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It has been nearly a year since baseball forged a labor agreement that was hailed by commissioner Bud Selig for its ability to restore the sport's economic sanity. The events of this past week, however, make it clear that not much has changed yet.

The activity at the trade deadline showed that many teams are still in deep trouble, while the Yankees still mock all efforts to rein them in.

"What you're seeing is that some clubs are still struggling," Selig said in a phone interview from Milwaukee. "The new deal is only in its first year, so it hasn't kicked in yet to the extent it's going to. Things are better, but this is the manifestation of the continuing economic problems of some clubs."

The mighty Yankees continue to be undeterred by the blatant attempts by other owners to restrain George Steinbrenner's wallet. With their payroll already near $180 million (luxury tax be damned), the Yankees unabashedly attempted to outspend the Mariners for the Reds' Aaron Boone.

To his credit, Selig stepped in to void the proceedings when the bidding reached $3 million, citing the industry rule that no more than $1 million can change hands in any transaction (a rule that already had been violated by the Red Sox, who sent $1.25 million to Cincinnati a day earlier in the Scott Williamson trade).

According to a source in the commissioner's office, Selig feared that the Yankees were prepared to go another million or two higher.

His response, according to the source? "Over my dead body."

The Yankees still got Boone and wound up sending $1.4 million to the Reds, but the deal was split into two components: pitching prospects Brandon Claussen and David Manning and $1 million for Boone, and a player to be named and $400,000 for reliever Gabe White. The Yankees, of course, also picked up more than $2 million in the salary remaining on the 2003 contracts of Boone and White.

J.P. Ricciardi, general manager of the Blue Jays, was among those frustrated by the ability of teams like the Red Sox and especially the Yankees to make deals based on their cash capabilities.

"It sounds like it's a repeat of the '50s, where the Yankees used to go to the Kansas City A's and take their players and give them money so they could survive," Ricciardi told the Associated Press. "We don't have the ability to throw a million dollars at someone just to get a player that we like."

Will the Yankees ever be restrained?

"I'm going to ask everyone to be a little patient here," Selig said. "I'm comfortable the new system will work with everyone. Remember, it's the first year. But I understand the point and it's a valid one."

WILLIE OR BARRY? Giants manager Felipe Alou played with Willie Mays for six years (1958-63) and now manages Barry Bonds. He was asked to compare the two.

"Willie is the best player I ever played with or against, and Barry is the best player I've ever managed or managed against," Alou said. "It's very difficult to compare Barry and Willie. One guy plays left field; the other guy played center. One guy bats left-handed; the other guy batted right-handed.

"Willie is the best ballplayer I ever saw. He was instinctive, but he also always knew what to do. He had charisma and he was spectacular.

"I regarded him as a special player and I thought of Hank Aaron as a machine. Willie was the best of his era, better than Hank, Roberto Clemente and Frank Robinson. Those other guys could do a lot of things, too, but it was the way Willie did it."

DEADLINE TALK: Many GMs would like to see the deadline for non-waiver trades to be moved back a month. They have a point.

There were 17 teams within 5 1/2 games of a playoff spot when the deadline rolled around Thursday afternoon. That's too close to unload players without alienating fans, even if many of those teams don't have realistic chances.