Official Trade Deadline Discussion thread

[NYgiantsfan5689]

Figured I'd get some discussion going here.

Big stories right now:
-Halladay still being discussed, although the Jays seem to be frustrating teams with their demands. The Phillies are even becoming less interested after being told the price is Kyle Drabek, JA Happ, and one of their 2 top outfield prospects. The Red Sox were told the price is Clay Buchholz, Casey Kelly, and another unnamed top prospect. The Sox said no. The Twins inquired but were told they are not on Halladay's accepted teams list.
-Cliff Lee is drawing a lot of interest from teams now that Halladay is being less actively pursued. Teams most heavily interested include Philadelphia, the Dodgers, the Angels, and the Yankees.
-The Red Sox are still very interested in Victor Martinez
-The Yankees were rumored to be discussing Bronson Arroyo with the Reds, but his contract seems to be too much for them to have any serious interest. The Yanks are also very actively looking into Heath Bell and Scott Downs for their bullpen.
-Other alternatives to Halladay on the market include Scott Kazmir and Jarrod Washburn. Erik Bedard has been put on the 15-day DL and therefore cannot be traded. Kazmir's agent was told by the Rays front office that trade rumors were "merely speculative." Washburn told the Mariners he was open to discussing a contract extension.
-The Dodgers are very actively pursuing George Sherrill of the Orioles.
-Both Jack Wilson and Freddy Sanchez smartly declined the ridiculous contract extension offers made by the Pirates in which they would have to take a pay cut, and are now being actively shopped.

Other recent news:
-Kevin Slowey of the Twins is going to have season ending elbow surgery
-Omar Minaya and Daily News Mets beat writer Adam Rubin have gotten into a pretty interesting back and forth word battle, and it shows just how much of a nutjob Minaya actually is.

Let the commenting begin! I will start by saying that if the Yankees got Heath Bell, they become the AL East favorites.

[realmofotalk]

You can't have a trade deadline rumor mill without including Mr. OPS himself, Brian Giles! The day has finally arrived for Kevin Towers to fetch a ton for his attractive bait.

[BuckFoston]

Top 15 players teams don't wanna trade for. Major leaguers with the least trade value - ESPN

Good read, suggest you take a look at it.

[cjkalt]

Just to clarify, you can trade players on the DL they just need to be approved by the commishoner (just like how Duscherer can be traded as well)

[NYgiantsfan5689]

Updates:

-Angels interested in Freddy Sanchez. The Pirates really want to trade him and Jack Wilson
-Boston still looking at V-Mart and A-Gonzo
-Yanks are still looking at Halladay, even though they know they're a very far backup plan.
-The Cards have already started looking into extending Matt Holliday
-The Red Sox officially offered Buchholz, Bowden, and Westmoreland for Halladay. They've deemed Bard and Casey Kelley "off limits"

[Porter]

Updates:

-Angels interested in Freddy Sanchez. The Pirates really want to trade him and Jack Wilson
-Boston still looking at V-Mart and A-Gonzo
-Yanks are still looking at Halladay, even though they know they're a very far backup plan.
-The Cards have already started looking into extending Matt Holliday
-The Red Sox officially offered Buchholz, Bowden, and Westmoreland for Halladay. They've deemed Bard and Casey Kelley "off limits"

I think Freddy Sanchez would be brilliant in the Angels offense.
Boston does need another bat for the stretch run.
Halladay is not going to NYY or BOS unless they pay a Bedard like haul (I just vomited in my mouth again thinking about that deal)
The Cards should extend Holliday and do it today.

[ljshorty89]

-Omar Minaya and Daily News Mets beat writer Adam Rubin have gotten into a pretty interesting back and forth word battle, and it shows just how much of a nutjob Minaya actually is.

2 reasons I disagree.
a) Rubin admitted to basically asking for job advice from Mets front office people regarding a job in Bernazard's area...clearly a conflict of interest
b) You can tell when Minaya speaks whose idea the information is. He's confident and a solid speaker when explaining his own decisions, points, etc, but when it's a decision from the Wilpons, and they tell him to go out there and what to say, he can't do it. The Wilpons have been alleged by many members of the media to have had it out for Rubin themselves, and just put Minaya on the hook, so that they may have an excuse to fire him...

[NYgiantsfan5689]

Yea he's confident, but when Rubin repeadtedly asked if Minaya was suggesting he was gunning for Bernazard's job, Minaya repeatedly skirted the question

[ljshorty89]

True, but my point is that it's been said by many sports people that it's very possible that the Wilpons told minaya to go and attack Rubin. Minaya came in with pages of talking points, presumably "guided" by the wilpons. In which case it smells like the wilpons making minaya do the dirty work and gaining excuses to fire minaya later on

[NYgiantsfan5689]

If that's true than the Wilpons are doing some very dirty business. That's just really bad news for the Mets. What a mess of a front office.

[Porter]

Top 15 players teams don't wanna trade for. Major leaguers with the least trade value - ESPN

Good read, suggest you take a look at it.

Bavasi signed 3 of those guys.

Worst. GM. Ever. Period.

[Halladay_is_God]

Top 15 players teams don't wanna trade for. Major leaguers with the least trade value - ESPN

Good read, suggest you take a look at it.

Wells can opt out of his contract after 2011. Odds of that happening are slimmer than Prince Fielder's fitting into David Eckstein's uniform.

[Porter]

15. Yuniesky Betancourt, Royals
Total left: $7 million through 2011 (includes $2 million team buyout and Mariners paying part of salary)

He can't hit, can't field, can't run, doesn't hustle or seem to care at times ... wait, you say the Royals actually just traded for this guy?

14. Kenji Johjima, Mariners
Total left: $18.64 million through 2011

Anybody want a 33-year-old catcher with a .299 on-base percentage and little power? Didn't think so. Congratulations, former Mariners general manager Bill Bavasi, you signed the first two guys on our list!

4. Carlos Silva, Mariners
Total left: $28.63 million through 2011 (includes $2 million team buyout)

On the bright side, Mariners fans, this contract was so stupefyingly awful, it led to the long-overdue firing that ended the incompetent reign of Bavasi. The deal was for $48 million and Silva has gone 5-18, 6.77 with the Mariners, is on the disabled list and quite likely to have thrown his last major league pitch.

*sigh*

[cjkalt]

Boston does need another bat for the stretch run.
Halladay is not going to NYY or BOS unless they pay a Bedard like haul (I just vomited in my mouth again thinking about that deal)

Buchholz + Bowden is nearing a Bedardesque haul...

[Porter]

No its not.

Adam Jones is an All-Star right now.

Tilliman was minor league player of the year last season.

And I havent gotten to Sherrill, Mickolio or Butler.