At 7 p.m., Wade’s phone rings as he’s about to head home. It’s the general manager of another team inquiring for the first time about Bourn.

Astros: Wade – Our briefcases are packed up now, all we have to do is just say novenas for the rest of the night hoping Michael doesn’t get hurt. And I’m just about 10 paces from the elevator to push the button to go down to the parking garage. I said, “Out of respect, I don’t want to waste your time. I think we’re pretty far down the road on something.” And the response is, “Even if I’m willing to give you better players?” And I said, “Just take me at my word. We’ve known each other for a long time, stay out of it.”

Anybody have any guesses as to who the mystery GM might be?

I guess Brian Sabean.

Wow, I loved that article! Well worth RTFA!!

Anybody have any guesses as to who the mystery GM might be?

Steve Phillips.

Great article. Disappointed that it was a bit short but very interesting.

The mystery GM's mistake was saying, "Even if I'm willing to give you better players?"

This is Ed Wade we're talking about.

Instead, he should have said, "Even if I'm willing to give you middle relievers?"

You've got to know your audience and tailor your pitch.

Snark aside, one thing that struck me as interesting is how much communication was done through text message. I have never, ever, sent a work-related text.

Why not just use email on a smartphone?

I just don't buy that Bourn was a 5 win player in 2010, I just don't.

Why not just use email on a smartphone?

It's a little faster and probably more importantly it's more direct. If you do email only, maybe the assistant GMs, who you don't have as much of a relationship with, are cc'ed on it.

I always wonder how Veeck would keep people from being able to communicate to ther GMs in this day and age.

At 7 p.m., Wade’s phone rings as he’s about to head home. It’s the general manager of another team inquiring for the first time about Bourn.

Astros: Wade – Our briefcases are packed up now, all we have to do is just say novenas for the rest of the night hoping Michael doesn’t get hurt. And I’m just about 10 paces from the elevator to push the button to go down to the parking garage. I said, “Out of respect, I don’t want to waste your time. I think we’re pretty far down the road on something.” And the response is, “Even if I’m willing to give you better players?” And I said, “Just take me at my word. We’ve known each other for a long time, stay out of it.”

I enjoy this in light of the other thread in which we are arguing about how much work being a GM is. Wade is probably right not to explore this deal after having agreed to another one, but it sure sounds like he didn't do it because he was ready to go home for the night. I mean, come on, it's 7 o'clock!

Wade is probably right not to explore this deal after having agreed to another one, but it sure sounds like he didn't do it because he was ready to go home for the night.

I'll laugh at Ed Wade as much as the next guy, but the teams had already agreed to the trade, they were waiting on the commissioner's office approval.

Snark aside, one thing that struck me as interesting is how much communication was done through text message. I have never, ever, sent a work-related text.

Why not just use email on a smartphone?

Text is great for this sort of thing. It has the immediacy and directness of a phone call while not being quite as intrusive. You don't catch someone on another line.

The other thing is it's a bit easier to read. I know with my iPhone I get text messages displayed without having to open the program, with e-mail I get a notification that I've received an e-mail but have to open the e-mail program to read it. Texting is essentially a non-verbal phone call.

I'll laugh at Ed Wade as much as the next guy, but the teams had already agreed to the trade, they were waiting on the commissioner's office approval.

Yeah, I gained a lot of respect for Wade on this one. He had an agreement in place and he honored that agreement.

Text is also perfect for yes or no questions, something that I'm sure GMs ask and answer a lot of.

Wade: DO U LIKE MIKE BOURNE

Wren: YES DO U LIKE JORDAN SCHAFFER

Wade: OMG YES

Very interesting, and I also enjoyed the little kid refusing to wear the Braves hat. I never thought of that but telling a little kid he has to change the team he's a fan of has to be weird.

As if the other GM could have offered something better than Jordan Schafer. No average, the strikeouts, always injured, he's the perfect new (read: shitty) Astro and that's before you factor in the drug habit.

Text messages are ideal for facts and figures that the recipient can refer to quickly, like Bourne's cash compensation or names of minor leaguers that might not be at the top of Wren's mind.

Voice calls are better for quick back-and-forth discussions and picking up hints and clues of what the other guy is thinking.

I expected a LOT more snark here about any article discussing Ed Wade. Hmph, live and learn.

It's a little faster and probably more importantly it's more direct. If you do email only, maybe the assistant GMs, who you don't have as much of a relationship with, are cc'ed on it.

Texts also give you plausible deniability. If a report about the trade discussion leaks to the media, you can claim with a totally straight face and clean conscience that you "haven't spoken" to anyone on the other team about a deal.

Texts also give you plausible deniability. If a report about the trade discussion leaks to the media, you can claim with a totally straight face and clean conscience that you "haven't spoken" to anyone on the other team about a deal.

Eh, e-mail accomplishes the same goal.

Eh, e-mail accomplishes the same goal.

Sure, but voice conversations don't. Which is why I brought it up.

Texts also give you plausible deniability. If a report about the trade discussion leaks to the media, you can claim with a totally straight face and clean conscience that you "haven't spoken" to anyone on the other team about a deal.

I really hope some journalist sees this thread and when they get the "haven't spoken with" line they drop in a quick "and what about text messages?"

Braves: 1:30 p.m. Wren text message – We see Bourn valued down a level from Pence for our club. We like the run production and power of Pence, and Bourn is a run creator. That doesn’t do as much for us.

Braves: Wren – We sat down and talked through it with our scouts and I said, [Bourn] is the perfect fit for us.

I really hope some journalist sees this thread and when they get the "haven't spoken with" line they drop in a quick "and what about text messages?"

Look at you, thinking that journalists do things like research and reading discussions on subjects.

I enjoy this in light of the other thread in which we are arguing about how much work being a GM is. Wade is probably right not to explore this deal after having agreed to another one, but it sure sounds like he didn't do it because he was ready to go home for the night. I mean, come on, it's 7 o'clock!

I'll take the fact that Wade was leaving at 7 PM one day before the trade deadline as strong support for my hypothesis that they don't need to work extreme hours.

Even I would have thought the week before the trade deadline would be all hands on deck til midnight.

his slumping Astros

Can a three year stretch be considered a "slump"?

On another note - Juan Abreu throws 101 mph now? I remember him in the Royals organization and I liked him but never really thought he was anything special and figured he woulda washed out by now. Did the Braves alter his delivery or something?

Very interesting article. I'm always interested in the human element - how do you tell the player you've traded him. What are the logistics of getting him to his new team, etc. Also agree its cool Wade kept his word, although I imagine its not that uncommon - if you screw someone over, you'll develop a bad rep and people won't want to deal with you. Reminds me of the Randy Johnson to the Jays deal that Pat Gillick couldn't do because he had to honor his Rickey Henderson deal with the A's that he pulled while Woody Woodward was golfing.

Interesting article.

I'm not sure why Wade's getting such a free pass. It's great that he didn't try to renege on the deal, but how the hell did he not know there was another team interested in Bourn in the first place?

There are only 29 other teams and only a few buyers in late July, how hard can it be to lob in a call to each of them when you're moving a major piece?

We don't know all the circumstances here - maybe the other GM was blowing smoke or had a last minute change of heart - but there's a pretty good chance that Wade screwed up here.

I enjoy this in light of the other thread in which we are arguing about how much work being a GM is. Wade is probably right not to explore this deal after having agreed to another one, but it sure sounds like he didn't do it because he was ready to go home for the night. I mean, come on, it's 7 o'clock!

I'll take the fact that Wade was leaving at 7 PM one day before the trade deadline as strong support for my hypothesis that they don't need to work extreme hours.

He's leaving the office, not leaving work. How could you RTFA and not get that a GM is working wherever he is nowadays, as are many jobs. You are reachable 24/7.

I'll take the fact that Wade was leaving at 7 PM one day before the trade deadline as strong support for my hypothesis that they don't need to work extreme hours.

Oh snapper, this is Ed Wade. This might not help your case at all.

The other thing is it's a bit easier to read. I know with my iPhone I get text messages displayed without having to open the program, with e-mail I get a notification that I've received an e-mail but have to open the e-mail program to read it. Texting is essentially a non-verbal phone call.

Someone hasn't updated to iOS 5.

I'll take the fact that Wade was leaving at 7 PM one day before the trade deadline as strong support for my hypothesis that they don't need to work extreme hours.

Let's be honest here. The Astros had two good players all season and he already traded one and the paperwork was going through on the other. He didn't have any players left that anyone wanted, so he had no reason to stick around.

I'm not sure why Wade's getting such a free pass. It's great that he didn't try to renege on the deal, but how the hell did he not know there was another team interested in Bourn in the first place?

The article clearly says that that was the first time the team showed any interest.

yeah the ARTICLE sez that but i heard from more than 1 source that there were more than 2 teams interested in bourn - and it bullstuff if ed wade didn't bother to check em out

of course he just might could be lying to the reporter

He's leaving the office, not leaving work. How could you RTFA and not get that a GM is working wherever he is nowadays, as are many jobs. You are reachable 24/7.

So F***ing what? I have a work blackberry. I check my email periodically throughout the evening.

Most reasonably senior white collar workers do that in this day in age. That doesn't mean you have some unbearable workload.