Danny Darwin

Baseball's trading deadline usually comes and goes with more unfulfilled expectations than actual deal-making, but this year . . . this year was very different. Stars like David Cone, Bobby Bonilla, Bret Saberhagen, Andy Benes and David Wells changed teams, many of the trades coming in the last hours before the midnight deadline on July 31. To recap:THE WINNERS1. New York Mets. They unloaded two huge salaries, Bonilla's and Saberhagen's, from their '96 payroll -- they weren't going to compete next year, anyway -- and loaded up on prospects, picking up minor-league outfielders Alex Ochoa and Damon Buford from the Orioles and pitcher Juan Acevedo from the Rockies.

BaseballMajor League Baseball: Ownership committee recommended approval of sale of Pirates to group headed by Kevin McClatchy.Braves: Agreed to terms with C Joe Ayrault, IF Tony Graffanino, OF Wonderful Monds and former Orioles P Joe Borowski on one-year contracts.Cardinals: Acquired IF Rod Corriea from Angels as player to be named in trade for former Orioles P John Habyan.Diamondbacks: Named Nardi Contreras minor-league pitching coach and Mark Connor roving pitching coordinator.Dodgers: Agreed to terms with P Eric Weaver, P Rick Gorecki and P Roberto Duran on one-year contracts.

California Angels -- Agreed to terms with 1B J. T. Snow, OF Kevin Flora and P Mike James on one-year contracts.Chicago Cubs -- Signed free-agent P Mike Perez to a minor-league contract and invited him to spring training as a nonroster player.Chicago White Sox -- Signed free-agent 3B Chris Sabo, who had been with the Orioles, to a one-year contract.Cincinnati Reds -- Obtained P Marcus Moore (4-2 with a 6.45 ERA in 56 relief appearances during the past two seasons) from the Colorado Rockies for Single-A IF Chris Sexton.

BaseballBoston Red Sox -- Acquired P Mike Stanton from the Atlanta Braves for a player to be named.California Angels -- Purchased the contract of IF Rene Gonzales from Triple-A Vancouver. Optioned C Andy Allanson to Vancouver.Chicago White Sox -- Recalled IF Chris Snopek from Triple-A Nashville.Cincinnati Reds -- Acquired P David Wells from the Detroit Tigers for P C.J. Nitkowski, P Dave Tuttle and a player to be named.Colorado Rockies -- Acquired P Bret Saberhagen and a player to be named from the New York Mets for P Juan Acevedo and P Arnold Gooch.

BaseballOrioles -- Recalled P Armando Benitez from Triple-A Rochester.California Angels -- Placed SS Gary DiSarcina on 15-day DL with a torn ulna ligament in his left thumb.Chicago White Sox -- Recalled P Rod Bolton from Triple-A Nashville. Optioned P Mike Bertotti to Nashville.Colorado Rockies -- Acquired P David Swanson from New York Mets to complete Bret Saberhagen trade.Detroit Tigers -- Designated P Buddy Groom for assignment. Activated P Kevin Wickander from 15-day DL.Milwaukee Brewers -- Outrighted P Mike Thomas to Triple-A New Orleans.

CHICAGO -- So what if the Orioles have scored five runs while stranding the entire South Side in three games. A slump is in the eye of the hitter, and Roberto Alomar sees no slumps.Doing his best to jack the Orioles from their most pronounced offensive funk of the season, Alomar made the most of yesterday's reunion with Chicago White Sox starter Danny Darwin. While Darwin's underpowered but well-placed assortment represents kryptonite to most of the Orioles' superbats, he is putty to Alomar.

BOSTON -- So does this mean Roger Clemens won't wear Wade Boggs' No. 26 at spring training next year?It's over, they tell us. Wade and Roger late yesterday afternoon shook hands at a 25-minute meeting with manager Butch Hobson.Wade, Roger and Butch. One room. Twenty-five minutes. We'd love to have been a fly on the wall for this one. Not since Bernie Carbo sat alone in the Red Sox dugout has more brainpower been employed at a single Fenway Park meeting.Butch Hobson was asked if this was like Yalta and gave us one of those glazed looks.

BaseballChicago Cubs: Named Al Goldis special assistant to GM and Jim Hendry director of scouting.Cleveland Indians: Declined to exercise contract options on 1B Paul Sorrento and P Mark Clark. Signed P Paul Assenmacher to a two-year contract with a club option for 1998. Signed IF Don Sparks to a minor-league contract.Colorado Rockies: Agreed to terms with OF Dante Bichette for three years and P Darren Holmes for two.San Diego Padres: Named Grady Little bullpen coach.Los Angeles Dodgers: Agreed to terms with first base coach Reggie Smith, third base coach Joe Amalfitano, pitching coach Dave Wallace, bench coach Bill Russell, bullpen coach Mark Cresse and special assignment coach Manny Mota.

Mike Devereaux has been through this himself, so he knew what former Orioles outfielder Steve Finley was feeling in the wake of the trade that sent Finley, and pitchers Pete Harnisch and Curt Schilling, to the Houston Astros for slugger Glenn Davis."