ESPN’s Jayson Stark has a new Rumblings and Grumblings column up. Let’s examine some of the hot stove material.
- There’s nothing cooking with the Cubs and Brian Roberts. The O’s still intend to trade Roberts this year, along with pretty much all of their other veterans. Their hot start is unlikely to halt the farm sale.
- The Red Sox don’t want to eat any of the $11MM owed to Coco Crisp over the next two years, and for now there are no trades in the works. Roberts, Crisp, and Joe Crede were three trades we all expected to go down.
- Once Kaz Matsui and Ty Wigginton are fully healthy, the Astros will look to trade Mark Loretta. He makes $2.75MM this year, a bit much for a utility guy. Stark says the Dodgers and Giants don’t appear interested at present, so there’s no obvious suitor. The Orioles could re-engage if they trade Roberts and don’t get a second baseman back.