There's a flip side to that, too. The Padres, who are in a dogfight in their division, took the news hard when reliever Scott Linebrink was traded to the Brewers for three minor league pitchers on Wednesday. "Incomprehensible," fumed closer Trevor Hoffman. "Four other teams in the National League West are awfully excited."
Added All-Star righthander Jake Peavy: "You have to trust your front office when you're in the middle of a playoff run. But, man, to trade away your setup man . . . what kind of message are we sending here?"
That doesn't mean that the Braves will overtake the Mets if the Teixeira deal is finalized, especially since it seems likely that New York will also do something to improve. It doesn't mean that the Padres can't finish first without Linebrink who, to be fair, hasn't been very good recently.
It does mean that, whether they mean to or not, players seem to take a cue from what the general manager does. Or, in some cases, isn't able to do.
"We can't rely on the front office to make a trade to get us willing and wanting to play," Twins outfielder Michael Cuddyer said. "We have to be willing and wanting to do that."
He's right. But, for better or worse, teams often seem to react to smoke signals coming from the executive suites, instead.
The hot corner
-- The market for infielder
Ty Wigginton seems to be heating up. The Devil Rays would like to get bullpen help in return. The Yankees, Red Sox and Dodgers are among the interested teams.
-- The Twins' recent swoon has likely turned Minnesota from buyers into sellers at the deadline, with potential free agents Torii Hunter, Luis Castillo and Carlos Silva now believed to be available.
