The trading deadline came and went and most folks are happy that we didn't deal any of the prospects but I'm sad that Boom Boom will be moving on. I've been one of Boom's Boom's biggest supporters and was thrilled when he started living upto his nickname after his dreadful start. The problem is not trading Betemit who did seem the most likely player to get dealt besides D Young. The problem is that I think the team is weaker without him on the bench and playing twice a week then with adding a middling middle relief pitcher. Scott Procter was a fine pitcher last year, very valuable as he ate up lots of innings for the Yankee's. We don't need a guy to eat up alot of relief innings, we need a starting pitcher. The Yankee guys say he's better when he's not run into the ground, since I've haven't seen him pitch much I'll have to wait and see. The peripherals suggest a pitcher with a +5.00 ERA which isn't exactly going to help much. I have seen Betemit hit, and the man had the most power on the team from the left side and played a skilled position. It may very well have been that Proctor was all that Betemit could get, I'll never know but I think we will miss him when we need some thunder from the bench after Proctor has given up the lead that Lowe and company gave him to protect. I hope I'm wrong and the Proctor pitches well and that Nomar and La Roche can handle 3b with solid production as we go forth, but if Hendrickson/Tomko are in the rotation will any of that matter?
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