So you (like everyone, pretty much) figured Florida's Joe Girardi would be the first manager dismissed after the end of the regular season? No so fast my friend ... this morning the loveable, loseable Cubbies axed Dusty Baker to start what may or may not be an off-season managerial merry-go-round.

• Late Update: Dusty's old team, the Giants, hurried into second place in the axe-the-skip sweepstakes by firing Felipe Alou.
• Still Later Update: And Girardi, as expected, is gone -- the fourth skipper to get a pink slip, along with Alou, Baker and Frank Robinson on Saturday. ESPN.com is tracking all the 2006 MLB managerial changes.
• Yep, A Still Later Later Update: The Rangers say Bye-Bye, Buck and bring to five the number of '06 managers now out of work.
  

So ...

I'm rolling thunder, pouring rain
I'm coming on like a hurricane
My lightning's flashing across the sky
-- AC/DC, Hell's Bells

It's not overly presumptious to say that the "save" is one of the most overblown statistics in Major League Baseball history.

It's also not a great leap of faith to point out that while pitching the era of Eckersley, Wetteland, Smoltz, Gagne and Rivera, the unassuming Trevor Hoffman -- who has led his league in saves precisely once in 14 big league seasons -- has never been considered "The Man" when it comes to closers.

Until today.

Keith Law reported on his ESPN.com blog that Vernon Wells has informed the Jays that he has 'no intention of signing a contract extension to stay in Toronto'.

According to the Boston Herald and the Toronto Star the Red Sox acquired Eric Hinske from the Blue Jays this evening.

The world of baseball trades has not stopped spinning; one of the "big name" hurlers on the market has changed teams, as Washington has dealt Livan Hernandez to Arizona for a couple of minor leaguers.

Francisco Rosario was called up from Syracuse today, and is apparently scheduled to start tomorrow. Jason Phillips was designated for assignment to make room for Rosario on the 25 man roster. Thanks to Dan Gordon for the tip.

It's deadline day, and the deals have started. The Pirates sent Sean Casey to the Tigers for right-handed pitcher Brian Rogers (with Chris Shelton being punished for yesterday's error with a trip to Toledo). Rheal Cormier is now a Red with right-handed pitcher Justin Germano going to the Philies in return.

In a much-rumored deal, the Phillies traded All-Star RF Bobby Abreu and former Jay RHSP Cory Lidle to to the Bronx for 20-year-old minor-league SS C.J. Henry -- the Yankees' No. 1 pick in 2005 -- and 27-year-old LHRP Matt Smith. The Phillies will also pick one other minor-league player from an undisclosed agreed-upon list, while the Yankees will take on responsibility for Abreu and Lidle's contracts.

Abreu must still formally waive his full no-trade clause for the deal to be official. This probably clinches ...

The Jays have traded Shea Hillenbrand and Vinnie Chulk to San Francisco for pitcher Jeremy Accardo.

Accardo is 1-3 with a 4.91 ERA for the Giants, but 40 strikeouts and only 11 walks in 40 1/3 innings. He'll likely help Speier out in the setup role.

The Giants will apparently take on all of Hillenbrand's salary, so the Jays now have the financial flexibility to add another player at the deadline without going over budget.

According to the Toronto Star the Jays have designated Shea Hillenbrand for assignment after an incident earlier in the day.