Deadline often brings busts

As the July 31 MLB trade deadline approaches, the annual exchange of minor league prospects for veteran players will commence. For those of you who aren't aware, the teams who are in position to make a run at the postseason trade their young prospects to teams who are out of the race, who in turn trade proven veteran players that can help immediately. \nIt's like Jack trading his cow for magic beans. The deal didn't work out, but hey, Jack was out there trying to become a contender in the immediate, and he did what he had to do, which is more than you can say about yourself. Sorry, that was uncalled for, and the analogy was confusing, so here's another. The trade deadline is like a prisoner agreeing to trade a few weeks of regular prison meals for one meal of quality sustenance, like rack of lamb or some other succulent dish. I think we're all on the same page now. \nThe buyers in this year's market include the usual suspects like the Yankees, Red Sox and Cubs, while the sellers include the downtrodden cellar dwellers like the Pirates, Rockies, Reds and potentially the Marlins. However, the capricious disposal of young prospects for short-term help is not without its pitfalls. These prospects are prospects for a reason, and there is certainly the chance that they could become stars in the big leagues. In fact, there have been a number of deadline deals that have proven to be unquestionable failures. I've taken the liberty of creating a list which counts down the top five deadline disasters and fiascoes. So here goes:\n5. The Montreal Expos trade Randy Johnson and two other pitchers to the Seattle Mariners for pitcher Mark Langston in 1989\nLangston wasn't a bad pitcher by any means, but the "Big Unit" has been the dominant pitcher of his era, annually leading the league in strikeouts, ERA and long, greasy hair. The Expos finished the '89 season at 81-81, while Langston bolted for the Angels the following year.\n4. The Padres trade Fred McGriff to the Braves for Melvin Nieves, Donnie Elliott and Vince Moore in 1993\nMcGriff clubbed 14 home runs and drove in 55 in just 68 games after being traded to the Braves, while helping them win the NL West by one game over the Giants. McGriff also became one of America's most celebrated actors for his magnificent work in the Tom Emanski baseball instruction infomercials. In the meantime, Nieves, Elliott and Moore failed to pan out, further proving many baseball experts correct in that you never trade for a guy named Melvin.\n3. The Rangers trade Sammy Sosa, Wilson Alvarez and Scott Fletcher to the White Sox for Harold Baines and Fred Manrique in 1989\nThis trade was navigated with the baseball expertise of then-Rangers owner George W. Bush. Any discrepancies in the trade should now be sufficiently explained. Sosa of course went on to be one of the best power hitters in the game, while Alvarez threw a no-hitter in his first start in Chicago.\n2. The Red Sox trade Jeff Bagwell to the Astros for Larry Anderson in 1990\nBoston traded a young Double-A third baseman named Jeff Bagwell for an 89-year-old middle reliever named Larry Anderson. Needless to say, this was a terrible trade.\n1. The Blue Jays trade David Cone to the Yankees for Marty Janzsen, Jason Jarvis and Mike Gordon in 1995\nCone went on to become a key member of the Yankee dynasty and throw a perfect game, while Janzsen, Jarvis and Gordon quit baseball to create a modern version of "The Three Stooges." The idea failed.\nSo when July 31 comes around, keep an eye on the names you hear in the trades, and follow them to see if they pan out, or if they go the way of Janzsen, Jarvis and Gordon, who I believe are accountants now.