By BRENDAN McGAIR

Sports writer

“If you have a player that has a no-trade clause, you get very involved because the teams have to come to you and they actually have to get permission. That’s fairly rare, though,” said Nero, the managing director of the baseball division at Octagon Sports. “There are times teams will call to ask about a player’s makeup. For the most part, agents are no different than fans. They basically hear about the trades after the fact. Truthfully we’re not as involved as people think.”
Nero finds himself shifting gears at this point of the regular season. Instead of ironing out deals for his clients, he is a voice of reassurance and clarity.  
“A player gets a little antsy and anxious when the trade rumors come. You try to allow or disallow the information and try to council a player through it,” he said. “No player wants to get traded. Those who do are in a little different situation.
“Typically we contact the general manager, and many times, they’ll say it’s bull and that they’re not trading them,” Nero continued. “Other than managing the anxiety of the players, it’s typically an easy week.”
Nero feels baseball’s trade market has a unique vibe to it, one that helps in separating it from the other major sports.
“Baseball is very different than the audacity of the football and basketball players,” Nero details. “You see Chris Paul basically demanding a trade from New Orleans [of the NBA] and that sort of stuff. You don’t see that in baseball as you do in the other sports.”       

Bar remains high for Iannetta

Chris Iannetta might not be an established commodity yet, but there’s no denying the  appeal the St. Raphael Academy product has on the trading scene.
Iannetta, who along with his wife Lisa welcomed the couple’s first child on Wednesday – Ashlyn Brooke checked into the world at 6 pounds, 9 ounces, according to the Denver Post – is a GM’s vision. He is still young (27), plays a demanding position (catcher) and sports a team-friendly contract deal. It seems unlikely that Colorado will trade Iannetta during the season – the Rockies had him take grounders at first base earlier in this month after Todd Helton landed on the disabled list with back woes. More than likely, the matter will be resolved during the offseason.
Nero represents Iannetta. Asks if the deal his client signed last December – three years at $8.35 million with an option for a fourth year – places him front-and-center at every conversation teams have with Colorado GM Dan O’Dowd, Nero responded, “His name is always going to come up. Catching is such a commodity.”
Iannetta, hitting .216 on the season with seven homers and 15 RBI in 30 games, hasn’t put together the type of season many were expecting. His playing time continues to remain sparse as losing the Rockies’ starting catching gig to Miguel Olivo. His demotion to the minors in late April was seen as a reality check rather than “straighten out your swing down there.”
Some brief moments have surfaced since Iannetta was summoned back (four homers in five games, including a game-winner July 7 against St. Louis). Last Saturday, he was behind the plate when Cy Young candidate and National League All-Star starting pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez endured his worst outing to date, a two-inning stint against the Phillies in which Jimenez was torched for six runs while walking six.      
“It’s been an up and down season but I think he’s done OK,” said Nero. “I think (all the trials and tribulations) he went through at the start of the season are having less of an impact on him. He’s matured through it and is much better for it.”

No bull about this ballclub

Need proof why the Tampa Bay Rays figure to remain a thorn in the sides of Boston and New York for several seasons to come? Do yourself a favor and go check out the Durham Bulls, who will be at McCoy Stadium for four games beginning Saturday.
As of yesterday, the Rays’ Triple-A affiliate sported the best record in the International League (64-40, good for two percentage points ahead of 65-41 Columbus), and two of the reasons why are outfielder Desmond Jennings and righthanded pitcher Jeremy Hellickson.
Both players rank 1-2 on the Rays’ prospect list in 2010 according to Baseball America. Jennings (26 steals, .278) has been mentioned as a potential left field replacement for Carl Crawford, while Hellickson tops the I.L. with this dazzling assort: 12-3 with a 2.51 ERA and 119 strikeouts in 114 2/3 innings. Right now, Hellickson, 23, is in line to start Tuesday’s series finale against the PawSox.
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EXTRA BASES: Saturday also marks Jacoby Ellsbury Bobblehead Night at McCoy, which the first 4,000 fans aged 14 & under can obtain. Miniature rib cages aren’t expected to be included in the giveaway. On a more serious note Ellsbury is expected to be elevated to the PawSox this weekend – providing he passes last night’s nine-inning test with the Gulf Coast Sox. … Rocco Baldelli is now hitting .267 through four games with Class A Advanced Charlotte, continuing a pattern of playing once every few days. … The word is that Lincoln native Kyle Borden is enjoying a strong summer for the Liberal Bee Jays of the Jayhawk League, based in Kansas. … Former Burrillville High ace Tim Norton remains a part of the Yankees’ farm system. Currently on the disabled list – Norton has undergone two shoulder surgeries since his selection in the seventh round in 2006 –  the 27-year-old has struck out 47 in 32 1/3 innings while pitching at three levels this season.