SawxFawx	Female 23 years old WINCHESTER, MA
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Where do trade rumors actually start? Take a look at the Toronto Blue Jays. Underachieving team in a powerful division? Check. Perennial all-star being dragged down by the second-rate, rather, third-rate success of his team? Check. Big time contract dwindling down to its last few threads? Looming trade deadline with greedy rivals licking their chops and anxiously waiting in the wings? Check, check. I should add one last thing to that paragraph: Distinct economical rebound permitting MLB powerhouses to buy the “next sure thing?” You betcha. In my opinion, trade rumors start because people speculate, then proselytize. Obsess over the possibilities of one great idea actually moving into the realm of reality. Not saying that Roy Halladay’s future success is somewhere in between real life and dream state—the man is well accomplished and a work horse. Besides that 21-year old monster Brett Anderson who absolutely blanked the Sox Monday on two hits, sinking every slider and curveball so low that no one could even run up the count, I think the complete game is something of the past. Starters become closers, and closers who do make the switch to starter again have a hard time adjusting to the work load. Back to the issue at hand. Roy Halladay would make a great match for the Boston Red Sox, but at this point in the season, that’s exactly what the Sox don’t need to do: invite a new stud starting pitcher into their clubhouse so that they can argue over which guy gets packed into the equipment luggage come post-season. That’s what’s going to happen you know, one too many pitchers in the rotation—bringing Smoltz’ focus away from himself and towards another hot-shot who magically gets a second wind with a successful franchise. He’s already been there—and deserves the support and patience in his road to recovery. Clay Buccholz? He’s a young dude. I’m being very informal here because he’s young. Too young to be floating around in the free agent market being testy and mislead by big-time contracts and dead presidents. There is no shortage of financial options and farm-hands in the Red Sox organization, but some people still think it would be a good idea to pull out the stops for post-season security in Halladay. Undoubtedly, he would make a great addition to the Fenway aura, the fanfare, sell out crowds, and a pennant race which is not locked up in the least bit. Maybe people are petrified that the New York Yankees will begin their domineering ways and steer the pennant in their direction before September hits. The Blue Jays are 43-44 and 9.5 out of the East and looking to make a toss up because Shaun Marcum and Dustin McGowan are looking to be healthy starters next season. Maybe Theo’s mastery has influenced younger brother and Toronto GM JP Ricciardi, to pull the trigger on his ace of diamonds. Remember Matt Clement? He was subject to trade rumors back in 2004 and the Red Sox were interested. He was the billy goat-tee Cubs stud pitcher who promised great things. The Sox signed him in 2005 for three years, 25.5 million, and he was a bust (perhaps because he was hit in the head with a line drive?). Three seasons after fans would flock to Wrigley wearing fake goatees expecting impressive dramatics from Clement, he moved his way up to Toronto, and then retired with a 87-86 record, and a 4.47 ERA. Remember when Ben Shields was the hottest new thing on the market? Since when is someone like Pedro Martinez a target for pitching upgrades ... isn't he just as unreliable as the rest of them? Deep breaths, a lot of you might be boiling with responses and questions in regards to what I just wrote, but I have to give this one a little more thought. I'm calling for a part II on this one. Trade rumors deserve worthy justification.