No matter what time of the year rumors are always flying around the web about who could be traded and for what, but as we get closer and closer to the trade deadline you have to take those rumors more seriously. There are all kinds of reports on who could be moved by the deadline today, and these are some of the biggest rumors of the day involving players who are, “sure to be moved,” according to the experts.
Wednesday Trade Deadline Rumors
Bud Norris - Houston Astros
Norris’ name has been thrown around, but there have been few substantial rumors that he was actually going to be traded, that is, until the Astros scratched him from his start today too. The young lefty should be a hot commodity considering his age and that he remains under team control until 2015, but not nearly as many teams are rumored to be in on him as they are/were on Peavy. Right now the Pirates are the front runners according to Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports, but with Peavy now off the market more and more teams are rumored to be preparing offers for the young lefty. As of right now the Pirates are the leaders because of the Astros interest in right hander Tyler Glasnow, but the Pirates do not want include him in any trades, and that opens the door for the Orioles and the Diamondbacks. The D-Backs missed out on the Peavy deal and are not going to give up that easily, while the Orioles seem to be in desperate need to starting pitching, and are rumored in with just about everyone, even after landing Scott Feldman a few weeks ago. Norris has not packed his bags yet, but could be on the move at any moment.
Michael Young - Philadelphia Phillies
Young has been rumored to be on the move for weeks now. The most commonly linked sutor has been the New York Yankees with Kevin Youkilis on the shelf and Alex Rodriguez future in doubt, but he has remained a Phillie, and nothing substantial has leaned towards him being on the move, until now. Much like Norris and Peavy, rumors are starting to pick up because of a move the Phillies made today. With the two pitchers they are skipping their starts, with Young the rumors have started gaining ground as the Phillies call up third baseman Cody Asche to presumably take Young’s spot in the lineup. This could just be the Phillies calling up a kid who they think is ready to take the next step, but this close to the deadline everything will be linked to a possible trade. The biggest hang up with Young, though, is that he has a no-trade clause and apparently doesn’t want to go anywhere but Texas. Now this could change in a heartbeat if the right situation arises and the Phillies talk Young into waiving his no trade, but for now it is unlikely he goes anywhere as the only team he wants, doesn’t want him back.
Cliff Lee - Philadelphia Phillies
Lee is on the block, Lee is off the block, this is the roller coaster life that is Lee’s career, not just his season. Maybe Lee is just too good, because if Lee is traded it would be the third time he is traded at the deadline. Lee is obviously not doing anything wrong to get himself traded, no, the problem is each time it’s happened he has been the best pitcher available and a pitcher that could very well be a game changer for any playoff team that gets him. Both of the previous two times Lee helped lead the Phillies and the Rangers to a World Series appearance. Both teams lost, but if getting Lee means a chance to even play in the World Series then teams will be beating down the doors to get Lee before the deadline. Rumors come and go just as fast, and rumors about Lee right now are gone. The only team that seemed to be seriously interested in taking on Lee’s massive salary has now landed Peavy and has no need for Lee. Someone could still jump in on Lee in the coming hours, but rumors are right now that he’s staying put.
Josh Outman - Colorado Rockies
There is a lot of interest in this lefty to help the bullpens of contending teams, but the Rockies seem to have an asking price that is why too high to realistically move him. Even with the high asking price, there are a few teams interested in Outman. The Red Sox have been rumored to be interested, but honestly they seem to be interested in everyone. The real match appears to be the Cleveland Indians who have a real need for a lefty in the pen, the only problem is the asking price. If the Indians can get the Rockies to come down on their asking price this will be a perfect fit and the Indians will get the lefty they need and still have him under control for next season as well.
Kevin Gregg - Chicago Cubs
The Cubs have been clear winners in the trade market so far. They have pulled in a nice haul for guys that are clearly not in the future plans of the team and Gregg fits that same mold. Every team in the playoff hunt is looking for bullpen help, and Gregg can be just that. Gregg has proven he can close for teams, but for a contending team he could be a sixth, seventh inning or eighth inning guy you can rely on. There are not a ton of teams rumored to be interested in Gregg other than, oddly enough, the Rockies, who should be sellers as well. The Tigers, Pirates and Blue Jays are all scouting the Cubs current series with the Brewers, and two of the three are contending teams that could use some more bullpen depth. The Cubs are surely going to trade Gregg, but unless someone makes a move fast it may end up being a waiver deal after the deadline.
Nate Schierholtz - Chicago Cubs
As mentioned above the Cubbies are moving anyone who is not in the team's future plans. Schierholtz falls in the mold. He is having a career year and with so few hitters on the trade block this year the Cubs should be able to get a nice piece to add to their already stacked farm system. The Pirates are looking for an outfielder, and Schierholtz could be their guy. The only hang up is the health of his arm. He has shown his health with his strong play lately, though, and could be a Pirate soon.
Howie Kendrick - Los Angeles Angels
Kendrick is a versatile middle infielder who hits for average, doesn’t strike out much and has a little bit of pop in his bat, and thanks to a recent dive by the Angels he is now available. Because Kendrick has only became available recently there are not a lot of rumors about him, yet. The Royals are said to be interested and the Cardinals, who inquired about Erick Aybar, who is not available, could also be interested in Kendrick if the price is right. Kendrick may stay put for now and be traded in the offseason, but any team would be lucky to land him as he is consistant and under control for two more seasons.
San Francisco Giants
The Giants have fallen hard, and even though they are in a winnable NL West, they are willing to part with the three big free agents on their roster. The problem? They want too much for lefty Javier Lopez, the market for a two time Cy Young award winner with an ERA of 4.61, Tim Lincecum, isn’t huge, and although they have said they are willing to trade Hunter Pence, they want him back next season. As it is, the Giants could end up trading all three and filling a need in the minor league level at starting pitcher, or they could end up holding onto all three and being in the same predicament next season if pitching struggles or has injury issues.
The San Diego Padres
The Padres are rumored to have a lot of players available, but much like last season when Chase Headley was rumored to be available, they seem to be asking for more than anyone wants to spend. The Rangers were interested in Chris Denorfia with a possible suspension on the way for Nelson Cruz, but not much seems to be going on with that right now. The big targets the Padres have out there are two relievers, Luke Gregerson and Joe Thatcher. Both have drawn interest from every team that has been looking for bullpen help, but much like the Giants with Lopez and the Rockies with Outman the asking prices seems to be too high. The Athletics had been rumored to be in on Gregerson and the Red Sox had been rumored to be asking about both. As the deadline gets closer either of these two could be traded, but only if the asking price goes down, or someone gets desperate.
Monday and Tuesday’s Trades
Rumors have swirled for the last week on when, not if, Jake Peavy would be traded and where he would be traded too. On Sunday, it was reported that he had packed his bags and left Comerica Ball Park and was not expecting to play there again. Later that evening reports were that every team had backed out as the White Sox brass would not go down on their asking price of two top prospects without the Sox eating any of Peavy’s hefty contract. Before this news the White Sox seemed to have multiple suitors for Peavy, but since, there has been nothing but rumors of who is no longer in on Peavy. Now Peavy has been pulled from his start today and rumors will continue in increase. So where in the world could he be headed?
After many teams back out because the asking price was too high Peavy is headed to Boston. The Red Sox jumped in after everyone was scared off by the asking price and found a way to make it work. In what was one of the more surprising three team trades in recent history the two Sox franchises brought in the Detroit Tigers and worked a trade where the White Sox pull in a haul of prospects that included Avisail Garcia who was being called little miggy in comparison to teammate Miguel Cabrera. Along with Garcia they get two minor league right handers and a shortstop while the Tigers get shortstop Jose Iglesias from the Red Sox to fill the void that will be left by Jhonny Peralta when MLB suspends him for his role in the biogenesis scandal, and of course, the Red Sox haul in Peavy to add to the rotation as well as relief pitcher Brayan Villarreal.
The A’s were on the of teams who backs out on Peavy, but they didn’t quit after backing out. In one of the most surprising trades so far, the A’s landed a solid switch hitter who can play all over the infield who did not appear to even be on the trade block. There was not a single rumor going around involving Alberto Jose Callaspo, but we shouldn’t be surprised, because these are the kinds of moves Billy Beane makes.
He goes out and gets a guy who no one expects, and on the surface, It doesn’t make a ton of sense. Callaspo has played primarily third base this season, and Josh Donaldson has that position locked down. What people may forget, though, is that Callaspo has played all over the infield and could fit in and play any position, including taking over Adam Rosales spot in the second base platoon. This is a classic Beane trade, and while the A’s give up a former first round pick in Grant Green, they gain just what they need in a solid versatile player.
Today and tomorrow aren’t the only days with a lot of activity. Yesterday teams really started to dig in on negotiations, and four relievers came off of the market, three by trade while one was a free agent signing. The free agent was the eccentric Brian Wilson who was tendered a contract by the Los Angeles Dodgers yesterday, and he signed this morning. The tentative plan for Wilson is a week in the Dodgers Arizona complex followed by a week in the minors before coming up to set up for closer Kenley Jansen if everything goes well. If Wilson’s recovery from Tommy John is as good as it sounded from what scouts said about his workout, this could be a big piece filled by the Dodgers.
While the Dodgers were tendering Wilson the contract the Tampa Bay Rays and the Detroit Tigers were working on filling bullpen needs of their own. The Rays went out and took on an all-star setup man, who is currently injured, for next to nothing. Jesse Crain was said in recent weeks to be one piece the White Sox really wanted to hold onto, but instead ended up being the first piece traded away, and for nothing but cash considerations or a player to be named later. If Crain returns from the disabled list as dominant as he was before he went on it, this will be a huge win for the Rays, but that remains to be seen.
The Tigers, meanwhile, went out and pilfered from the poor as they took the Astros closer Jose Veras in a trade to help patch up what has to be the worst bullpen of any contender. The Astros didn’t just hand over Veras as cheaply as the Sox did with Crain, though. The Astros are stacking their minor league teams for the future, and got a minor league outfielder and a player to be named in the deal. To the Tigers it isn’t much to give up to help patch up the biggest need on the team. Veras should fit into the seventh inning role immediately, and help bridge the gap to setup man and closer.
Last, but not least, the Atlanta Braves filled a big need after the injury bug struck in their bullpen when they acquired Scott Downs from the Angels for right handed reliever Colby Rasmus. The Braves had been looking in on several lefties in recent weeks because of injuries to Eric O'Flaherty and Jonny Venters, and when the Angels finally became sellers, they found their man in Downs. Downs is just what the Braves needed, a veteran lefty who is in the midst of one of the best seasons of his career. With Downs now in the fold, the Braves bullpen is once again one of the best in the league, possibly all of MLB.