In an effort to clean-up my Notepad, here are some additional trade rumors I was unable to address but had wanted to if blessed with more time in the day. All the stories were reported at some point this weekend (Friday through Sunday.)
The Boston Globe mentioned Arizona scout Bill Singer was in Boston, and the relationship between the Red Sox and current Arizona GM Josh Byrnes naturally leads to easy specualtion. With Jon Lester pitching Monday, one cannot help but wonder why the Red Sox chose to start Lester just eight days before the trading deadline.
Jim Souhan of the Star-Tribune in Minneapolis has an excellent piece up about the Twins and the current situation. He begins with a classic reality check:
Hunter would immediately rocket to the top of the list of best players available and would make sense in Boston, Milwaukee, the Bronx, the Cubs, etc. The possibilites are endless in what the Twins could get in return. Given there is no need for pitching, the team could ask for the less covetous hitting prospect.
Apparently the Twins are listening the CF Torii Hunter as the Minnesota Star-Tribune reports of interest in Nationals first baseman Dmitri Young. With the dearth of rumors associated with the needs-everything Nationals, one only wonders if GM Jim Bowden's actions last July have other teams believing he can not be dealt with.
Mariners' GM Bill Bavasi tells the Seattle Times the Mariners will not deal top OF prospect Adam Jones, but the team is in the market for a 6th starter-type. Fortunately, that is what the market is currently offering. The question is whether or not Bavasi will overpay for one of those. Related, ESPN's Buster Olney reported Sunday morning that the Mariners had a scout at the Yanks-DRays game and threw out 1B/OF Ben broussard's name.
In a related rumor, the San Francisco Chronicle mentions AAA slugger Wladimir Balentien as a possible return for Giants' pitcher Matt Morris. The paper also says those familar with Seattle's thinking say the M's would want more. No kidding.
In Colorado, the Denver Post relates that team "has quietly become more aggressive in its pursuit of a late-inning reliever" and mention Red Sox Julian Tavarez and Manny Delcarmen as a players of continued Rockies' interest along with Ranger Akinori Otsuka and Yankees' reliever Kyle Farnsworth. Also noted was the Red Sox dispatchment of a scout to see closer Brien Fuentes.
In the same edition of the San Francisco Chronicle, Mike Piazza is mentioned as good fit for the Minnesota Twins, and the Dan Johnson-to-NY is mentioned with Yankees reliever Sean Henn as the offering price.
Finally, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette mentions the Blue Jays interest in SS Jack Wilson. I wasn't going to mention this at all but I have enjoyed reading this paragraph over and over again and thought you would, too.
Toronto, on the periphery of the American League wild-card race, could benefit from a fresh infusion at shortstop over 14-year veteran Royce Clayton. And the Blue Jays might give up major-league talent in return for Wilson -- although the Pirates' long-coveted outfielder, Alex Rios, surely would be too high a price -- depending on how much of Wilson's contract the Pirates absorb.
No kidding.