The Twins picked up 36-year-old Bret Boone, a player who has been in a steep decline over the last year and a half and who was being jettisoned from a last-place team, for a player to be named and a few sheckles. At least he comes cheap, at a prorated portion of the league minimum ($317 K).

So why pick up the aging star?

"We're having trouble scoring runs," Twins general manager Terry Ryan said. "Under the circumstances, we need to do something to help our offense. He certainly has a resume and has put up numbers."

Hmmm, so Boone must be an upgrade, right? Twin second baseman have a collective .726 OPS. The M's have a .679 OPS. Well, maybe that's not all Boone, right? Boone's ratios are .231/.299/.385/.684. That's an upgrade?

Indeed Luis Rivas has been awful (.257/.303/.297/.600), but Punto has been pretty good (.288/.341/.448/.789).

I wouldn't be all that comfortable with him as my starter, but Rivas has never been a world beater, and they won with him. He was a super sub for the Phils before they packaged him in the Milton deal (a deal that continues to hurt them). Punto has also scored 25 runs in 47 games.

I know, as Lil Joe said to Tommy Craggs, that's how we get Enron, those damned numbers. I hope Boone's "resume" will be batting for him. The only team that's helped by this deal is the Yankees, who will be struggling to overtake the Twins in the wild card hunt in the second half.