As the trade deadline approaches, Montreal Expos GM Omar Minaya and manager Frank Robinson face a greater challenge than any other GM-manager duo.

Owned by Major League Baseball -- basically, MLB saved the franchise last year -- the Expos already have baseball's lowest payroll. But they can't add more salary.

	Adding Juan Gonzalez would be a risky move for any team.

The only way the Expos can make a deal is if the other team agrees to pick up plenty of the traded player's salary. That was Montreal's arrangement with the Texas Rangers last month in the Juan Gonzalez trade that he vetoed via his no-trade clause.

If the Expos have prospects another team wants, essentially that team would buy those prospects by picking up the salary of their departing star.

Minaya and Robinson tread a difficult trade road. Lots of players don't want to play in Montreal because of fan apathy. No one knows where the Expos will be next year, since the organization is expected to move to another location. That uncertainty is another negative to any star player with a no-trade clause. And, of course, they can't add salary.

The Expos likewise have encountered some detours on the field. Their best player, Vladimir Guerrero, has played in only 53 of the team's 101 games due to a herniated disc in his lower back. Guerrero came off the disabled list earlier this week.

Minaya and Robinson have done an amazing job keeping Montreal in the hunt. After all, it isn't as if the Expos are the New York Yankees, with talented and expensive reserves ready to fill in off the bench. While the Expos are in fourth place in the NL East, 15½ games behind the Atlanta Braves, they're only six games back in the wild-card race.

Getting Guerrero back is almost like getting a big slugger in a trade for the stretch run. But I don't see the Expos dealing for any big-name players before the deadline. They wanted Gonzalez, but he didn't want them.

Best Available Sluggers on Same Team
I'm sure the Rangers would like to deal Gonzalez, but the question is whether he'll approve the deal. Gonzalez has fired his agent, so maybe he'll have a different view if another potential trade occurs.

Meanwhile, if Texas can find a buyer for first baseman Rafael Palmeiro, I believe he'll be dealt. While he and right fielder Gonzalez are the best run-producers available, I'm not sure how likely a trade is for either of them. Both have no-trade clauses (which Gonzalez has already exercised to stop the Expos' deal). Both are also free agents when the season ends.

The Rangers want to clear salary and make room for young players like first baseman Mark Teixeira, so even if Palmeiro is not traded, I don't expect him to be with the Rangers next year.

Another good hitter who generated plenty of interest was Marlins third baseman Mike Lowell, but Florida has decided to keep him.

Best Moves in Windy City
So far, the best trades have been made by teams from Chicago. You could say that the trade winds have been blowing in the Windy City. In each case, the clubs were able to pick up not just one but two quality players.

New Approach Needed For Pitcher Ejections

Jim Edmonds has a great suggestion for a new approach umpires should take to decide when a pitcher ought to be ejected after hitting a batter. I spoke with the Cardinals' center fielder before ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball telecast earlier this week (the Cards beat the Dodgers 10-7). We talked about some recent questionable pitcher ejections. On July 13, Padres starter Adam Eaton was ejected in the first inning for hitting Albert Pujols in the shoulder blade with a curveball (the day before, Pujols had hit a game-winning home run). On July 20, Royals reliever Jason Grimsley was ejected for hitting Ichiro Suzuki in the leg with a slider in the top of the 10th (both teams had received warnings after Mariners starter Jamie Moyer hit batters in the first and second innings). There's no way Grimsley was trying to hit Ichiro in that situation. Edmonds' suggestion is this: Before a home-plate umpire tosses a pitcher, he should confer with the other three umpires to determine whether the pitcher was actually throwing at the batter. The problem is that sometimes the home-plate ump overreacts. Before making a knee-jerk decision that could turn out to be incorrect, it makes sense to arrive at a consensus with the entire umpiring crew. Umpires do this already in other situations, such as a disputed home run. Ejecting a player is equally important. MLB instructed umpires before this season to confer when in doubt. There's no doubt that Edmonds' idea is an excellent one.

Earlier this week, the Chicago Cubs acquired third baseman Aramis Ramirez and center fielder Kenny Lofton from the Pittsburgh Pirates. The 25-year-old Ramirez can hit for power -- career-high 34 homers in 2001 -- and has great promise. The veteran Lofton knows what it takes to succeed in a pennant race and in the postseason.

Both players will help the Cubs, who trail the Houston Astros by 5½ games in the NL Central and are 6½ out in the wild-card race.

Earlier this month, the Chicago White Sox acquired two All-Stars, second baseman Roberto Alomar and outfielder Carl Everett, who can help on offense and defense. The White Sox are five games behind the Kansas City Royals in the AL Central and 9½ back in the wild-card race.

Meanwhile, the New York Yankees acquired troubled closer Armando Benitez from the Mets -- a trade that will help Benitez because he won't have the pressure of being a closer. Being the setup man for Mariano Rivera could be just what Benitez needs. He probably will return to being a closer next year, since he'll be a free agent this offseason.

Two months of less stressful pitching will be good for Benitez in the long run. Might he stay with the Yankees as setup man next year? Well, I think he'll want to get out of New York and start fresh somewhere else. Some Mets fans are also Yankees fans -- and some of those Mets fans were merciless when Benitez struggled this season (seven blown saves).

The Yankees also acquired veteran left-handed reliever Jesse Orosco from the Padres for situational use against left-handed batters. The majors' oldest player at 46, Orosco has held lefties to a .228 average this season.

After weathering a rough month of May, the Yankees have the AL's best record (62-37, .626). But they lead the Boston Red Sox by only 2½ games in the AL East.

Deadline Odds and Ends