DOES ANYONE EDIT NEWSPAPERS ANYMORE? :

2 Marlins stars . . . going, going, gone : Cliff Floyd traded to Montreal; Ryan Dempster dealt to Cincinnati (CLARK SPENCER, Jul. 12, 2002, Miami Herald)

Floyd, the cog of the Marlins' offense, was traded to the Montreal Expos for journeymen pitchers Carl Pavano and Graeme Lloyd, utility infielder Mike Mordecai, and three prospect pitchers. Dempster, 5-8 with a 4.79 ERA in 18 starts this season, was sent to the Reds in return for outfielder Juan Encarnaci—n.

Mr. Spencer, in a truly astonishing feat of linguistic malfeasance, manages here to say the exact opposite of what he intended. Here's the definition of "cog" :

cog :  Pronunciation Key  (kg, kôg)
n.
1. One of a series of teeth, as on the rim of a wheel or gear, whose engagement transmits successive motive force to a corresponding wheel or gear.
2. A cogwheel.
3. A subordinate member of an organization who performs necessary but usually minor or routine functions

One assumes that Mr. Spencer didn't seriously mean to say that Cliff Floyd, who was easily the best offensive player on the Marlins, performed a minor and routine function for the team. Posted by Orrin Judd at July 12, 2002 9:33 AM