Buster Olney is no dummy. He worked the Yankees beat for the New York Times, he’s an author and a Hall of Fame voter.

But, man, he laid an egg this weekend.

Olney is the subject of much criticism right now for a report he filed with ESPN that cites a source that said that the Phillies have kicked around the idea of trading Ryan Howard for all-world slugger and first baseman Albert Pujols.

So let me get this straight. The Phillies have spoken about trading one of their players for the best player in baseball? I’m sure the other 28 teams that don’t employ Pujols have never sat in the conference room and daydreamed about scoring Pujols and plugging him into the 3 hole of their lineup.

It’s just a stupid article, and Olney’s comments since his article has gone viral are no better. He is quick to let everyone know that this trade is nowhere near complete and that he was simply reporting that the Phillies have kicked around the idea. If that was “all it was” – just a harmless little note about the Phillies kicking around Pujols as a possible trade target – why even write it? At least at this point when there is nothing more than a source saying the Phillies discussed it and an adamant denial from Ruben?

Sometimes a story shouild be allowed to gestate a little to see if it has a chance to go anywhere or at least add some meat to a pretty bare skeleton. Instead, I get the sense that Buster was hitting the send button to ESPN to file the story before his “source” had even finished talking.

Is this what serious baseball journalists have been reduced to in the age of the 24 hour news cycle and the race to scoop the other 56,000 writers opining on baseball, either professionally or from the comfort of their living room couch? An article that the Phillies had a conversation wondering if they could trade Ryan Howard for Albert Pujols is news?

Here’s some breaking news: a conversation between Ruben Amaro Jr. and his lieutenants that goes no further isn’t news. I have no doubt that it may have occurred. And who knows, maybe it will happen down the road, but right now? Not news. A phone call to Cardinals’ GM John Mozeliak? News. Spitballing in Ruben Amaro Jr.’s office about what-ifs? Not news.

The reaction to the “news” on sports talk radio is hilarious. The common question is “Would you do it?” There were plenty of fans out there unwilling to sign off on the trade because of allegiances to Ryan Howard, which I understand. But the question I haven’t heard is, “Exactly how much do you think the Cardinals would want in return IN ADDITION TO Ryan Howard? Phillies Long Drive thinks it starts with Dom Brown and gets worse from there. Howard for Pujols straight up? I will wear an Adam Eaton jersey and a Mets thong with nothing else on for a year to Citizens Bank Park if that ever happens.

Lastly, Buster’s contemporaries are coming out in support of their embattled buddy, including former ESPN scribe Peter Gammons, who tweeted, “Buster Olney never wrote Howard-Pujols was hot, only that Phils talked what of among selves. Read before trashing”. He should have written, “Buster Olney never got enough to make it newsworthy, only that Phils talked among themselves. Think before writing, Buster”.