MLB News, Notes & Anecdotes
By Jim Lachimia

Want another example of small market blues? In 1999 and 2000, the Kansas City outfield featured Johnny Damon in left, Carlos Beltran in center and Jermaine Dye in right. All three eventually became too pricey for the Royals and one by one they were dealt to other clubs. Turns out Damon won a World Series with the Red Sox in 2004, Dye did the same with the White Sox last year, and Beltran has a good shot to get a ring this year as part of a powerful Mets ballclub.

In early July, New York had the National League's best record and a whopping 10.5-game lead in its division. But the Mets are not likely to stand pat as the July 31st trading deadline approaches. Look for GM Omar Minaya to swing a major deal for a front line starting pitcher. This organization can feel a World Championship in its bones, and has the desire and the resources to go after it with great gusto.

Despite the struggles Jeromy Burnitz has endured the first half of this season, Pirates manager Jim Tracy still believes the veteran slugger can make a big impact. Tracy recently said better results from Burnitz could have made a huge difference to this point. "He's a very important piece, because the game has found him in a number of significant situations where we've been beaten by one run. His number has been dialed up a ton, in all fairness to the situation."

Note to ESPN's programming department: We don't want or need to see every game played between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox. Granted both teams have great players, and yes, their match-ups are often compelling - but enough already. There are plenty of good teams and lots of great players we seldom get to see because a lot of TV executives seem to have one-track minds.

When slugger Brad Eldred broke his thumb and wiped out his 2006 season, many Pirates fans were understandably disappointed. But many baseball insiders don't believe Eldred will become a front-line major league player. Baseball America executive editor Jim Callis said: "Not that scouts are right all the time, but I talked to a lot of scouts who watched him play in the Arizona Fall League, and they think Brad Eldred is a platoon player. And he hits right-handed, so how many at bats is that? I didn't talk to a single scout in Arizona who saw him as an everyday player on a good team."