Can I Get A Sandis For My Workbench?

The NHL trade deadline is my excuse to mention Sandis Ozolinsh.

It's just a great name.

Say it with me: Sandis Ozolinsh.

What does Sandis Ozolinsh have to do with the New York Mets?

Well, they thought that Kaz Matsui would be their Sandis Ozolinsh...you know, an offensive defenseman at second base...a terror with the bat and a whiz with the glove. But the only whiz that caused any trouble was the one that put Ozolinsh in a substance abuse program earlier in the season.

But the subject of trade deadlines will be an interesting one for New York's baseball team...as it was for New York's hockey team (in my world, there's only one of each). Because with all the off-season moves the Mets made for 2006, you wonder if they have anything left for the July 31st deadline. Save for the courtship of Manny Ramirez's services, there wasn't anyone left to add at the deadline. Will there be any more salary available for the trade deadline? Will there be any holes to fill?

Of course, the NHL is now different from MLB in that hockey has a salary cap...so all deals are made with salary ramifications in mind. But the Mets are on a self imposed budget that they are close to maxing out on now. That, combined with the fact that most positions are filled with top-flight talents and salaries, means that it's probably going to be a quiet July in Flushing.

If they are to trade for a second baseman (which isn't likely as long as Kaz continues to be the albatross that ate the 7 train), it will probably happen in spring training with Tony Graffanino and Todd Walker being shopped now rather than later. Outfield will only become an issue if heaven forbid Cliff Floyd's kidneys are in worse shape than we think. Starting pitcher? At this point, the only way the Mets go after a starter is if it's a top flight starter...and the only way the Mets get a top flight starter is if they include one Lastings Milledge in the deal. And after seeing Milledge play, the only way they include one Lastings Milledge in any deal is over my cold hard body.

(Some wish that could be arranged.)

So what does that leave? A lefty middle reliever perhaps? While perhaps necessary, it would hardly break the bank and get anybody's blood boiling.

So there you have it. The Met trade deadline will be uneventful. And that's the first prediction of 2006. The second prediction of 2006 is that somewhere on a Denver blackboard during major league baseball's trade deadline, Pierre Lacroix will be writing "I will not trade my number one goalie for a physical and mental wreck" 5,000 times.

But he'll probably be writing it in French... in which case, it's: "Je ne commercerai pas mon gardien de but du numéro un pour une épave physique et mentale."