Let's light this candle.

Although it almost always lets us down, is there any single day better than Trade Deadline Day? Sure, as fans of a seemingly permanently bad team, our annual festival of intrigue borders on something of a death-wish, with a trio of high-profile trades (Dye, Damon, Beltran) really defining the franchise over the last fifteen years. Still as Shane Costa once wrote, "u never know". Remember, for like an eighteen month period, Angel Berroa looked like a steal.

Until, or unless something major breaks, consider this your catch-all thread for everything. I'll be adding links as they come in throughout the day. If we happen to find out that some random minor leaguer is now a proud member of this fine organization, feel free to post relevant information/analysis/opinion as well. As a rule of thumb, remember that fanshots should be used for something to share, while fanposts work best if you have something to say.

Finally, not that you asked, but here's my Official Royals Review Trade Deadline Prediction Proclamation: Mahay, Grudzielanek and one stunner/out-of-nowhere guy (i.e. not Olivo) get shipped. Yes, I'm making a very meek version of a purportedly bold statement. Unfortunately, unless you've bought like 10 Royals Review Shirts, you have no right to complain.

• The Cubs are interested in David DeJesus. Aside from the fact that a DDJ swap seems about 98% unlikely, this would certainly be a bold move by Dayton. Maybe for Pie this would be cool, but Lord help us if this goes down. That being said, the Royals aren't in a position where they can play it safe and succeed. At some point, a major risk or two is going to have to pay off for the Royals to become a 90 win team.
  
• Rosenthal is up late posting updates.
• Grudz to the Twins? Can we get Aaron Gleeman in return?
• Late last night I passed along the Mahay to Boston for Brandon Moss rumor. You mean Dayton isn't interested in Adam Stern?
• Dutton reports on the mental state of Mahay and Grudz. Our days of seeing Mahay's piercing blue eyes in huge pixolated pictures on the Star website may be coming to a close.
• Supposedly the White Sox aren't gonna do anything, which either means we've been denied a reprise of the MacDougal and Sisco trades, or the Gload one, depending on your temperament. Or were those the same deal?
• With Will Ohman supposedly the hot lefty on the market, will Dayton be able to resist the Oh-Man's seductive Brave lineage?
• Not really a rumor, but you gotta love the Astros. The folks at Crawfish Boxes seem to have a good attitude towards things.
• Jeff at Lookout Landing, one of my blogging heroes, calls the Marlins "crazy" for wanting to do this purported Manny deal.
• According to SI's Jon Heyman people actually do want Adam Dunn. Don't they know that he's a loser who strikes out and hates baseball? Home runs and walks lose games. Its been proven. You win with guys like David Eckstein. Period.
• Today is the perfect opportunity for DePodesta to announce a trade on his blog isn't it? That would have to be some kind of weird, completely unimportant landmark. Considering how much the media has screwed that guy, I'd love to see Slightly Dangerous deny everyone the precious "break" privilege.
  
• Jerry Crasnick looks back at some big deals that turned out differently than expected. His number one entry is the Colon/Sizemore-Lee-Phillips trade. The funny thing is, everyone I read at the time seemed to think that trade was exactly what it became: borderline irresponsibility on Minaya's part. But hey, it was part of a decade's long plot to destroy baseball in Montreal and find the next wave of tax monies, so its all worked out. And thanks to the Nationals and their mallpark, everyone in D.C. is like a millionaire now, or something.