With White Sox pitcher Mark Buerhle and the Mariners' outfielder Ichiro Suzuki removed from the trade rumor market thanks to the contract extensions both signed with their respective teams, the rumors will turn to other players just as water flows downhill. With Rangers 1B Mark Teixeira dues to return at week's end, he is a natural fit as his team stinks, and he is represented by Superagent Scott Boras.
The Atlanta Journal Constitution reports the Braves are amongst the teams interested in acquiring Teixeira and speculates the team would have to include C/1B Jarrod Saltalamacchia in any deal. Given Rangers' GM Jon Daniels lack of trading success, Saltalamacchia offers some public relations cover as he is the best known of the Braves prospects. However, the Rangers have other needs that could be addressed by the Braves without including Salty. Amongst them would be AA OF Brandon Jones, AA SP Matt Harrison, current major league pitchers Kyle Davies and Jo Jo Reyes and IF Yuniel Escobar.
The New York Post reports the Mets are in the hunt for White Sox OF Jermaine Dye. This rumor is attributed to "a baseball insider" but does not speculate on what the Mets would have to offer in a trade. With the other New York daily reporting that OF Lastings Milledge is likely to join the team for the start of the second half, the price the Mets are willing to pay for Dye may not be much more than a middle reliever - not that the White Sox couldn't use one or two of them!
In the same NYP story, "sources" say Marlins' pitcher Dontrelle Willis will be traded but not to an NL East team. To speculate properly, one must pare down the possible destinations to those teams with prospects to spare and a reasonable chance at the play-offs this year or next because Willis is not a free agent until after the 2009 season. A centerfield prospect and catching one seems to be a reasonable bar to set. Cleveland could be a match with their plethora of OF prospects and catchers Kelly Shoppach and Max Ramirez. With the much improved CS% of All-Star catcher Victor Martinez (27.3% this season versus last season's 18%), the Indians may be more comfortable dealing a catcher.
There are a few chats today in which additional trade speculation will occur or information about players who could be included in potential trades will be provided. The links are listed below.
FBB with Eric Karabell at 11AM.
Baseball America's John Manuel at 2PM.
FBB with Ron Shandler at 3PM.