Another of baseball's fascinating sidelights is the transaction wire. When you've followed the game for decades, the transaction wire is a mini-drama of life, death and injury...yes. But it's also a place where dreams die, dreams come true, potential becomes a bad word and some strong talent never gets a real chance. Like singing in front of Simon on American Idol, it's a tough gig.

Today, Bruce Chen and Dennis Tankersley were released and demoted respectively. Since I read the transactions yesterday and Chen was sent to the minors and today he was released, without seeing a story on the subject, it's a safe bet that he refused the demotion and asked for his release. Wasn't Chen once the great hope of the Atlanta Braves farm system? Did he ever really get a full shot? His first three years, he was 8-2. The last year of those three years, he went 4-0 with a 2.50 ERA. Now four years later, he is released. Yes, the transaction wire can be tragedy.

Dennis Tankersley was sent to the minors today. Once a can't miss prospect, doubt has to enter his mind as he has missed again. Will he make it back this time? Will he fade into obscurity? Time and the transaction wire will tell. For now, he has to look at his stats on mlb.com as a pitcher with a lifetime 8.06 ERA.

In contrast, Josh Hamilton was also sent to the minors today. Hamilton is still considered a top prospect and is still listed among the top ten prospects in all of baseball (http://www.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/minorleagues/mlb_minorleagues_ba.jsp). How many more Spring Trainings will go by before he is the next Dennis Tankersley or Bruce Chen? But for now, he is "just getting more seasoning." He's "just not ready." Millions are spent drafting and signing these legendary prospects. Why not just let them play? Bruce Chen never pitched more than 84 innings in a season. One of the top prospects in the country can't get 250 innings or 500 at bats? Ryan Anderson of the Seattle Mariners was sent back to the minors three days ago. He's never even made it to a major league game. Three years ago, he was the next Randy Johnson. Well...at least Hamilton is still high on the list. Good luck, Josh.

And then the transaction wire reads: "Albert Pujols - signed" Yeah, Albert! Way to go, young slugger. Good kid. Works hard. Wants to learn. Respects those who came before him. Came out of no where and becomes a star. That's what makes the transaction wire unique and special to baseball. For every Bruce Chen, there's a Mike Piazza: drafted in the last round as a favor to his dad. Now he's one of the greatest hitting catchers of all time.

Oh, and if you want some real transaction wire fun, look at the Blue Jays on March 8. They signed ten players that most of the baseball world doesn't even know. Which one will be the next Albert Pujols? That's party life on the transaction wire. In contrast, Ben Rivera, who was 20-12 in his first two years with the Phillies in 1992 and 1993 was released by the Yankees after trying to make it to the major leagues for the first time since 1994. The transaction wire just said he was released. Ben may never pitch again as the real story shows he was released because he has a: "recurrent tear of his reconstructed ulna collateral ligament in his right elbow (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlbpa/players/4810/news)."

And so goes the roller coaster life on the transaction wire...