With the trading deadline old news it is time to get back to the games on the field.

The Giants picked up a pitcher with an excellent arm. Sidney Ponson, knighted in his native Arruba, can throw the ball. His career took a large step forward this season with the Orioles. The scouts told me that along with Kelvim Escobar, he was the premier free agent pitcher to be out in the market.

The Yankees come to Oakland tonight with a new third baseman Aaron Boone. The last time New York was in town the A’s pitching staff continued to do what they have done to NY in the past, that is reduce the Yankees scoring opportunities to one or two per game.

In baseball, good teams have four or sometimes five real chances to score during a game. The A’s give you two, sometimes three and that is it.

New York will have to show me that they can hit the ball with authority against Tim Hudson, Barry Zito, and Mark Mulder before I believe that they are the powerhouse team of the late 90’s.

Jason Giambi is hittng a solid .265, but .265 isn’t .330. Hideki Matsui was a Punch and Judy hitter last time through. The A’s shut Alfonso Soriano down, Derek Jeter was out, and Bernie Williams was hurting when NY was in Oakland last. Now Boone is here and Todd Zeile is on his way out, that is an upgrade.

Mike Mussina gives the A’s trouble, for that matter every pitcher in the game is giving the A’s fits.

That my friends will be the story of the game. Hudson will throw a beauty and the A’s will claw to get him enough to grab the lead, and then hope Keith Foulke doesn’t spit the bit as the real pennant race kicks in tonight, August first.

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The Red Sox pick up pitchers on a daily basis. Jeff Suppan an original Boston player before beginning an odyssey through the majors, has turned into a capable starter in Pittsburgh.

The question always remains in these type of deals, going from an obscure team to one in the thick of the race, how the player will perform under the lights.

It was worth the risk because Ramiro Mendoza is a shadow of his former self and most likely better suited for mop up work in the pen.

Tonight the annoying Orioles host Boston and will see John Burkett on the mound against Pat Hentgen. Burkett is certainly capable of closing out Baltimore, but the Orioles have a way of scoring runs by keeping the ball in play. You have to play excellent defense to beat them and try to get to their bull pen which is not very dependable.

Seattle didn’t make any deals for the second year in a row angering the players who agaain went ballistic in the papers. The outburst last year by then manager Lou Piniella eventually cost him his job.

This year Jeff Nelson who has lost consistent velocity on his fastball is the latest Mariner to go public with the team’s complaints.

Tonight they face the hot White Sox in Seattle. Bartolo Colon is still here and that means the hard throwing righty will be expected to lead the Sox to the divsion lead which all of a sudden is within one game of the team’s grasp.

Chicago will have to play very good defense in Seattle, something that will not be easy. The Mariners don’t give anything away and with Freddy Garcia on the hill, Chicago can expect to score some runs, so the Sox will have to play a real game tonight: good defense, some power hiiting, and a tight bull pen. With Colon against Garcia the Sox have an excellent chance tonight to beat the M’s.

KC is trying to regroup behind Jose Lima at home against the hot hitting Devil Rays and Joe Kennedy. Tampa will have difficulty getting to Lima as his fastball is sufficiently healed to make his changeup effective, but this will ultimately be a game of bull pens and Tampa’s stinks.

Kyle Lohse tries to return to whatever he did succesfully earlier in the year, this time facing Jeremy Bonderman who beats teams when you least expect it.

Roy Halladay, the Cy Young within his grasp goes for his 16th straight win tonight in Anaheim. You mean to tell me no one offered enough for either Cory Lidle or Kelvim Escobar and the Blue Jays would prefer to have draft choices for these two next winter.

That startegy is what the A’s employ, but only after renting a player for two months, then the A’s don’t sign him for the following season.

Amazing that all the Toronto free agents to be remained in Canada.

Isn’t there something wrong when MLB tells the Expos they can’t trade a player to another team? That is what happened when the Giants and Braves inquired about Javier Vazquez.

The Marlins throw Josh Beckett against the Astros in Miami. As long as the Fish stay away from the deadly Lidge to Dotel to Wagner combo, they have a good chance of winning tonight.

Chad Harville should be on the road to Oakland this morning because Jim Mecir can’t pitch because of his knee injury.

Michael Neu is the nicest kid going, but why is he a taking up a roster spot on the A’s. Don’t you think this weekend Ken Macha would like another situational lefty in the pen?

Steve Trachsel against Jeff Fassero, who hasn’t thrown a bad start yet. I still think the Cards should sign Kevin Appier and give him a chance, what do they have to lose?

Kevin Jarvis is pitching much better than Kevin Millwood in a battle of Kevin’s tonight in Philadelphia.

Whoever plays the best over the next two months will win.

The goal was to be at .500 on August first. The Cubs, Colorado, St. Louis, and Montreal made it.

In the AL, Toronto is at .500. Minnesota and Anaheim are one game below.

Over the next few weeks a majority of these team will disappear, but hey, they made it this far and anything can happen when you are at .500 on August first.

So, hold on to your caps, today is the first day of the real pennant chase.

Now the games count, just watch the scores and the stars, now the big boys come to play.