E.K. NATION

That's it?

What a deal, huh? Pretty much the only guy we got before the trade deadline is Ricky freakin' Ledee? Yeah, what a monster bat to place behind Bonds. All in exchange for the low, low price of Fee-Rod, who was one of the better bullpen guys we had, and what the hell are we doing dismantling an already fragile bullpen? Is this it? Is that all we get? Is that Peggy Lee we hear? If so, it's officially over. We don't care what kind of pitching prospect we got in addition. Who cares? If he's not in the lineup helping our team right now, he's useless.

After years of consistently getting a big-name player or two at the deadline, this time Brian Sabean and crew have let us down. No wonder they weren't talking about potential trades; there weren't any. If we'd known they weren't planning on doing much of anything we'd have...uhhh...been nonplussed. As we are now. Bah humbug.

• On the plus side, made our first trip to Petco Park over the weekend; had to leave yesterday's Padres-Dodgers 1-1 game after nine innings in order to catch a flight that turned out to be slightly delayed. Nice park. Nice and open and light in the concourse, good atmosphere, Marines in the upper deck, who got a big standing ovation, all the way through The Marines Hymn. Makes it an even ten major league ballparks we've been to, after Candlestick and Pac Bell, the Kingdome and Safeco, Dodger Stadium, Anaheim Stadium, NetAss, the BOB, and Jack Murphy. Oh, and our trip to Wrigley Field in September has been called off. Anybody want tickets to Sept. 14 and 15's games against the Pirates? Send an e-mail.

• Bass fishing is not a sport.

• Happy wedding J.K. and Cha-Cha! Have fun in the Caymans!