Trade Market Rumors

Trade Market: Lefty Relievers

The free agent market features plenty of lefty relievers, with Joe Beimel, John Grabow, and Darren Oliver among the "bigger" names. How about the trade market? Arthur Rhodes, Reds. The Reds could trim $2MM from the payroll by trading Rhodes. The 40-year-old shuts down lefties, but so does Danny Herrera. Scott Downs, Blue Jays. Entirely speculation, but the Jays might like to reallocate Downs' $4MM. He missed time this year with toe and hamstring injuries, tallying 46.6 innings and spending some time as the team's closer. Brian Tallet, Blue Jays. Mentioned in our starters post, Tallet is earning more than...   Continue Reading

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Trade Market: Closers

The free agent market features closers such as Mike Gonzalez, Rafael Soriano, Fernando Rodney, Jose Valverde, and Billy Wagner, plus former closers like J.J. Putz and Takashi Saito. How about the trade market? Joe Nathan, Twins. Nathan has long been among the game's best closers. He's guaranteed $24.5MM over the next two seasons, and some have wondered if the Twins might trade him as a way to clear payroll. Heath Bell, Padres. Even with a small payroll, the Padres don't have to move Bell's salary. He's due a sizeable arbitration raise on this year's $1.255MM salary and is under team...   Continue Reading

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Trade Market: Starting Pitchers

Next up in our Trade Market series, starting pitchers. Click here to see our free agent market analysis. Get a comfy chair, because there are about 30 pitchers named here. Roy Halladay, Blue Jays. Doc is perhaps the game's best pitcher, and new Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos may look to cash him in for a bevy of young talent. Halladay has a no-trade clause and $15.75MM remaining on his contract. Edwin Jackson, Tigers. The rumor first surfaced at the GM Meetings that Jackson could be made available as a way for the Tigers to trim payroll. Jackson's probably not...   Continue Reading

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Trade Market: Designated Hitters

There are plenty of DH candidates on the free agent market, but trades are possible too. Here's our look at the DH landscape... Milton Bradley, Cubs. The Cubs seem certain to unload Bradley, perhaps on the Rangers, Mets, or Rays (obviously the Mets would have to use Bradley in the outfield). Surely by now you've memorized the fact that he's owed $21MM over the next two seasons. Luke Scott, Orioles. Scott came up in our left field analysis. He could fit the mold as an arbitration-eligible trade candidate, in the vein of Jeremy Hermida and Mark Teahen. Travis Hafner, Indians....   Continue Reading

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Trade Market: Right Fielders

Next up in our Trade Market series, right fielders. The free agent market presents options such as Jermaine Dye, Brian Giles, Vladimir Guerrero, and Xavier Nady. Brad Hawpe, Rockies. Hawpe, 30, hit .285/.384/.519 this year in 588 plate appearances. He's set to earn $7.5MM in 2010 and has a $10MM club option for '11 that he can void if traded. The knock on Hawpe is his poor defense. Last month in response to rumors, Rockies GM Dan O'Dowd said, "We have no desire to move him at all." Speculations persists because the Rockies have Seth Smith, Dexter Fowler, Carlos Gonzalez,...   Continue Reading

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Trade Market: Center Fielders

Next up in our Trade Market series, center fielders. We discussed free agents at the position here. Curtis Granderson, Tigers. Granderson, 29 in March, slipped to .249/.327/.453 in 710 plate appearances this year, but he did hit 30 home runs with 72 walks. David Golebiewski of FanGraphs considers Granderson's slash line misleading. Granderson struggled mightily against lefties; last year's .739 OPS against them was the only decent showing of his career. He's owed $25.75MM for the next three seasons and is well worth it. As far as trade speculation, it stems entirely from Lynn Henning of the Detroit News. Cody...   Continue Reading

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Trade Market: Left Fielders

Looking to trade for a left fielder? This entry in the Trade Market series has you covered. We covered free agent left fielders here. Carl Crawford, Rays. Crawford's $10MM (plus escalators) club option for 2010 should be exercised soon. Crawford has said he'd like to sign an extension this winter or else play out the 2010 season and try free agency. In a September mailbag, Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times considered a winter Crawford trade "very unlikely" but a July trade possible if the Rays fall out of contention. The 28-year-old speedster hit .305/.364/.452 in 672 plate appearances...   Continue Reading

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Trade Market: Third Basemen

Next up in our Trade Market series, third basemen. Click here to see our take on the free agent market for the position. Dan Uggla, Marlins. Uggla is a second baseman, so we discussed him here. He last played third base for the '05 Tennessee Smokies, for what it's worth. If a team acquired him and asked him to switch, he wouldn't have much of a choice. Jorge Cantu, Marlins. Cantu had an entry in our first basemen post, but he did log 355 innings at the hot corner this year and 1066.6 last year. His defense at third base...   Continue Reading

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Trade Market: Shortstops

Another entry in our Trade Market series: shortstops. We covered free agents here. As always, it's one of baseball's scarcest positions. J.J. Hardy, Brewers. GM Doug Melvin admitted to Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel that it would be "very difficult" to keep both Hardy and Alcides Escobar on the roster. Due to an August demotion, Hardy is under team control for two more years (he earned $4.65MM in '09). He was very valuable in 2007-08, and the 27-year-old is easily the prize among all available shortstops (considering both trade targets and free agents). Despite Hardy's off year, expect Melvin...   Continue Reading

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Trade Market: Second Basemen

Next up in our Trade Market series, second basemen. We analyzed free agents at the position here. Dan Uggla, Marlins. Uggla is currently neck-and-neck with Hanley Ramirez as the best-paid Marlin, and that puts the second baseman on the trading block. Uggla's 2010 salary has yet to be determined since he's arbitration-eligible, but it'll be a raise from this year's $5.35MM. That Chris Coghlan came up as a second baseman only increases the chance of an Uggla trade. As a perennial 30-home run bat, Uggla should be good value next year even with shaky defense. Uggla might be a consideration...   Continue Reading

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