With Major League Baseball's non-waiver trade deadline just over a week away, rumors abound as to which teams will act as "buyers" to stockpile talent for a potential pennant race, and which teams will be "sellers," offering high-priced veterans in return for prospects that may (or may not) be able to help them in coming years. Of special note this season is the uncertain economic situations of many teams, as trades often have to be cash-neutral to satisfy nervous owners in a depressed economic climate.
The following are several hypothetical deals that would make sense for both teams involved, taking talent, age and salary into account, and allowing contenders to fill out their rosters while providing hope to also-rans that have little chance of climbing out of the cellar in the second half:
Pittsburgh Pirates trade OF Brian Giles and 2B Pokey Reese to Oakland A's for P. Rich Harden, OF's Jermaine Dye and Nick Swisher, 2B Mark Ellis, and future considerations
Oakland GM Billy Beane has made no secret of his interest in Giles, an on-base percentage machine signed to a reasonable contract that would help lift Oakland's anemic offense. Unfortunately, in order to obtain him, the price would be steep.
Beane would love to unload Dye, making over $11 million in 2003 and 2004, and still suffering the after-effects of off-season surgery to repair a broken leg, in order to make the deal cash-neutral. However, he would almost certainly balk at trading youngsters such as Harden (9-4, 3.15 ERA, 91-35 K-BB ratio at AAA Sacramento), widely regarded as one of the best pitching prospects in the minors, Ellis, who has had a somewhat disappointing season thus far (.257 5 HR, 26 RBI, 41 R, .331 OBP), but who with time, could develop into the kind of lead-off catalyst that the A's crave, and Swisher, a prized first round selection from the A's 2002 draft who has had great success in the minors to date, but Beane may have to include all of the youngsters in order to get Pittsburgh to eat Dye's contract. Furthermore, he would most likely have to accept the contract of an underachiever such as Reese (.215 2 HR, 12 RBI) who does not play a game consistent with the A's plate-discipline-and-power approach. However, if Beane cannot acquire a less expensive option, such as the Cardinals' J.D. Drew, he may be forced to look at a blockbuster deal such as this.
St. Louis Cardinals trade OF J.D. Drew to San Diego Padres for P's Brian Lawrence and Dennis Tankersley and OF Xavier Nady
Many teams have expressed interest in Drew, including Oakland and Baltimore, but the trade that makes the most sense for the Cardinals would be to ship Drew to San Diego for one of their young pitchers, a young outfielder such as Nady, and a promising prospect like Tankersley.
Lawrence, a finesse pitcher with a high career ground-ball to fly-ball ratio of 2.11, would be a perfect fit for the Cards' excellent infield defense, while Nady would fill the hole in right field left by Drew's departure. Tankersley, an excellent right-handed pitching prospect (6-7, 4.75 ERA, 102-48 K-BB ratio at AAA Portland) would help to replenish St. Louis' depleted farm system. In return, the Padres would receive an enigmatic young talent in Drew, who has shown immense talent (.299 10 HR, 27 RBI, 38 R, .371 OBP in only 63 games), but has been plagued by chronic knee and wrist ailments, causing critics to cite a lack of toughness.
Kansas City Royals trade OF Carlos Beltran to Oakland A's for SS Miguel Tejada, OF Chris Singleton, and future considerations
This trade only makes sense if the Royals are serious about making a run for the pennant this year in the rather uncompetitive AL Central. In return for Beltran, one of the game's unheralded superstars (.297 BA, 13 HR, 57 RBI, .391 OBP), the Royals receive a bona-fide superstar in his own right in Tejada, as well as OF Singleton to replace Beltran and balance out salaries, and future considerations, which would probably consist of a pitcher from the low minors.
Such a move would allow the Royals to shift young shortstop Angel Berroa to second base, and remove the offensively-challenged Carlos Febles from their line-up. The A's, with SS prospect Bobby Crosby waiting in the wings, would be delighted to have an outfield of Eric Byrnes, Beltran, and Giles, though they would have to practically empty out their farm system in order to do so.
Boston Red Sox trade OF Johnny Damon and 3B Kevin Youkilis to New York Yankees for P's Brandon Claussen and Antonio Osuna
While it is unlikely that these two rivals would get together to make a trade, they would be well served to do so. The Yankees would have to be blown away to trade Claussen (1-0, 1.42 ERA, 5 K in his only start this year), widely regarded as their best young pitcher, let alone with one of their more effective relievers in Osuna (2-2, 2.86 ERA, 27 K). Receiving a starting outfielder such as Damon to platoon with Raul Mondesi in the outfield, along with one of the best 3B prospects in baseball in Youkilis (.316 BA, 4 HR, 68 R, .482 OBP at AA Portland). Such a trade would bolster Boston's pitching staff, while allowing New York to plug the few remaining holes in its offense.
While these trades will most likely not be made in the exact form provided before the July 31 deadline, some of the players speculated about above may very well find themselves with new teams, either in the thick of a pennant race, or providing hope to the fans of teams who have long since been reciting the famous refrain, "Wait 'till next year."
