Payroll flexibility is a beautiful thing at the trade deadline, as it allows a team to acquire talent by providing salary relief to the other club. For teams with a little money to burn and an inclination to keep top prospects, here are some players who I think could be acquired mostly by taking on their contracts. This list doesn't take no-trade clauses into account, except for the elimination of Aramis Ramirez.
- Catchers: None
- First basemen: Derrek Lee, James Loney, Brad Hawpe, Juan Rivera
- Second basemen: Mark Ellis
- Shortstops: Rafael Furcal, Clint Barmes
- Third basemen: Mark Reynolds, Casey Blake
- Left fielders: Alfonso Soriano, Carlos Lee
- Center fielders: None
- Right fielders: Kosuke Fukudome, Michael Cuddyer
- Designated hitters: Vladimir Guerrero, Hideki Matsui
- Starting pitchers: Javier Vazquez, Kyle Davies, Carlos Zambrano, Ryan Dempster
- Relievers: Mike Gonzalez, Kevin Gregg, Joe Nathan, John Grabow, Jonathan Broxton
I haven't included players on contending teams here, though it's certainly true someone could acquire players like Aaron Rowand and Jason Bay by only taking on their contracts.
