Trading David Bell for Jeff Cirillo started a disasterous chain of events from which we haven't apparently haven't yet recovered. First, Cirillo was bad. Second, Cirillo was reportedly a sourpuss. Third, we traded away good farm arms in Denny Stark and Brian Fuentes who paid immediate dividends for Colorado and could have been really handy here. Fourth, David Bell had his career year after he left. Fifth, Cirillo's contract was so bad it hampered the M's management, as they couldn't just sink the costs and move on. Sixth, Jeff Cirillo was terrible. Seventh, because Cirillo sucked and Bell was still good - very good, in fact - the hole went from big to gaping. But actually it went from gaping to Grand Couleeish when you add to to all the lost WAR, the added salary constraints, the necessity to play him day after day, the loss of valuable young pitching.
Later, Jeff Cirillo returned as a ghost who we know better as Chone Figgins. Later he appeared in the form of Dustin Ackley.