. There’s this movie that came out today, and now I’m wondering if Diamondbacks are looking for some star power of their own. No, Mike Zagurski’s no Brad Pitt. But with that name and those looks -- Zagurski’s like a potent cross between John Kruk and Engelberg in The Bad News Bears -- maybe the D’backs will finally find that box-office appeal they’ve been missing.
Dang if Kevin Towers isn’t some kind of genius.
See More:
