If Melancon fails for the Redsocks, at last we will be free of that miserable Lance Berkman trade

Yesterday, Mark Melancon got smacked around by the Twins, giving up three runs, leading Bobby Valentine to launch that signature management style of carping about his team. Of Melancon, the manager said,  “I thought he backed up bases pretty well. He had that down.’’

Nothing personal against Melancon, aside from him being a Redsock. But for the first time since 2010, maybe we can puke up the rancid egg yolk of that Lance Porkman trade deadline stinker. It would be nice. That deal still bugs me. Let us count the ways: 1) Berkman clanked for us, 2) Melancon pitched well in Houston, 3) Berkman moved to St. Louis - we got nothing for him - and won them a World Series, 4) Melancon goes to the Redsocks, possibly the cheap replacement for Papeblon, 5) To be determined.

In fact, it could have been worse. According to news accounts, Berkman tried to convince Andy Pettitte to come out of retirement with the Cards, instead of the Yankees. That would have been the ultimate dart.

In baseball, you see it again and again. A bad deal just goes on forever, like a Kenny G solo. With our luck, Melancon will become Boston's closer, and Berkman will make the Cards forget Albert. Will it ever end?