Good luck trying to get the national media to acknowledge it (especially in the wake of the disappointing but entirely unsurprising Juicin' Raffy story), but as things shake out from the Rockies' trade deadline disaster, it's becoming increasingly clear that the Boston Red Sox pulled a fast one on Colorado. The Post says the Monforts will discuss the Larry Bigbie bait-and-switch with Bud Selig. (Wonder what Commissioner Bud will say? "You're Colorado. Seeing as you have already extorted a new stadium from taxpayers and hosted an All-Star Game in the past decade, nobody cares. Don't call again unless you want me to fudge the money rules so you can trade Todd Helton to the Dodgers.")

The cell phone cowboy, Tracy Ringolsby, is even more blunt in his assessment of the situation: "Rockies general manager Dan O'Dowd thought the Red Sox' word had value. It doesn't." Apparently a Boston assistant GM negotiating the deal without having the authority to do so. That's code for: we screwed you, because we're Boston and you're the Rockies and we knew we could get away with it.

In a strange way, this is good news for the Rockies, because it gives fans some kind of connection to a franchise that has spent the past few weeks clearing the decks of anyone with more than six figures attached to their name. Better we see the franchise as spurned lover than slightly-used ballplayer reseller. I sure feel like more of a Rockies fan than I have since Clint Barmes got hurt.

Rockies people: I know you are out there. People are still going to the games. There's all these blogs. People care about this team despite the multitude of reasons O'Dowd and the Monforts have given us not to do so. Don't let this story die! Get on the message boards and the ESPN chats. Call national sports radio shows. Send nasty mail to the Red Sox' front office (4 Yawkey Way, Boston, MA, 02215-3496). I'm refusing calls from my nine Boston uncles and my sister who goes to B.C. (We're Irish-Catholic.) They think we can be trifled with. Trifle this, you beaneating welshers! You think that old curse was bad? You ain't seen nothing yet! And while we're at it, hot dogs go in buns.