The Cincinnati Reds finished their flurry of trades by sending Aaron Boone to the Yankees for the Yankees best pitching prospect. That's a good move for the Reds who get a great prospect and dump Boone who found himself in an impossible position as the son of the manager who just got fired.

I'm torn about the trade off of Boone for Ventura. In a short playoff series, you're looking for two things from an experienced player: a clutch glove and a clutch bat. Ventura doesn't hit much for average during the season anymore but his fielding is consistently excellent and in a short series, his experience gave him an edge in the clutch.

Boone on the other hand, is six years younger and seems to be peaking as a player. He has double the homers of Ventura and seems more durable. But he is playing his second best position as second base is where he is a better player.

Bottom line is that the Yankees have a third baseman that will produce for a number of years and lose a third baseman who was an impact fielder and a good clutch hitter with an inviting right field porch in Yankee Stadium.


The Red Sox reaquired Jeff Suppon years after they gave up on him as a young prospect. In 1995, Suppon was the next Red Sox big thing but things didn't turn out that way and the Red Sox traded him to KC after the 1997 season. Suppon is having a good season and is a big step up from Ramiro Mendoza in the starting rotation. The Red Sox did give up their best prospect to get him which scares Red Sox fans and makes them think about Jeff Bagwell.


The Giants got the pitcher they wanted in Baltimore's Ponson. A fourteen gave winner, Ponson will really help the Giants. However, the Giants gave up a lot in Damian Moss, Kurt Ainsworth and a minor leaguer.