Speaking from the heart…speeches that went on-and-on, meant allot and forgot some things too.

It was a special Hall of Fame Sunday in tiny Cooperstown, New York, as baseball honored glory guys from the past.

A legendary class admitted before a record crowd of more than 48,000 fans, where baseball was first played, just outside history Doubleday Field.

Joe Torre strolled down memory lane of great players and teams he managed, from longtime coach George Kessell, to the stars in New York he won rings with. His 28-minute ad-lib speed was from the heart. Unfortunately he forgot to give praise to the man who brought him to Yankees Stadium, and spent the money to get his players so they could go get 4-rings.

Hard to believe, he could not remember to sing the praises of George Steinbrenner, even though the relationship ended so badly. He has spent the past 24-hours apologizing for it.

Tony LaRussa, dashing, daring, creative, passionate, independent thinker, talked about all the places he had been, once his .199-hitting career as a player was over. He too forgot to mention White Sox exec Roland Hemond, who gave him his first break.

Bobby Cox was nuts and bolts old school baseball, in his speech, just like he managed. He did salute the 3-great pitchers he had, Maddux-Glavine and Smoltz for the reason he got to Cooperstown.

Greg Maddux was typical, insightful, unexcited, methodical, in his speech, just like he pitched. Part scientist-part artist.

Tom Glavine could have been a hockey player, but became a pitcher, learning his craft throwing snowballs and ice balls as a kid growing up.

Frank Thomas, slugger supreme, named everybody in the Chicago phone directory in his speech of salutes. History should write he played the game the right way, played it hard, played it clean.

In the era just passed, of syringes and sluggers who stained the game, it was refreshing to see honest-good people and players, have their day in the sun. For 1-day the clouds over baseball were pushed away by the specialness of this Hall of Fame class.

No one knows why these things happen. Why a baseball trade will rejuvenate a player. Why the same deal will help a team. Why sometime later, the young player in a deal develops into a star.

The Padres-Yankees…Padres-Angels deal within the last week have started to pay dividends.

San Diego has had a pleasant surprise, in 3rd baseman Yangervis Solarte, who had been demoted by the Yankees. The Dominican journeyman, started like a house-afire in April and May in New York, then cooled off, then was optioned to the minors.

By the time New York decided to include him in the Chase Headley trade, he had been hitting (.153). Not so now. Since putting on Padres colors, he is (7-16) showing power and hitting at a (.350-clip), and has a bunch of extra base hits..

Pretty impressive, so we will wait to see if it continues.

Headley by the way, has a 6-game hitting streak, and is hitting an amazing (.348). This is the same guy who spent months hitting in the (.180s) in San Diego, after last year’s disappointing campaign. Surrounded by better players, less pressure in the batting order, or maybe just health, he is hot for sure..

The Padres-Angels trade netted San Diego three young lower minor league players, and a Triple A player. It has not been a good start for Taylor Lindsay, the supposed 2nd baseman of the future. A (2-21) start in El Paso. If you cannot hit in the Pacific Coast League, that’s not very good.

Huston Street moved to the 949-Angels bullpen area code, and has 3-saves in his lst week, pitching in a pennant race.

Sometimes you never know about deals.

Back in the day, the Tigers, desperate for a starting pitcher, shipped a lower minor league pitcher for a veteran. Doyle Alexander-a long in the tooth right-hander, helped get them to the postseason. John Smoltz went to the Braves and won 300-games.

The Red Sox needed a reliever and went after Larry Anderson, then of Houston. They traded a minor leaguer for him. Anderson pitched 2-months then left Boston. The minor leaguer became slugger Jeff Bagwell, an Astro likely headed to the Hall of Fame.

Waiting to see what the Padres deals turn out to be, maybe a year from now, 3-years from now.

Change of Address for Headly-Street..good. Will see what the young phenoms are like when and if they arrive in San Diego.

They have every type of guy you need to go get the job done.

The Chargers are opening training camp, and the committee is ready to report to work, the committee of running backs.

3-deep with proven performers, it might not be LaDainian Tomlinson-Darren Sproles, but it will be just as dangerous and definitely dynamic.

The Chargers 3-Musketeers at running back are ready-willing-and definitely able.

Ryan Mathews, the slow developing lst round pick, has gone from “China Doll” to “Rock Hard”. Coach Mike McCoy changed the culture of Chargers football last year, and he definitely changed Mathews. No more injuries. Lots of carries. Dependability every week. You will not fumble, you will blitz block.

He did, and he did it consistently. End result, a remarkable season in which he touched the ball 311-times and wound up with 1444-all purpose yards. He was heavy duty tough, reliable, and always there. No more hand-calf-finger-collarbone injuries.

Danny Woodhead became what Darren Sproles was, dangerous, dynamic and tough. When he was done darting-dashing he had 8TDs and 1084-all purpose yards, running people ragged..

And now you add Donald Brown via the Indianapolis Colts. Sometimes runner, sometimes receiver, always trustworthy. The only word I can think of is dependable. He had nearly 3,000 all purpose yards with the Colts.

So now Phillip Rivers, for the first time in a couple of years, has it inside, outside, and on the edge. When he wants to play power ball it will be Mathews. When he wants change of pace, there is Brown. When he wants explosive it is Woodhead.

I don’t care Woodhead is locked up now for 3-years, and Brown got 3-years, and yes Mathews is headed to his walk-free agent year. If Mathews duplicates last season into this season, there would no reason to let him go. He is still young, and has proven he can handle the rock. He now know what it takes to be a pro.

The 3-Musketeers, one for all, all for one, helping out Rivers in a truly balanced Chargers offense.