The Cubs traded P Ted Lilly and SS Ryan Theriot to the Dodgers for 2B Blake DeWitt and 2 minor leaguers, reports Lee Sinins. What else is going on as the last hours to the deadline pass by?

Stud Tampa hurler Matt Garza has tossed the 2010 season's fifth no-hitter. Better yet, it was almost the stunning season's fifth AND sixth no-hitters as Detroit starter Max Scherzer carried his own half of a potential double no-no into the seventh inning as well.

Details.

In case you missed it on Facebook today. intrepid Bauxite Mike Moffatt reports, using Extremely Professional Journalist third-person language ...

"Mike Moffatt just hit his first home run -- at age 33. His 25-year plan of lulling the opposition into a false sense of security just paid off." Another Bauxite quickly posed the undying journalistic snideness, "Quick math tells me you will catch Aaron (the real leader) in AD 20,885. Bring it on!" Moffatt modestly responded, "Nope, that's it for me. I'll be forever tied with Duane Kuiper."

So in this the year of the Blue Jay Roundtripper, congratulations to our own Mike Moffatt, who now owns as many 2010 home runs as Yunel Escobar (TOR edition), Nick Green, Jarrett Hoffpauir and Mike McCoy combined. Hoo-rah!

Well, there he goes again.  Love him or hate him, JP Ricciardi was always a good quote.  Wednesdays with JP on the Fan 590 were interesting because JP would speak his mind.  Sometimes that was good and sometimes it got him into trouble.  On Friday last JP spoke with WEEI in Boston and he had some things to say about three of the Jays top relievers.   He had praise for one and he slammed another.  And he also had a couple of teasers of trades not made.  Can you figure out who he is talking about?

MLB Trade Rumors is reporting that the Jays have acquired Yunel Escobar and Jo-Jo Reyes for Alex Gonzalez, Tim Collins and Tyler Pastornicky.  This is a high risk trade for the new GM as Escobar is very talented but suggestions of attitude and effort problems have dogged him.  Plus there is this question, why would the Braves give up on a young premium position player for a rental and prospects?

The Texas Rangers have ... an ace lefty? Heavens to Kenny Rogers! Welcome to Arlington, Cliff Lee!

Here's the story on ESPN.com. And a few thoughts from this Ranger neighbor ...

Already four no-hitters in 2010 and it's not July yet? Wow ... and, sorry, Armando Galarraga. But, Edwin Jackson, really? THAT'S your so-called "no-hitter"??? Sure, technically it was, but did you see Roy Halladay's perfect game? Or Dallas Braden's pefect game? Or even Ubaldo Jiminez's non-perfect no-hitter that has ignited him on one of the great pitching seasons imaginable for a Colorado hurler?

Jackson walked EIGHT and improved his season mark to 5-6, 4.63 by no-hitting the Rays. Hey, doesn't it seem like the Rays, who are really good, are either winning or getting no-hit recently? So what's up with that? Finally, speaking of Halladay, what's he been up to recently?

Over to you, Box Nation ...

In tonight's 6-3 Texas Ranger victory over the Florida Marlins, former Jay farmhand Michael Young became the all-time franchise leader in hits for the Rangers. His new total, currently sitting at 1,748, is one more than that amassed for Texas by future Hall of Fame catcher Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez.

Come to think of it "future Hall of Famer" is a phrase that just might, maybe apply to Young, too, if he keeps it up another five or six years. Young is 33, so that's not impossible to imagine.

Neither Esteban Loiaza nor Darwin Cubillan were available for comment. Congratulations to one of the Great Game's finest!

Ted Lilly, he of the ex-Jay status, has just been pulled from his start for the Cubs against the cross-town interleague rival ChiSox after eight wonderful innings. Lilly took a no-hitter into the ninth, looking to be the fourth pitcher (and second ex-Jay) this season to toss a no-no, but leading off the ninth, pinch-hitter Juan Pierre lined a clean single up the middle.

The game, at this writing, is 1-0 Cubs. And it's raining, hard, but they're trying to finish the game ...

And now it's final. Cubs win! Cubs win!

Some of you may have heard that Mike Wilner, the Fan 590 pre and post-game host, has been given the weekend off by Rogers who own both the Fan 590 and the Jays.  If you remember the Jays lost a tough game against the Rays on Tuesday and on Wednesday Wilner asked Cito about his bullpen strategy in that game.  Either Cito or the Jays, or both, didn't appreciate the conversation and so Mike was a few days off to reconsider his interfacing with the manager.