HOW THINGS HAVE CHANGED

We're heading into August, and I'm thinking about October.

It occurred to me today, as I was thinking about the trading deadline, that this is one of those trade deadlines where it feels like it will have a serious impact in a couple of months. So I'd be disappointed if the Mets didn't make a move.

Jason Bay would be ideal at this point, but I'm not getting my hopes up for him or Matt Holliday. If it happens, great, because that's the piece the Mets need. If not, I just hope they make a move that reflects what fans want - don't give up the farm, but show us that you can make the right move.

I'm thrilled that the Mets don't seem to be interested in Manny Ramirez. It's a double-edged sword with him - whoever gets him, if he's traded by tomorrow, will get the "I'll play for you" Manny. But then there's the Manny who doesn't run out ground balls and complains about a balky knee lurking in the shadows, waiting to bust out when things turn sour. And that's a distraction the Mets don't need.

What I'm hoping is that the Mets don't overreact to prevent him from going to Florida. I say let him go there. He will drag Hanley Ramirez way down - that kid is impressionable, and you put the wrong guy there, he'll go right down the tubes with him. That's why getting rid of Miguel Cabrera was such a good move for them. And if the Marlins do deal Jeremy Hermida (and Josh Willingham, I think I heard), it's a better long-term move for Boston.

And I still suspect that after tomorrow, within a week or two, someone might go ahead and add Barry Bonds. He'll help someone down the stretch, and I think one team will become desperate enough to make the move. I hope it's not the Mets.

PRETTY GOOD TIME TO BE AN ANGELS FAN: Gotta love what the Angels have been doing if you're a fan...They're playing the best baseball in the league, and then they add to it by acquiring Mark Teixeira for Casey Kotchman. A great trade for them - they didn't give up much in a definite upgrade. They were already going to cruise through the rest of the season...this only makes them more of a threat in the post-season. (I heard today that they've gone 170 post-season innings without a homer...is that true? Possible? That streak will end this year.)