smartymarty

They acquired left-hander Jarrod Washburn today from the Seattle Mariners for two pitchers, both of them left-handers: Luke French, who was in the Tigers’ rotation and highly-regarded prospect Mauricio Robles, who’d been at West Michigan. Washburn can be a free agent at the end of the season, but is a major acquisition all the same. He was 8-6 with a 2.64 ERA for the Mariners. Not only that but he’s just coming off one of the best months of his career.

The Cardinals have completed a trade for Oakland outfielder Matt Holliday, the Post-Dispatch’s Derrick Goold has confirmed. “If he gets here, he plays,” Tony La Russa told Goold via text message about using Holliday in tonight’s game vs. Philadelphia. Holliday was told by his agent Scott Boras this morning that a deal was done, and Holliday is telling his former teammates in Colorado that he’s a Cardinal, sources told Goold.

A positive drug test sample by Josh Barnett has left the Affliction promotion scrambling for a replacement to face Fedor Emelianenko in the main event of the company’s Aug. 1 fight card from the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. Barnett and Affliction promoter Tom Atencio confirmed both the positive result to the California State Athletic Commission-administered test and that Barnett is off the card.

CHICAGO (AP)—The 105th pitch of Mark Buehrle’s(notes) day broke in toward Gabe Kapler(notes), who turned on it and connected. Buehrle looked up and knew—his perfect game was in jeopardy. Just in as a defensive replacement, Chicago White Sox center fielder DeWayne Wise(notes) sprinted toward the fence in left-center, a dozen strides. What happened next would be either a moment of baseball magic or the ninth-inning end of Buehrle’s bid for perfection against the Tampa Bay Rays.

The Pirates have pulled back their contract extension offers to Jack Wilson and Freddy Sanchez and though they remain open to new negotiations, there was no indication that any are forthcoming. “That time has come and gone,” general manager Neal Huntington said this afternoon of the offers’ life span. “They feel like we’re awfully light both in years and dollars. In our minds, the conversations are at a standstill.

ST. LOUIS – The Diamondbacks made a prospects-yielding, cash-saving deal Sunday, sending second baseman Felipe Lopez to the Milwaukee Brewers for two minor-leaguers. The Diamondbacks received Triple-A outfielder Cole Gillespie and Class A right-hander Roque Mercedes for Lopez, who hit .301 in 85 games after signing as a free agent in the off-season. “Obviously, with where we are in the standings, you have to consider trades like this,” Diamondbacks General Manager Josh Byrnes said. “Felipe played really well for us and fit in well, especially with the younger players.

Coming soon, another lineup featuring Bobby Crosby, another lonely stroll back to the dugout by Jack Cust and another tardy swing by Jason Giambi.Playing now, Matt Holliday waging a daily battle to prop up his own morale, Nomar Garciaparra wondering why he signed up and Orlando Cabrera hoping he can get out.And there’s Mark Ellis, surviving purely on his own professionalism.