In a week, on July 31st, the trade deadline for this season will come and go. And, seeing as the biggest trade that's occured to this point was the Mets sending Francisco Rodriguez to the Brewers, or the Royals sending Wilson Betemit to the Tigers for 2 minor leaguers, it seems as if it might possibly be a quiet week. But, just in case, we'll hedge our bets and discuss some of the players whose names have been mentioned more than Adam Dunn gets hits. Remember, until any deals are finalized, this is all purely speculation from a jaded Yankees fan.
First off, it seems that the marquee trade would be Mets outfielder Carlos Beltran to, well, anywhere. Most reports say that Beltran would most likely remain in the NL East and go to either the Phillies or Braves, but the Red Sox have also been mentioned, while the Giants still seem like they're vying to get him. Since the Mets made it clear that star shortstop Jose Reyes would not be shipped off before his impending free agency after this season, Beltran seems to be the most attractive trading chip they have in Queens. While not necessarily a huge impact player, his offensive prowess would fit nicely in the lineup of a contender like the teams in Philadelphia or Boston. What makes Beltran even more attractive to teams is that Mets ownership has said they would cover the remaining money he's owed this year, which is $6 million that any team he would join wouldn't have to add that to their payroll, a real plus for any small-market teams that may be making a run at him. As to where he may end up, chances are best that he'll be staying in the National League, probably with the Braves or Giants. Either way, it seems that Beltran's days as a Met are numbered, and the number is quite small.
Next, there's Rays centerfielder B.J. Upton. A young player with a sweet swing and swift feet, Upton has been a big part of why the Rays are viewed as contenders, and are able to hold their own in a division that also has the Yankees and Red Sox. In spite of that, Upton's name always seems to be thrown around a lot this time of year. There have been two potential trades that are most heavily discussed amongst fans: a straight swap with the Cardinals for fellow young centerfielder Colby Rasmus (and probably some pitching help for St. Louis), or sending Upton to the Phillies for a few top prospects. While the Rays are notorious for drafting highly-rated pitchers, their young hitters in the farm systems are sometimes less than spectacular, so they could use some heavy hitters with a few good years ahead of them, which the Phillies might be more willing to provide than the Cards. Plus, Upton not only would add a large amount of power to a lineup that can't always support its amazing rotation, but would be playing in the same league as his brother Justin, which would certainly spice up an otherwise boring matchup between the Diamondbacks and the Phils. It seems likely that, if Upton is traded, the Phillies will be his new team, but don't count the Cardinals out.
Speaking of Cardinals centerfielder Colby Rasmus, his name is also mentioned a lot lately. While it's no secret that he and manager Tony La Russa don't get along too well, GM John Mozeliak has stated that he has little to no intent of dealing Rasmus. However, with his season not going so spectacularly, and the Cards in dire need of pitching help, it wouldn't be impossible if they made the aforementioned deal with the Rays for B.J. Upton and some young arms. Other teams that have apparently inquired about Rasmus include the Nationals, who have a moderately weak outfield (including Jayson Werth, who is being paid millions to hit under .220 in the middle of July), and the Red Sox, who are probably envisioning a starting outfield of Rasmus, Carl Crawford, and Jacoby Ellsbury, which would give them 3 ball-shaggers that can get on base and then steal a few. As nice as this scenario may be for Boston fans, it seems highly unlikely that Rasmus will be traded this season, and if he is, the smart money is on him joining the Rays.
Astros outfielder Hunter Pence seems to be viewed as a consolation prize for whatever team that makes a strong bid for Carlos Beltran and doesn't get him. However, Pence is having a pretty terrific year and, after his first All-Star appearance, is projected to have one of his best seasons yet. Unfortunately, he plays in Houston, so it's easy to forget about him. This wouldn't be the case if he gets traded to a contender like the Phillies or Reds, who seem to be the two teams showing the most interest in him. It seems like the Phils are interested in any outfielder that can make contact frequently, but the Reds could have a young, powerful platoon in right field with Pence and Jay Bruce, who would face righthanders while Pence would take care of the lefties. However, the Astros are supposedly asking a hefty price for Pence, most reports say that they want 3 major league-ready top prospects, something most teams aren't clamoring to part with. While the Reds' minor league system has some very impressive young players, they're more likely to opt to cultivate their talent in the organization rather than ship them out for Pence. Still, if Pence is traded, it'll most likely be to Cincinnati.
Padres closer Heath Bell is already heading into free agency after this season, but it seems like San Diego prefers to ship him out and try to get him back in the offseason than take the chance of him signing elsewhere once the year is over. As one of the most dominant closers in the National League, he's likely to pull in some big free-agent dollars if the Padres aren't able to resign him. The Rangers seem to be the frontrunners to get Bell, and are apparently aggresively talking to the Padres about him. He's also piqued the interest of the Cardinals, Angels and Braves. It wouldn't make much sense for Bell to go to Atlanta or Anaheim, as both teams have a young, lights-out closer (Craig Kimbrel for the Braves and Jordan Walden for the Angels) and using Bell as a setup man would be a true waste of his talent. The Rangers would love to have him in the bullpen, since they've stated that current closer Neftali Feliz will be joining the starting rotation within the next couple of years if everything goes well. The Cardinals don't have a very strong bullpen, but since their rotation is pretty durable, and most of their starters eat innings like David Ortiz eats cheesburgers, Bell might not be a great fit in St. Louis either. It's most likely that, should be leave San Diego, he'll land in Arlington or St. Louis.
Finally, although the Rockies have firmly stated that starter Ubaldo Jimenez is not on the trading block, there are still plenty of suitors for him. The Yankees and Tigers have asked about him the most, while the Reds are also curious as to what it would take for GM Dan O'Dowd to deal the ace, who stated that any team that wants to trade for Jimenez would have to send their very best prospects, and that any potential trade would have to "blow [the organization] away". As with Pence, the Reds would have to be willing to part with their top pitching prospects, and the same would be true if they made an offer for Jimenez. The Tigers would love to have him in a rotation that includes Justin Verlander, but it doesn't seem like they have much to offer in return in the way of minor leaguers. While the Yankees have the manpower in their farm system, they're just as hesitant to trade their young players as they are to call them up to the big leagues. Even though the Yanks could use the pitching help the most, all of the teams interested in Jimenez have yet to make an offer to the Rockies. And while the Colorado brass firmly denies that he's seriously being considered as a trade piece, if Jimenez goes anywhere, it'll probably be to the Yankees, who will have to decide if he's worth depleting the farm system.
All of these fantasy scenarios are nice to think about, but if there's the same level of activity this upcoming week as there has been the last few weeks, we'll still be imagining these wonderful situations this time next Sunday when the deadline comes and goes. Stay tuned for info on any and all blockbuster trades.
No comments:
Post a Comment