Deadline Dealings Begin

Published: July 26, 2007, 4:38 pm

How long before July 31 can you make a trade and call it a "deadline deal"? I'd say anything within a week of the 31st qualifies which means yesterday's deal between the Padres and Brewers is the first trade of this year's swapping season. The Brewers picked up reliever Scott Linebrink from the Friars in exchange for three minor league pitchers. One of those pitchers, lefty Joe Thatcher, will replace Linebrink in the big league pen while the other two, righty Wil Inman and lefty Steve Garrison, will bolster San Diego's developmental core. It's a bit of a strange trade since both teams are in the thick of the playoff race and we're more accustomed to teams trading between tiers this time of year. Linebrink has been a fixture in the San Diego pen for the last four seasons as the guy who made sure Trevor Hoffman got his save chances and will fill that role for Francisco Cordero in Milwaukee. He's not having his best season and the Padres are deep in righty relief but it's strange that a

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