As for the Orioles, they’re going to have an incredible lineup next year. They’ve got a bonafide leadoff guy in Brian Roberts, who led the AL in doubles last year with 51, followed by a guy who hit .340 last year in Melvin Mora. Then, a former AL MVP, who only drove in 150 runs last year, Miguel Tejada. Followed by Sosa or Rafael Palmeiro (a pair of Hall of Famers) hitting fourth and fifth in some order, then Javy Lopez, Jay Gibbons, Larry Bigbie and Luis Matos. Even for the AL that’s sick.

But you have to wonder, how can you trade with the Cubs…the team with pitching prospects falling out of their ears and not get at least one pitcher in the trade? You know that Hendry would have thrown in Sergio Mitre or somebody if Baltimore had eaten a couple million more of Sammy’s cash. It makes no sense.

I also love it when people criticize the Orioles for making this deal only to sell tickets. Hey, they play in a division with the Red Sox and Yankees…I think selling tickets is probably kind of important, too. Oh, and DC just added a baseball team, so you don’t think that having a guy going for his 600th homer and one going for his 3,000th hit (Palmeiro) in the same season will help drive ticket sales?

Dave van Dyck breaks down what has to fall in place for the Sosa trade to get finalized.

– Bud has to approve the deal. (Bud loves Sammy, and if Sammy wants to go to Baltimore, Sammy gets to go to Baltimore, no matter how much cash the Cubs are sending with him.)
– The union has to let Sammy void his final year. (The Cubs have effectively bought out that year by giving him the $4.5 million option buyout and his $3.5 million severance, now it’s up to Sammy to decide if he wants a two-year $20 million extension from Baltimore or if he wants to be a free agent in ’06.)
– Sammy has to pass his physical. ( Peter Angelos has voided deals in the past, but not when he was getting such a sweetheart cash payment. Sammy’s arms could fall off during the exam and he’d pass.)

All I know about Baltimore I learned from “The Wire” on HBO, and I didn’t know about the big Dominican population they have.

Little Jerry Hairston’s all fired up.

Phil Rogers says the Cubs are going to go after Peggy after all.

Groucho says that February’s going to be rough for the Bulls.

Mike Kiley says the Cubs aren’t going to get Magglio. Mike’s still upset about not having any use for his Sammy knee pads anymore.

Chris Deluca was once on a plane with Magglio! Wow! Who cares?

Mariotti puts down the doughnut to keep on ripping Sammy.

Apparently, the Wizard of Roz has a radio, too.

Gene Wojciecowski on Sammy’s last day.

Phil Rogers with moron who the Cubs will replace Sammy with.

Jerry Crasnick’s just glad the O’s finally did something.

Peter King’s Monday Morning QB.

Why do columnists ask themselves questions and then answer them? Because they’re hacks.

The Free Press is worried that the Cubs are going to steal Peggy from the Tigers.

Remember when the midly amusing HBO show “Entourage” showed how wild the Jimmy Kimmel Live green room is? They didn’t show this.

America’s finest news source wonders how we’re poisoning our enemies.