MLB Trade Rumors: ESPN's Jayson Stark

by faketeams on Jun 12, 2008 2:07 PM EDT in Baseball

With the non-waiver trade deadline less than two months away, the trade rumor mill is beginning to gear-up. Regardless of the actual number of games back, teams that have been in last place for the first 10 weeks of the season give the appearance of being really bad. Therefore, they will become a source of trade speculation.

I know it is early because the New York Yankees and Oakland A's haven't been specifically tied to any one player. Until they are, one can only consider current trade rumors pure speculation. The big signal that trade season has opened will be Peter Gammons "breaking" rumors about offers for any of the popular Oakland A's - Joe Blanton, Huston Street.

Here are some trade rumors from Jayson Stark' latest Rumblings column:

Matt Holliday, Colorado Rockies:
Do not need quantity as the Rangers did last year when they dealt Mark Teixeira
Do want "impact" but not a specific number of players. Suggests a Jay bruce type of prospect would do it. Of course, doesn't suggest who'd be able to pay that kind of price.
Not necessarily young players. Just those controllable longer than 2009
Will only deal Holliday or Garrett Atkins
Pittsburgh Pirates:
will hold onto to their veterans like Jason Bay and Xavier Nady to cahse .500
Seattle Mariners:
Do not have anything they'd trade that other teams want.
Ken Griffey Jr.:
Not going anywhere. His bat has slowed too much for him to be an impact slugger.

Over at MLB.com , Jim Molony offers up several possible trade targets. He mentions Holliday, Griffey and the Pirates' outfielders as Mr. Stark did. He also offers up Cleveland Indians' LHP C.C. Sabathia, San Diego Padres' RHP Greg Maddux and RF Brian Giles along with Texas Ranger teammates C Gerald Laird and DH/OF Milton Bradley.

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Comments

any closers available?

the Mets may need one…Wagner blew another today….3 in a row now?? do the Mets have a backup right now?? not Heilman, not Sanchez….who?? Burgos? lol…

raygu

by Ray Guilfoyle on Jun 12, 2008 4:29 PM EDT reply actions

Imploding

The Mets are in trouble. Nothing in the bullpen. Nothing for depth in the OF or 1B. And Oliver Perez is pitching as if he won’t be a free agent at season’s end.

Fake Teams - a proud member of the SB Nation

by faketeams on Jun 12, 2008 4:47 PM EDT reply actions

Kuo

2 more innings today, 1 er, 5 k’s…..ho hum….oh, bt the score was 6-0 SD….

Torre rant…..Laroche hits game a HR last night in 1st game back, and Torre sts Kent, bt he starts MAZA!!!! the guy can’t hit. Laroche played 2b in Vegas….and he CAN hit…. but you sit him too. no wonder they have scored 1 run or less 20 times this year…..yes, 20!! but the answer is to trade Kemp, and not play your best players everyday!!

raygu

by Ray Guilfoyle on Jun 12, 2008 5:51 PM EDT reply actions

Kuo as closer

interesting quotes from Torre:

Reliever Hong-Chih Kuo has blossomed into one of the best long relievers in baseball and is sporting a 1.88 ERA, but finding places to use him has been tough. Prior to Wednesday’s one inning of work, he had not pitched since June 1.
Manager Joe Torre said Kuo was still not always able to pitch on consecutive days but that he had no problems using him for one inning late in games, though finding the right spot to use him has been tough, especially since the starting rotation has been pitching deeper into games of late and the back end of the bullpen is essentially set.

“Right now, I have enough confidence in his ability to throw strikes, which was the question mark earlier in the season,” Torre said. “I wouldn’t hesitate to use him anywhere. I wouldn’t hesitate in terms of trusting Kuo at all.”

from Kevin Pearson at the Press Enterprise.

This as I am watching Proctor get lit up by Luke Carlin, Paul Mcanulty and Craig Stansbury.

raygu

by Ray Guilfoyle on Jun 12, 2008 6:03 PM EDT reply actions