Someday, someone will tell a story about how close they were to acquiring Jose Contreras at the 2007 trading deadline. They will tell how they were, at the time, one veteran pitcher away from having a team they thought could go all the way. They are most likely employed by a National League team right now, and that person will tell how much of a gamble it was for them to go ahead and not take a chance on #52.

They will probably also most likely tell how they breathed a sigh of relief, as the big man was shelled AGAIN almost immediately, tagged for 7 runs on 8 hits in 2.2 innings. He issued only one walk while striking out two. There were no ground-outs. And that unknown official rejoiced.

In all, eight home runs were surrendered to Yankee hitters – and yet none of them were to the guy who this writer would like to see break the career home run mark as soon as possible.*

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For those who either haven’t heard or just tuned out entirely, the Good Guys traded another proven commodity for another long-term bullpen gamble, sending utility man Rob Mackowiak to the Padres for A-level RHP Jon Rink. The logical guess is that Erstad doesn’t clear waivers plays out the rest of the year, and if he does we’d see the return of either Brian Anderson or Ryan Sweeney. On the plus side, Grindy McGrinderstad went one whole at-bat with hurting himself. Outstanding.

Mack-o-wack was also up for a raise to $3.5 million for next year, so the Sox could be pooling the cash to make yet another bid for a major addition to the roster via free agency and possibly for the next true home run king.* Or, in what most long-time Sox fans would call the more likely scenario, they’re not.

(*) You didn’t think I meant Bonds, did you? Shame on you if you did.