start printing playoff tickets in Pittsburgh . . .

'cause they just traded for Jason Michaels.

Looks like his career peaked with the Phils and he's now on the
downhill side of both his career and the age of 30. His OPS peaked at
age 27 with the '03 Phils at 985 and since then has gone 779, 814,
717, 721, and 533 (ouch!).

It's really odd getting used to the fact that the Phils have actually
been a pretty good team for several years now. In the bad old days it
was the Phillies who'd add a marginal player for his "experience" and
"value in the clubhouse" . . .

"We had a chance to get an established major league player, albeit one
that is struggling a little bit this year," Pirates general manager
Neal Huntington said. "But he's a guy who brings a veteran presence to
the clubhouse and can legitimately play left and right field."

Today it's over the hill ex-Phils who are filling that niche.

wes