Trade deadline hype may be overrated

Baseball’s trading deadline brings plenty of hype, but in the past six years, final-week trades haven’t always done much to help World Series champions. And, not every non-contending team gets an automatic boost in their rebuilding program.

In 2004, the Boston Red Sox turned their team around and won the World Series when they traded Nomar Garciaparra in a four-team trade that brought them shortstop Orlando Cabrera and first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz and improved their infield defense.

Also, the Red Sox gave minor leaguer Henri Stanley to the Los Angeles Dodgers for outfielder Dave Roberts, whose steal of second base in the ninth inning of Game 4 keyed the Red Sox’s comeback against the New York Yankees in the American League Championship Series.

But a year ago, the eventual champion Chicago White Sox’s only acquisition was infielder Geoff Blum, who played in 31 games and had two postseason at-bats, one a game-winning World Series home run.

“There’s more than one way to skin a cat,” says Washington Nationals President Stan Kasten, whose team may or may not trade several of its players, including pitcher Livan Hernandez and outfielder Alfonso Soriano, before Monday’s 5 p.m., ET, deadline.

The deadline gives the Nationals a chance to add to the farm system, “but there’s nothing we have to do,” Kasten says.

In 2003, the Florida Marlins won the World Series after getting Jeff Conine and reliever Ugueth Urbina. In 2002, the champion Anaheim Angels’ lone move was adding reserve outfielder Alex Ochoa. The 2001 Arizona Diamondbacks and 2000 New York Yankees did little on deadline.

From 2000-2005, there were 85 significant last-week trades. In many cases, neither team got a major boost, either immediate or long term.

Utley extends hitting streak

All-Star second baseman Chase Utley singled in the third inning of the Phillies’ game against Florida to extend his hitting streak to 29 games, the longest in the major leagues this season.

Shortstop Jimmy Rollins has the longest streak in team history at 38 games - the final 36 of last season and the first two this year. Ed Delahanty had a 31-game streak in 1899. Billy Hamilton also had a 27-gamer in 1894. Chuck Klein twice hit in 26 straight games in 1930.

Around the league

Yankees left fielder Hideki Matsui is scheduled to have his injured left wrist re-examined Thursday in New York. If the wrist shows enough progress, Matsui might be given a timetable for taking batting practice…Chipper Jones is likely headed for the disabled list with a strained muscle in his left side. He reinjured the oblique muscle while taking a swing in Friday night’s game against the Mets…Scott Kazmir’s next turn in Tampa Bay’s rotation was pushed back again, and the pitcher could be placed on the disabled list because of a sore left shoulder…New York Mets first baseman Carlos Delgado left the game against the Atlanta Braves after being struck in the leg with a pitch in the third inning…Tampa Bay Devil Rays infielder Ty Wigginton broke a bone in his left hand when he was hit by a pitch from Randy Johnson. X-rays revealed a fracture, and Wigginton was scheduled to see a team physician on Monday.