With the non waiver trade deadline being 4pm EST on Wednesday, July 31, we are in for a few days of baseball worth following. Garza, Soriano and K-Rod have already been dealt. Who else will be on their way out of town? Which teams will be buyers?

Targets:

Yovani Gallardo RH SP

He really hasn’t been that good this year. He has an ERA just under five but a change of scenery could change that quickly. He has proven to be reliable and will certainly be affordable.

Where he will end up: Arizona

The Diamondbacks have expressed quite a bit of interest in Gallardo as well as hoping to find another reliever. Being just .5 games out of the NL West lead they are definitely buyers.

Ryan Webb RH RP

Being that Webb is going into his second year of arbitration the Marlins will be looking to get him out of town before he gets paid. He has been rather solid this year but nothing to write home about. Regardless he is a solid arm out of the pen and just about everyone can use one of those.

Where he will end up: Detroit

While everyone can use another bullpen arm, Webb hasn’t exactly set the world on fire and rumors have it that the Tigers are far and away the leaders in the clubhouse at this point. While I think they get the guy they really want beforehand he might also join the club for a cheap price since Florida really doesn’t want to pay a reliever seven figures.

Phil Hughes RH SP

Hughes has been rather disappointing since coming into the league with such hype surrounding him. But he can provide some depth to a team in need of another starter.

Where he will end up: NYY

The Yankees are asking for far too much for him. He could end up in Colorado but only if the Rockies want to depart with Cuddyer, which would make no sense.

Bud Norris RH SP

Bud could end up being a really underrated pick up around this deadline. He has been on a bad team but has rather solid stats. He is still just 28 years old and capable of really helping a team who needs another starter.

Where he will end up: Atlanta

The Braves were pursuing him even before Tim Hudson’s ankle broke. The price may have now gone up but the result will be the same.

Ervin Santana RH SP

While the Royals aren’t as far out as you would think (7gb of a wildcard spot), they will certainly be sellers again this year. Santana has had a career year playing for the a smaller market team. His 3.06era and 1.08whip are the best of his career. Also he is a free agent after the season. A perfect rent a player that’s hot deal is really available for any contender that needs a starting pitcher.

Where he will end up: NYY

Call this a hunch since none of the rumors are saying anything of the sort, but for some reason my gut is telling me they are going to make a run for him. While a smaller would probably suit him better, something in me sees him pitching for the Yankees. I will hedge my bets by saying he ends up in Washington this year and on the Yanks next though.

Jake Peavy LH SP

Peavy is far from the pitcher he once was but he has been more than reliable the last few years. His ERA may be up a bit from last year but that’s the way the entire White Sox season has been. Any team with starting pitcher as a need would certainly be happy with aquiring him at the deadline.

Where he will end up: Baltimore

They absolutely need to make a move of some sort. They could really use a few things but a starting pitcher is a must for them. I could see him reinvigorating an Orioles team on the verge of falling out of contention and in turn a Chris Davis who has 15k’s and 0hr’s since the home run derby.

Tim Lincecum RH SP

Here is one of the most interesting players on the block. Most other teams have seen through his no hitter to what he has been of late, a below average starter. Yet he holds a ton of value... out of the bullpen.

Where he will end up: Boston

This is almost certainly a homer pick but it makes perfect sense. The Sox need a starter and they need at least a late innings relief pitcher and are desperate for a closer. Regardless of how he has been as a starter over the past two seasons, if Tim Lincecum is jogging towards the mound with a lead in the ninth you are scared/super confident.

Luke Gregerson RH RP

Without a doubt the most underrated guy on the block. He has been in SD for all four+ years of his career but has put up solid numbers and has been an absolute horse. This guy has a career ERA under three, a WHIP just barely over one and has proven time after time you can turn to him in the 7th, 8th or 9th inning even all three in three days. Horse.

Where he will end up: Detroit

They are going to get a relief pitcher it’s just a matter of which one. They seem to be the leader for this guy and that scares the shit out of me if I am any of the other 31 MLB teams. Detroit is a Gregerson away from not losing in the playoffs.

Glen Perkins LH CL

He has been one of the hottest closers this season and has a favorable contract ($7.5M this year and a $4.5M team option next year).

Where he will end up: Minnesota

Maybe it’s just me but I don’t see the Twins making any moves even though they are 12 games back of a wildcard spot. The Twins haven’t been very good this year and as their core of talent gets older eventually they will have to deal Mauer and Morneau but I don’t see it being this year. The Twins seem to come and go. They might suck this year but it wouldn’t surprise me to see them in the playoffs next year. It also wouldn’t surprise me if they blew it up next year, just not this year.

Michael Young 3B

The Phillies claim to not be sellers at this point. However, being 8.5 games back of the Braves for the division lead and 10 games back of a wild card spot it’s hard to take that seriously. Regardless of how much they have portrayed that they won’t be sellers, they have to. It’s time to blow it up. Young is a free agent after this year so he could be well suited for even the smaller market teams in the hunt.

Where he will end up: NYY

This just feels like a Yankees type move. I would love to know how many people the Yankees are employing just to constantly refresh certain websites, hoping to see punishment for A-Rod as a result of the Biogenesis scandal. They might try so hard to keep him from seeing an at bat in the majors that they trade for Michael Young. Again he feels like a Yankee to me for whatever reason.

Chase Utley 2B

Again the Phillies are claiming they aren’t sellers but are too far back to really compete with this team. The only thing they have going for them is that Ryan Howard is out with an injury so they don’t have to worry about their cleanup hitter striking out four times a game for the time being. If they need to trade anyone it’s Howard. However, Utley can provide an advantage at a position most teams can’t match and he can provide some of the best leadership out there... and like Michael Young he is a free agent after this year.

Where he will end up: Toronto

They still have the talent to go on a hell of a run to close the season. Plus they have a glaring weakness at second base and more importantly in the leadership category.

Cliff Lee LH SP  

Lee is without a doubt the cream of this year's’ trade deadline crop. A stud left handed starter that can step in and help any and all teams. We have all seen him carry a team and disappoint a team but there is little doubting his abilities. Lee could be the ace of basically every staff in the game.

Where he will end up: Boston

Maybe this is me being a bit of a homer but the Sox need a starter. Their starting rotation has outperformed thus far despite being banged up. While Lackey has come out of nowhere (future PED case still pending), Lester has been a shell of himself, Buchholz is a pussy and the rest has been pieced together. They need Lee even if the talking heads around Boston don’t want to give up a top prospect for him.

mlz

Friday, July 26, 2013