How the mighty hath fallen! Doug Mientkiewicz, the darling of Twins fans (particularly females it seemed) and member of the 2004 World Champion Boston Red Sox -- you know, that never gets old! -- has been traded to the New York Mets for a single minor league player. The minor leaguer is a prospect, but had his season cut short last year with a busted wrist.

The subplot revolves around Mientkiewicz's decision to retain ownership of the baseball with which he recorded the last out of the World Series. The Red Sox have asked for it to be given to them for historical purposes, since they've been waiting 86 years for it. Mientkiewicz has merely loaned it them for the year. It's unlikely he can keep the ball at any rate, and now he gets to play for Omar Minaya, the Mets general manager, whose spending this off season has given a new target for sailors on shore leave. Maybe they can give him Mo Vaughn's locker.

Bartolo Colon could not be reached for comment.

AFTERTHOUGHT: I wonder if we could do this? Could we trade our own Roy Saigo for a community college president and $2 million?