Let's take a quick spin around the league, see what they were talking about regarding the march to Friday's trade deadline.

*The Boston Red Sox reportedly made a big play for Roy Halladay. But then the Red Sox denied it.

Halladay, by the way, is scheduled to pitch in Seattle on Wednesday.

*There was some Cliff Lee news focused around a false report involving the Red Sox. As exciting as that was, an MLB report suggested the Indians were inclined to keep him.

Nonetheless, one report said the Dodgers, Red Sox, Phillies and Angels have all spoken to Cleveland recently.

*There was much attention on Jarrod Washburn, as scouts from the Yankees, Phillies, Brewers and Rangers watched him pitch against the Blue Jays on Tuesday night. Washburn got a no-decision while allowing one run in seven innings and lowering his ERA to 2.64.

As good as that sounds, he did get some help from his defense, including a homer-saving catch by rookie Michael Saunders.

And there is some speculation that some sort of package deal could be in the works, as Mariners prospect Jeff Clement was pulled from a AAA game in the third inning Tuesday night.

The New York Times, by the way, wonders if Washburn might be the best bargain on the block.

*The Giants, having dealt for Ryan Garko on Monday, were reportedly close to acquiring Freddy Sanchez from the Pirates. But they first want to make sure his knee will hold up.

*The Dodgers, looking for some bullpen help, are hot after Orioles closer George Sherrill.

*The Angels are still in the running for both Halladay and Lee, but may end up turning to lower-tier options.

*And there was some big injury news that could be big factors in how the rest of the week plays out, with bad news on the Astros' Roy Oswalt, the Brewers' Jeff Suppan, and the Giants' Randy Johnson.

*Quietly, the Red Sox and White Sox swapped a pair of Sox.

*Get all the latest rumors here.

To say that the Red Sox are disappointed that Daisuke Matsuzaka came out and blamed his health issues on Boston's trainers is like saying Brett Favre is indecisive.

Or that Randy Johnson is tall. You get the idea.

The BoSox, in fact are not simply "disappointed", as the ultra polite Terry Francona said on Tuesday. Like a mushroom-cloud-laying Jules Winnfield from "Pulp Fiction, they seem ready to strike down upon their pitcher with great vengeance and furious anger.

This from the Boston Globe's Tony Massarotti:

"I think we all share, in a word, that it's disappointing," Red Sox pitching coach John Farrell said a short time ago in the Boston clubhouse -- veins all but bulging from his neck -- in response to critical comments made by Daisuke Matsuzaka. Added Farrell when asked if he was frustrated, "The disappointment comes in airing his dirty laundry."

Massarotti goes on to write that the Red Sox have been frustrated with Dice-K's "high-maintenance" act long ago, but put up with it because he won. Now that the right-hander is tossing barbs at the organization, the team might be finished playing nice.

In retrospect, what Farrell did not say was that Matsuzaka looked like he spent the winter eating dumplings and shumai, which the Red Sox believe contributed to the pitcher's problems.

"It's not just the shoulder," Farrell said tonight when asked about the importance of proper conditioning. "When the overall body is not in the condition necessary to support that, there has to be some responsibility taken [on the part of the pitcher.]"

So the Red Sox turn the tables, blaming Dice-K for his poor conditioning. It's not quite "Fat Toad" territory, but pretty darn close.

Dice-K's comments have not endeared himself to fans. It will be interesting to see where this leads.

With the non-waiver trade deadline looming on Friday, this coming week is one of the most exciting of the baseball season. It's not quite the World Series, but is not unlike the World Series of Poker.

Player 1: You don't want to give up your entire minor league system for my pitcher? Fine, then I'll deal with this other guy.

Player 2: No problem, I think player No. 3's pitcher is better anyway.

Player 3: Really? Cool!

You know some teams are bluffing, others are slow-playing their winning hands, while still others are just hanging around, trying to gum up the works. That is what is so fascinating about the march to the trade deadline.

Roy Halladay is, of course, the big prize out there. Will he be traded? Sometimes it seems inevitable, other times unlikely. It all depends on the day of the week hour of the day.

Will Doc go to the Phillies? The Red Sox? The Rangers? Would the Yankees (GASP) part with Joba Chamberlain?

It's enough to make the head spin. And that's just Halladay.

What about Cliff Lee, the Indians ace who won the 2008 AL Cy Young award? The Dodgers, Angels and Phillies (if they're really giving up on Halladay) appear to be lurking. Will Cleveland also deal Victor Martinez?

Looking further down the list, teams might be turning to the likes of Jarrod Washburn, who is quietly having his best season since at least 2002, maybe ever.

With the Mariners' destruction at the hands of the Indians over the weekend, the departure of Washburn (scheduled to pitch Tuesday) and Russell Branyan could be imminent. Could a match be found with the Brewers?

And how about the disaster known as the Washington Nationals? Nick Johnson, Adam Dunn and others could all be heading (they hope) to newer, sunnier destinations where fans go to games and jersey adornments are spelled correctly.

And that, friends, is the tip of the iceberg. It will be a wild week, a rollercoaster of sketchy rumors, breathless television updates and, of course, terrific Tweets.

We'll do our best to keep you updated on everything here at Circling the Bases, as well as on our rumors page.

Oh and one last thing: Not to rain on anyone's parade, but here are five reasons trade deadline deals are overrated. Don't let it spoil your fun.

More after the jump ...

FIVE SERIES TO WATCH

*Yankees at Rays, July 27-29: The Rays have to at least hold their own in this series to stay within reach. Especially when you consider that the Red Sox are right there ahead of them, too.

*Astros at Cubs, July 27-29: The Cubs have ridden a four-game winning streak to the top of the NL Central. But in this amazingly tight division, the Astros, just two games back, have a chance to make some noise.

*Dodgers at Cardinals, July 27-30: The Matt Holliday deal has Cardinals fans buzzing, although the team has not yet taken off. Now, with a four-game series against the league's best team (record-wise), it's time to deliver.

*Blue Jays at Mariners, July 27-29: Neither one of these teams appear to be going anywhere as far as the postseason is concerned, but the trade deadline is another matter. Jarrod Washburn and Roy Halladay are both scheduled to pitch in this series, and a number of other potential trade candidates will take the field.

*Phillies at Giants, July 30-Aug. 2: The defending champions are on a roll, having won eight of their last 10 games. The surprising Giants are in the thick of the NL wild card race, but this four-game series could prove crucial.

ON THE TUBE

Monday, 7:05 p.m. ET: Dodgers at Cardinals (ESPN)

Wednesday, 7:08 p.m.: Yankees at Rays (ESPN)

*Saturday, 4:10 p.m.: Yankees at White Sox (FOX)

*Saturday, 4:10 p.m.: Royals at Rays (FOX)

*Saturday, 4:10 p.m.: Dodgers at Braves (FOX)

Sunday, 4 p.m.: Phillies at Giants (TBS)

Sunday, 8:05 p.m.: Dodgers at Braves (ESPN)

*Check local listings

White Sox pitcher Bartolo Colon has gone missing.

The right-hander, who was supposed to be making a minor league rehab start on Thursday, has yet to show up at Triple-A Charlotte. The team has been in contact with Colon's agent, but not with the pitcher himself.

In fact, according to the Cleveland Plain-Dealer, "the team has had little, if any, contact between Colon and the White Sox since he went on the disabled list with a sore left knee and his spot in the rotation has been filled by Jose Contreras."

The newspaper reports that Colon pulled a similar stunt last season with Boston, and White Sox GM Kenny Williams doesn't sound too concerned.

If he's out there Thursday, and shows a better mix between his breaking ball and fastball, he's got a place here. If he doesn't, he doesn't have a place here. Only he can dictate if he's ready."

I bet they could get him to show up if they pulled out one of these.

Manny Ramirez's return from a 50-game suspension this past week was met with a mixed reaction, helped no doubt by the games being played in "Mannywood South", also known as San Diego's PETCO Park.

But this week, Manny and the Dodgers head to New York for a three-game series against the Mets beginning Tuesday. Will Ramirez's reception be any different? Will the boo birds come out in force, or will it be more of the rainbows and puppy dogs we saw in San Diego?

Ramirez's reception so far has been fascinating to watch, a mix of boos and cheers, with the booing seemingly half-hearted. (Video, here)

Can you imagine Barry Bonds receiving that kind of treatment anywhere outside of San Francisco?

Stephanie Armijo, 27, fell into the category of indecisive fans who don't hold an opinion concerning Ramirez. She brought along three friends, all San Diego residents, and made creative signs in the hopes of finding tickets to Friday's sold-out game.

"Baseball is entertainment," she said. "Manny is just being Manny."

Ahhh! Manny being Manny. I guess that's the difference. Very few ever found "Barry being Barry" to be particularly charming. But if you wear dreadlocks, smile a lot and appear to float through life on a childlike cloud of indifference, they cut you some slack.

It will be interesting to see if New Yorkers treat Manny any differently. It seems to me he deserves at least as much scorn as Bonds received. For all his faults, at least Bonds never failed a drug test, as Ramirez did. At least Bonds was never suspended by baseball, as Ramirez was.

But Manny wasn't caught with a steroid, you say? It was only a female fertility drug?

My answer then, is this: Why was this substance banned by baseball in May of 2008? Why are they testing for it? Why, if you are caught with it, does it result in a 50-game suspension?

The N.Y. Daily News sheds some light on these questions:

While it's not technically a steroid (a point Ramirez strove to make early on) hCG is well-known to bodybuilders, who use it as an adjunct to their testosterone regimens, according to experts interviewed by the Daily News.

"Every steroid dealer carries hCG because he knows his customers will use it," says Anthony Roberts, a trainer, blogger and steroid expert who has written two anabolic reference books. "That indicates he was a longtime user and that he knew what he was doing. The fact that he was using hCG is as damning as a positive drug test to me."

Manny being Manny? Not so charming now is it?

More after the jump ...

FIVE SERIES TO WATCH

**Rangers at Angels, July 6-8: The Rangers enter the week on a four-game winning streak, while the Angels have won their last two. Oh, and they're tied atop the AL West. The Rangers took two of three from the Angels last week.

**Giants at Marlins, July 6-8: Two surprising second-place teams go at it in Miami. The Giants have managed just enough offense to back a great pitching staff, while the Marlins have been boosted by the return to form of starter Ricky Nolasco, who struck out 12 in eight scoreless innings on Sunday.

**Cardinals at Brewers, July 7-9: The top two teams in the NL Central battle this week, although no one seems able to run away from this division. Even the last-place Pirates are only seven games out of first.

**Dodgers at Brewers, July 10-12: After Manny braves New York, he and the Dodgers head to Milwaukee. Should be a welcome reprieve ... or will it be?

**Yankees at Angels, July 10-12: The red-hot Yankees enter the week having won nine of their last 10. After a series against Toronto, they head to Anaheim. Should be a good test.

ON THE TUBE Monday, 7:05 p.m. ET: Braves at Cubs (ESPN)
Wednesday, 7:10 p.m.: Dodgers at Mets (ESPN)
*Saturday, 4:10 p.m.: Yankees at Angels (FOX)
*Saturday, 4:10 p.m.: Cardinals at Cubs (FOX)
Sunday, 2 p.m.: Dodgers at Brewers (TBS)
Sunday, 8:05 p.m.: Cardinals at Cubs (ESPN) *Check local listings

Boston Red Sox manager Terry Francona tried to pull a prank on veteran pitcher Tim Wakefield on Sunday.

The 42-year-old pitcher had just been named an All-Star for the first time in his 17-year career, but Francona called him into his office as if to deliver bad news. As Wakefield described it ...

"It was pretty funny. I was actually in the weight room doing my work and (pitching coach John) Ferrell had come in and said, 'Tito wants to see you after he talks to the other guys.' I didn't know what other guys. Then I got to his office and the office was closed. When it opened, he called me into the office and I saw all the other guys walking out with their all-star packages. He sat me down and tried to play it off like it wasn't good news. He couldn't hold the laughter."

Francona seems like a nice guy. Maybe that's why he couldn't pull it off. Or maybe he didn't have the heart to do that to Wakefield, a guy who's been around forever, pitched in any role asked, and never complained. Regardless, Francona should avoid the poker table at all costs.

The Wall Street Journal takes note of all of the anxiety cases this year:

Three professional baseball players have landed on the disabled list this season for a problem they can't ice, bandage or have surgically repaired: anxiety . . . Baseball's anxious include Detroit pitcher Dontrelle Willis, St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Khalil Greene and Cincinnati first baseman Joey Votto, who all spent weeks on the disabled list spring for mental-health issues. Mr. Willis, who returned to the lineup in May, was placed on disabled status again in mid-June for anxiety.

I'm not sure what to make of all of the anxiety problems this year, but part of me thinks that not all of them are technically social anxiety disorders. Rather, I suspect that they're all lumped together as "anxiety disorders" because Zack Greinke sort of made the term "anxiety disorder" acceptable in baseball circles by going through and subsequently overcoming what he went though, whereas depression or any number of other specific neurosis remain new and scary in this historically-conservative world. Don't get me wrong; by all accounts, Votto and Khalil Greene's situations were serious, and I'm not dismissing them. I'm just saying that, based on what they've revealed about their problems, things like depression or any number of other neurosis seem plausible too. Ultimately my point here isn't to diagnose anything (I'm not qualified to do that). It's just to suggest that maybe what's happening is a greater willingness among baseball players to be up front about psychological problems in general as opposed to their being some sudden and inexplicable outbreak of social anxiety disorder. If so, that's a very good thing.

That said, I and others have voiced some skepticism about Willis, mostly because (a) even after his alleged diagnosis he said he felt great and that his only problem was that he couldn't pitch; and (b) the "anxiety" only seemed to come up when the Tigers needed to move Willis off the active roster to bring in a productive player. I think there have been a lot of disabled list shenanigans this year--amazingly, Boston's Dice-K got injured at just the perfect time to solve the Red Sox' roster logjam -- and it wouldn't surprise me if Willis' were another example of it.