Decent relievers are always a hot commodity at the trade deadline. The Rangers, Cardinals, Dodgers, Rays, Indians, and Phillies are just a few contenders who might be in the market for bullpen help a few months from now. What will the trade market look like?
- The Padres are in good position to sell relievers, with impending free agents Heath Bell and Chad Qualls prime candidates. You also have to wonder if GM Jed Hoyer will consider trading Mike Adams, who is under control through '12 but will see his salary jump next year.
- If he's healthy, Arizona's Aaron Heilman probably could be acquired easily. Closer J.J. Putz would be tougher to get, but GM Kevin Towers will probably listen.
- Should the Cubs fall out of contention, they'd probably move lefty John Grabow just for a little salary relief. Kerry Wood would make sense too, though he has strong ties to Chicago and took less to sign with the Cubs. Similarly, the Brewers could part with veterans LaTroy Hawkins and Takashi Saito if they're not contending in July.
- If the Pirates receive good offers for Joel Hanrahan, Chris Resop, Jose Veras, or Joe Beimel, will they hold off in the name of finishing above .500? My guess is that Neal Huntington will keep a very open mind.
- The Mets have much to offer. Taylor Buchholz, who is under team control through next year, has been excellent. Veterans Francisco Rodriguez, Jason Isringhausen, and Tim Byrdak should be available as well. The problem with K-Rod: his $17.5MM option for next year vests with 43 more games finished.
- If the Twins' struggles continue, they could save money by trading Matt Capps and/or Joe Nathan. Teams seeking more than a rental could ask about lefties Glen Perkins and Jose Mijares. The White Sox have gotten disappointing results from Will Ohman, Tony Pena, and Matt Thornton, but probably prefer to keep Thornton around for the future.
- I don't see why the Orioles wouldn't offer up most of their veteran relievers, as Koji Uehara, Mike Gonzalez, and Kevin Gregg could hold appeal. Gonzalez and Gregg would involve taking on big salaries, however.
- Toronto's pen ranks third in the AL with a 3.04 ERA, and they've got enticing veterans galore. Frank Francisco, Jon Rauch, Jason Frasor, Shawn Camp, Carlos Villanueva, and Casey Janssen are pitching well; Octavio Dotel not so much. Most Jays relievers can be controlled for 2012 or beyond, which could be viewed as both a reason to keep them and a reason they'll have extra appeal as trade targets.
- Todd Coffey, Brandon League, Jose Valverde, Jonathan Broxton, Mike MacDougal, and Vicente Padilla could also become available depending on their teams' circumstances.
The Twins should trade Matt Capps for that Ramos kid!
I can’t think of anyone I’d be less excited to acquire than Aaron Heilman.
Woo, my team just got the best high blood pressure inducer in the league!
Octavio Dotel is pitching fine, he’s just not being used properly by Farrell..
He should never, ever pitch to a Lefty .
2011
Vs RHB .167/.231/.167 / 4.50 SO/BB / 0 HRs .. 26 PA
Vs LHB .286/.545/1.000/ 0.43 SO/BB / 3 Hrs …23 PA
Anyone else get the feeling that Farrell is a huge dud?
I dunno if he’s a dud, but he sure likes to pretend that he’s not very intelligent.
Re: Francisco Rodriguez
“$17.5MM option for next year vests with 43 more games finished”
can anyone clarify precisely what this means? 43 saves? I’m assuming it doesn’t mean just appearances. If this is true with saves, then the best hope for the Met’s is to actually continue to lose so there is no need to bring into the game. Otherwise the players association will be barking. Regardless, one thing is for sure, the Mets cannot let this option vest. No chance. Further this makes him almost untradeable in my opinion. Even if he is pitching well and can help a team contend, I don’t know one GM that would take the risk on him.
games finished means that he records the last out by a mets pitcher.
So for instance, mets are losing 3-2 (at home) going in to the ninth, Krod comes in to pitch the ninth to keep it close, he has a clean inning however the mets don’t come back in their half of the inning therefore he doesn’t get a ‘save’ but recieves credit for a game finished.
that being said. I cant imagine payying any reliever in the league 17.5 million for a year.
Ahh. Thanks. In that case the Mets should hope for many future blow outs against them. Only way to rationalize this.
well realistically they don’t have to put him in the ninth in to close out a game they are not winning, and making a point to not do that won’t get them in any trouble with the pa.
I’d put him in save opportunities only, chances are he won’t pile up 43 SVO anyways. a couple 4 or 5 out saves would help justify having to rest him the next day as well.
If I’m the Mets, I start showing Wright video of Adrian Beltre and tell him any pop ups near the mound after the eighth inning are his by divine right.
I can’t see anything that would get the Bucs to let go of Hanrahan. Someone would have to blow them away to part with him. Now Meek might be a different story if he can get healthy, and screw his noggin back on straight. Veras and Resop won’t be going anywhere if the club is even close to .500. That is all the sports talk shows have been talking about is the Bucs pursuit of .500 (sad I know). The city would put a witch hunt on for Neil if he got rid of quality late inning arms for prospects at this point. The big picture is gone as long as they’re at or near .500.
Dodgers are a contender? Sweet!
Hopefully AA moves a bunch of those relievers this summer. The only relievers I would really like to see kept around are Shawn Camp and Mark Zep. I like Casey Janssen too. Carlos V. has looked really good this year, but I am not sure if that means they should try to sell high or just hang on and hope they found something good.
I’d actually keep Frasor around as well. he wants to stay here, he’ll sign for peanuts and he’s very underrated.. everyone else I’d sell. Besides rzep and camp aswell
Hahaha, yes, the Pads will trade Bell AND Adams?? What are you smoking dude?
Kerry Wood isn’t going anywhere. He signed for 1.5 mil, so the Cubs aren’t saving anything by trading him. Also, I’m pretty sure every Cubs fan’s hatred of Hendry would be magnified intensely for trading away a club icon
Hope the Phills snatch someone up by the deadline. They need a good relief pitcher who is reliable. We can’t keep biting our nails when Lidge comes in!