Here's the latest from ESPN's Jayson Stark…
- One official who spoke with the Marlins brass estimates that the odds Josh Johnson remains with Miami are "95 percent." The Red Sox, Angels, Rangers, White Sox, Blue Jays, and Royals have all checked in.
- Carlos Lee, Ricky Nolasco, Heath Bell, and Gaby Sanchez are all very available. Other than Johnson, Giancarlo Stanton will be the toughest player to pry away from the Fish.
- The Phillies have talked about trading Cliff Lee following the Cole Hamels extension and they haven't discouraged other teams from inquiring, but their game plan right now is to keep their trio of aces intact.
- Shane Victorino and Joe Blanton are good bets to be dealt and the Phillies will listen on Hunter Pence. They want multiple young big leaguers to plug holes at third base, in the outfield, and in the bullpen in return.
- The Dodgers are in on a number of starting pitchers, including Nolasco, Blanton, Kevin Millwood, and Jason Vargas in addition to Ryan Dempster and Matt Garza. They've also checked in on outfield and first base help, including Victorino and Justin Morneau.
- Clubs have not been assured by the Cubs that Garza will make another start before the trade deadline due to his triceps issue. He's more likely to be dealt in the offseason.
- In the wake of acquiring Wandy Rodriguez, the Pirates are sending signals that they could trade away a starter like Jeff Karstens or Kevin Correia.
- The Twins' asking prices for Morneau ("pricey"), Denard Span ("more pricey"), and Josh Willingham ("it made me laugh") are high. Minnesota insists they will listen on anyone and Stark says Morneau is the bat they're most likely to move. Francisco Liriano is "nearly 100 percent" likely to be traded.
- The Orioles continue to look for pitching, someone they consider a number three starter or better. Garza and Vargas have their eye but Dylan Bundy and Manny Machado are off the table. They've gotten hits on Jake Arrieta but won't move him unless they get a similar young arm with several years of team control remaining in return.
- The Brewers will trade Randy Wolf "for nothing if you take the money," according to one official.
- The Rays have "got a big market" for Wade Davis.
Loody
I can see a Wade Davis to the Mets for Daniel Murphy deal potentially happen. Seems to be a match for both teams.
Rob Lucci
maybe add Duda and get a little more from the rays.
Loody
Not a bad suggestion. You could expand the deal to include more from both sides.
Jeffrey C Ditmer
duda is a dud whos doomed for a platoon some where. nice splits but thats it. include thole and we might think about it
Amanda McKay Ditmer
wade davis has an extraordinarycontract if he pans out as a startersodanielmurphy is just a decent bat but doesnt play defense which is anti rays philosophy and hes arbitration elgible so he wont stay cheap enough. hes the type of guy we trade high on not buy
Loody
So Lucas Duda it is. 🙂
User 4245925809
Defense has actually been a severe issue with the rays this season, which is odd. One thing is they have been hit by injuries, not as bad as Boston, but pretty bad and have a motley collection of castoffs nightly playing all over the diamond for a team that generally counts of pitching and defense to win.
dudemanbro
the cubs go from having two great trade chips to none. perfect
jwsox
honestly with cole coming off the market, dempster and garza just got a lot more attractive
dudemanbro
yep. it’s a shame that garza is hurt and demp is being a diva
jiml60
I agree, frustrating as hell. A week ago, they stood to reap a few nice prospects, now nothing.
rikersbeard
JJ and Stanton for Snider, Gose, Hech, Nicolino, Sanchez, Cooper, and Dyson/McGuire.
Encarnacion's Parrot
Stanton isn’t going anywhere. I assume you’re just having fun though, so I won’t take that away from you.
Jeffrey C Ditmer
wow thatd be huge but losing stanton might cause the folks of miami to tear down the stadium they just started paying on lol
hurley55
Thats a really good haul, but not enough. That would be insane how much Marlins could get for those two. Maybe D’arnaud, Gose, Sanchez, Syndergaard, Nicolino, Marisnick? Probably sitll not enough haha.
rikersbeard
that’s too much. That is like the top 6 prospects from the best (or second best) system in baseball.
hurley55
I’m a jays fan, I’m on the fence on if I would do that. Stanton is an absolute monster though. If theres anyone who would be worth that type of package, its him.
Andy Repinski
He def made the right choice to play baseball, He’ll make way more money than Football.
User 4245925809
Put Stanton on a team where he is actually noticed and he becomes Pujols.. he *is* that good.
3768902
Really? Not saying Stanton isn’t good. But Pujols has a *career* OPS of 1.026.
Brlong23
I’d do JJ and Stanton for D’arnaud, Gose, Drabek, Lawrie (and maybe a throw in or cash)
Novak
Trade Randy Wolf for a pair of glasses for Weeks?
Andy Repinski
If they got a pair of glasses for Weeks i’d even be willing to throw in all the leftover Prince Fielder Jerseys.
greg porco
I bought two new Marlins jerseys this year, Hanley and JJ, if i loose both of them in one day, i’m going to be pretty pissed.
Just sayin’
jwsox
if that report is true and im Kenn Williams I call and offer 2 scrub AA guys for Wolf, the whitesox need an innings eater and Wolf is exactly that, or go after Joe Blanton, offer brent morell and a minor league pitcher, and offer to take the rest of his contract
Novak
SOLD!!! He’s a decent pitcher if he can get his looping curve/high fastball combo working well together.
Kyle
I don’t think Blanton is even worth Morell. Randy Wolf is pretty horrible too.
User 4245925809
“The Brewers will trade Randy Wolf “for nothing if you take the money,” according to one official.”
LOL. Actor Struther Martin from the original Rooster Cogburn movie had the perfect quote for what Wolf is. It goes like this:
“Don’t saddle me with your discards”
Aaron Johnson
O’s getting Wolf makes sense then…they need starting pitching and don’t have much to give up in return…..give em’ Mark Reynolds
Fizzzay
I’d love to see Mark Reynolds hacking in Milwaukee. At least it’d give me some joy watching the Brewers these days, other than Braun of course.
Andy Repinski
I’d take this trade, maybe someone can beat Jose Hernandez’s team strike record then. It’s something to be excited for.
GriffeyandSizemore
Stanton to Yankees for minor league farm system.
OptimisticMarlinsFan
Holding onto JJ is not the right move. This organization has to make the right move for once, which they already showed they can do by trading Hanley. Trade JJ for the enormous return and go from there. I will be really pissed if they hold onto him.
Rob Lucci
one right move the marlins should make is fire Ozzie. I dont think he’s the right manager for this ballclub.
Andy Repinski
Just like that enormous return they got for Hanley…
Phil Merkel
Stupid thought here….even tho’ the Phillies have signed Cole Hamels, would they now consider trading him? There was a comment I saw somewhere else that said the Rangers wanted the Phillies to sign Hamels to an extension before trading him to the Rangers. Just asking…
Brlong23
I don’t see that happening at all. However, I would like to see Cliff Lee shipped to the Rangers for Mike Olt since Polanco comes off the books after this year. Then flip Pence and Victorino for pitching prospects/young MLB players and then with all the extra cap space, sign Josh Hamilton in free agency.
Payne N. Diaz
What about a 3-team trade:
Tampa Bay: Wade Davis to Minnesota
Minnesota: Denard Span to Cincinnati
Cincinnati: Didi Gregorius & minor league pitcher to Tampa Bay – minor league player to Minnesota
This is just a basic framework. It could be expanded if it is felt that it would take more to move these players around in this scenario.
Taylor Hope
I think Minnesota would want more than Wade Davis and a minor league player for Denard Span, especially since his asking price is supposedly ridiculous like the article says.
Payne N. Diaz
Possibly, but do you think that this is a framework that has any possibility of coming to fruition? Or is it just a dumb idea overall?
It just seems to me that every team involved would get something they need: Minnesota gets young starting pitching to replace Liriano if/when he is traded, Tampa Bay gets a young SS and Cincinnati gets a leadoff/left-handed hitter. Maybe Cincinnati could send two players to both Tampa Bay and Minnesota.
Dodgerzz
I’m sad for Randy Wolf. I always liked him as a Dodger. He was a serviceable middle-of-the-rotation pitcher. It’s too bad he hasn’t gotten it done with Milwaukee.
First Bleed
He was ‘good’ last year but def. not this year or 2010.
Andy Repinski
Def a good player to have last year, this year, not so much.
RiosFan
Marlins get:
RHP Gavin Floyd
3B Brent Morel
RHP Adisson Reed
RHP Nestor Molina
White Sox get:
RHP Josh Jhonson
Twisted86
No.
Kevin Ward
So Megchee young 3rd basemen, Tabata young Rf, Presley cheap cf corriea cheap bp young, cheap meek, victora black