MLB Trade Deadline: Best bets to be dealt
As the big league races heat up, so do the trade rumors as MLB's non-waiver trade deadline fast approaches. As usual, it appears pitching will be the hottest commodity on the market, from relievers like Oakland's Huston Street (left) to starters like A.J. Burnett in Toronto. And it's not hard to imagine the New York Yankees being one of the team's involved on the receiving end of any deal.
Who says we’re in a recession? There’s a bull market on ballplayers right now, and with no shortage of buyers and sellers, supplies are flying off the shelves.
The latest to go at press time: Ray Durham. The San Francisco Giants, who are definitely sellers in this market, dealt the veteran second basemen to the Milwaukee Brewers for two prospects: pitcher Steve Hammond and outfielder Darren Ford. This is the second trade for the Brewers, and it may prove to be just as important as the CC Sabathia deal, given that Rickie Weeks has an unsightly .689 OPS this season. Durham is at .799 OPS.
Who’s next on the carousel? Reliable closers are getting a lot of talk right now. Teams who aren’t winning games anyway have less use for them, and a serious World Series contender can never have enough pitching. Three firemen top my list of trade candidates; for entertainment purposes only, I’m attaching odds to the likelihood that these men will have new employers before the July 31 non-waiver deadline.
Huston Street, Oakland Athletics (8-5)
A’s general manager Billy Beane is a model of consistency. Even with the A’s enjoying a surprisingly good season, he dealt pitchers Rich Harden and Joe Blanton for prospects. Between Harden’s history of injuries and Blanton’s inconsistency, they’re not the kind of players Beane is going to put his stock in.
Neither are closers. This is the same GM who let Jason Isringhausen and Keith Foulke walk as free agents. The A’s were in the playoffs those years; this time around, Street (4.19 ERA, 3.39 xFIP) is more expendable, and he’s eligible for arbitration next year. Street is one of the hottest names on the rumor mill; Beane himself no doubt has something to do with that.
Brian Fuentes, Colorado Rockies (9-5)
Reports have Colorado actively shopping both Fuentes (3.23 ERA, 3.62 xFIP) and outfielder Matt Holliday (.960 OPS). Fuentes is a free agent, but Holliday is a brilliant player with another year left to go on his contract and lots of years left in his career at age 28. I don’t get it. And yet rumor has it both of them nearly went to the Phillies for a healthy package of prospects. In this market, I’ll keep Fuentes near the top of the odds list.
George Sherrill, Baltimore Orioles (2-1)
The Baltimore Orioles don’t have nearly the same reputation for sharp front-office moves as the A’s. But Andy McPhail does, and the O’s have been in recovery mode since he was hired last summer. They brilliantly dealt Erik Bedard to Seattle for a package including Sherrill as something of a throw-in, and now they have a chance to flip Sherrill (3.89 ERA, 4.51 xFIP) for some more prospects. He has 29 saves in his first full year as a closer after a successful 2007 as Seattle’s left-handed set-up man.
A.J. Burnett, Toronto Blue Jays (3-1)
Burnett (4.84 ERA, 3.73 xFIP) was one of the big-name signings that were supposed to push the Blue Jays into contention in the American League East. Instead, the Jays have been stuck around .500, just as they have been for the last four seasons. Toronto already has outstanding pitching with the emergence of Shaun Marcum and Dustin McGowan to go along with Roy Halladay. What they desperately need, besides a good medical plan, is hitting.
Burnett’s chances of getting dealt are smaller now that the Phillies have Blanton, and he also has a no-trade clause that lists 15 verboten teams. The other half of the league would love to get their hands on him.
As the big league races heat up, so do the trade rumors as MLB's non-waiver trade deadline fast approaches. As usual, it appears pitching will be the hottest commodity on the market, from relievers like Oakland's Huston Street (left) to starters like A.J. Burnett in Toronto. And it's not hard to imagine the New York Yankees being one of the team's involved on the receiving end of any deal.
Who says we’re in a recession? There’s a bull market on ballplayers right now, and with no shortage of buyers and sellers, supplies are flying off the shelves.
The latest to go at press time: Ray Durham. The San Francisco Giants, who are definitely sellers in this market, dealt the veteran second basemen to the Milwaukee Brewers for two prospects: pitcher Steve Hammond and outfielder Darren Ford. This is the second trade for the Brewers, and it may prove to be just as important as the CC Sabathia deal, given that Rickie Weeks has an unsightly .689 OPS this season. Durham is at .799 OPS.
Who’s next on the carousel? Reliable closers are getting a lot of talk right now. Teams who aren’t winning games anyway have less use for them, and a serious World Series contender can never have enough pitching. Three firemen top my list of trade candidates; for entertainment purposes only, I’m attaching odds to the likelihood that these men will have new employers before the July 31 non-waiver deadline.
Huston Street, Oakland Athletics (8-5)
A’s general manager Billy Beane is a model of consistency. Even with the A’s enjoying a surprisingly good season, he dealt pitchers Rich Harden and Joe Blanton for prospects. Between Harden’s history of injuries and Blanton’s inconsistency, they’re not the kind of players Beane is going to put his stock in.
Neither are closers. This is the same GM who let Jason Isringhausen and Keith Foulke walk as free agents. The A’s were in the playoffs those years; this time around, Street (4.19 ERA, 3.39 xFIP) is more expendable, and he’s eligible for arbitration next year. Street is one of the hottest names on the rumor mill; Beane himself no doubt has something to do with that.
Brian Fuentes, Colorado Rockies (9-5)
Reports have Colorado actively shopping both Fuentes (3.23 ERA, 3.62 xFIP) and outfielder Matt Holliday (.960 OPS). Fuentes is a free agent, but Holliday is a brilliant player with another year left to go on his contract and lots of years left in his career at age 28. I don’t get it. And yet rumor has it both of them nearly went to the Phillies for a healthy package of prospects. In this market, I’ll keep Fuentes near the top of the odds list.
George Sherrill, Baltimore Orioles (2-1)
The Baltimore Orioles don’t have nearly the same reputation for sharp front-office moves as the A’s. But Andy McPhail does, and the O’s have been in recovery mode since he was hired last summer. They brilliantly dealt Erik Bedard to Seattle for a package including Sherrill as something of a throw-in, and now they have a chance to flip Sherrill (3.89 ERA, 4.51 xFIP) for some more prospects. He has 29 saves in his first full year as a closer after a successful 2007 as Seattle’s left-handed set-up man.
A.J. Burnett, Toronto Blue Jays (3-1)
Burnett (4.84 ERA, 3.73 xFIP) was one of the big-name signings that were supposed to push the Blue Jays into contention in the American League East. Instead, the Jays have been stuck around .500, just as they have been for the last four seasons. Toronto already has outstanding pitching with the emergence of Shaun Marcum and Dustin McGowan to go along with Roy Halladay. What they desperately need, besides a good medical plan, is hitting.
Burnett’s chances of getting dealt are smaller now that the Phillies have Blanton, and he also has a no-trade clause that lists 15 verboten teams. The other half of the league would love to get their hands on him.