LTR's Trade Ideas for Contenders

[love_that_reefer]

I am extremely bored at work as I think it is finally to hot to golf for people around here. Kentucky summers will do that to you so I thought I would write about some moves I think would do teams in contention some good. Not all are blockbusters. Feel free to criticize me all you want but you no I will not go down quietly

San Francisco Giants- Francisco Peguero, Micheal Main and Dan Runzler for Carlos Beltran. Peguero is a CFer who doesn't walk a lot but he can hit, run and is having a good year in the pitching rich AA. Main is a starter with promise and Runzler is a lefty who can relieve or start and can step in immediately. Beltran would play LF and be a game changer.

Arizona Diamondbacks- Charlie Brewer for Randy Choate. Brewer is a 23 yr old starter in AA who is a top 10 prospect for the Dbacks and Choate is having a great year for the Marlins. Dbacks need some lefty help in that bullpen so Choate would make a good fit plus he has played in Arizona before.

Milwaukee Brewers- Tyler Thornberg, Scooter Gennett and cash for Jason Bartlett. I might be overdoing it for Bartlett but the Padres gave up a lot to get him and could bring back draft picks if the Brewers dared to offer arbitration. Thornburg is a good, young starter with strikeout ability but should be a future setup man. Gennett is a young second baseman who the Brewers don't need since they have Weeks. Bartlett would be an improvement over Betancourt defensively and add more to the running game.

St. Louis Cardinals- Matt Carpenter, Allen Craig and Matt Swagerty for Heath Bell. Carpenter is a stud third baseman and Craig can play OF, 1B and 3B and help right away. Swagerty is a reliever in A ball who is projected as a future reliever. Bell would be the perfect fit for the Cards and help solidify that bullpen which has gone through closer after closer.

Cincinnati Reds- Chris Heisey and cash for Hiroki Kuroda. Heisey could play LF right away and we all know the Dodgers need the $$ especially since Kuroda requires compensation if traded. Kuroda would be a huge addition to the Reds starting staff which has underperformed as far as I'm concerned.

Pittsburgh Pirates- Garrett Jones and Jeff Locke for Carlos Pena. Jones could step right in and play 1b/RF for the Cubs and is under control til 2016 I do believe. Locke is a lefty who projects as a 4th or 5th starter or reliever. Pena would provide a powerful bat, take some walks and play good defense. Might have to throw some cash in since its they are both in the same division.

Philadelphia Phillies- Joe Blanton, and cash for Ryan Ludwick. Blanton is a starter who is signed through 2012 who if does well could bring the Padres draft picks the following year. Ludwick would provide the right handed bat the Phillies need and he plays a good RF too.

Atlanta Braves- Mike Minor and Andrelton Simmons for Micheal Bourn. Bourn would be the answer for the Braves leadoff/CF woes and rejuvenate that team plus he's under contract through next season. Minor is a stud and the second best pitching prospect for the Braves but you have to give to receive. Simmons is a young SS in A ball.

Texas Rangers- Julio Borbon and cash for Leo Nunez. Borbon would provide the Marlins with a CFer and the Marlins do love their cash. Nunez would provide some much needed relief for the Rangers and could close from time to time.

LA Angels- Maicer Izturis and Micheal Kohn for Ramon Hernandez. Izturis could help solve the Reds SS problem and Kohn could jump right into the Reds bullpen. Hernandez would be a huge upgrade for what the Angels have there now.

Detroit Tigers- Daniel Schlereth and Will Rhymes for Jeff Keppinger. Tigers need help at second base Keppinger would definitely be an upgrade. Schlereth is a lefty that has potential but also has control problems. Rhymes can fill in for Keppinger.

Cleveland Indians- Mitch Talbot, Nick Hagadone and cash for Ryan Dempster. Talbot and Hagadone are both starters with Talbot MLB ready. Dempster would add durability to that rotation that will probably need it going down the stretch. He had a terrible April but has been decent since.

Chicago White Sox- Addison Reed and Tyler Saladino for Wilson Betemit. The ChiSox have had a black hole at 3rd base all year and Betemit would be perfect for them. Reed is a young closer with impressive strikeout totals in AA and Saladino is a future 2b who is playing SS right now.

New York Yankees- Brandon Laird for Craig Breslow. Really couldn't think of any good blockbusters for the Yankees so I went with a lefty reliever which the Yankees could use. Laird has power but no real position.

Boston Red Sox- Josh Reddick and Micheal Bowden for Micheal Cuddyer. Cuddyer would provide a right handed bat in RF but can play other positions too like 2B which could be an issue if Pedroia's knee acts up in the second half. Reddick is a good OF prospect and Bowden can either start or relieve.

Tampa Bay Rays- Justin Ruggiano, Alex Cobb and Joe Cruz for Jeff Francoeur and Mike Aviles. Francoeur would provide some pop and defense in the OF to go along with Upton and Joyce. Aviles would provide infield depth since no one wants to step up at SS. Cobb and Cruz have great arms and good stuff. Ruggiano would be a 4th OFer for the Royals.

There you have it! Not all are game changers or blockbusters but every idea would help each team try and get into October. Time to let me have it

[cjkalt]

There is no way the Sox will trade Reddick and Bowden for Cuddyer... Reddick is younger, cheaper and is playing just as well... not trading 2 top 10 specs for a rental... look at Theo's history he doesn't trade big specs for rentals

[love_that_reefer]

Yes but Cuddyer could bring in draft picks next year and Bowden is not a top 10 prospect and is expendable.

[Slyder]

One Idea that I have seen bandied about a lot on Reds Boards for you LTR Ramon Hernandez to SF for Erik Surkamp.

[love_that_reefer]

I'd do that deal! Surkamp has ridiculous strikeout rates but he is a finesse pitcher and don't know how well that will translate to the big leagues. Hernandez would be a perfect #5 hitter for the Giants but since we have no cleanup guy, he might have to play there. Lord knows Bochy loves hitting catchers cleanup (Molina). Either way it would be a huge upgrade and the Reds get a risky finesse guy with remarkable strikeout rates so far.

[HollywoodLeo]

Ramon has also played for Bochy in the past.

[cjkalt]

Yes but Cuddyer could bring in draft picks next year and Bowden is not a top 10 prospect and is expendable.

Completely disagree, the Red Sox view him as a starter with top 3 material... they don't view Cuddyer as an upgrade over Reddick... if they go for a RF, they'll pay the Mets for Beltran... otherwise there is no way they move those 2...