It’s getting to be a pattern this year — one trade gets made and another, similar deal comes closely on its heels. Sure these deals normally take days, even weeks to come together, but they do get a bit more … urgent when something does happen. With Xavier Nady and Casey Blake making travel arrangements to join new teams, let’s look at who might be next:
* The Yankees and Pirates reconfigured their deal for Xavier Nady and Damaso Marte, adding in a couple other names. The last set of names, beyond Jose Tabata and Ross Ohlendorf, came from a list of players. With several other teams trying to come over the top at the last second, the Yankees were willing to give up a bit more, though it appears the list always included the players mentioned. Phil Coke, for his part, failed a physical, something I’ll cover in Monday’s UTK. The Pirates may not be done, though multiple sources and reports indicate that Jason Bay will not be dealt.
* The Yankees’ acquisition of Xavier Nady and Damaso Marte last night may have upped the ante, as industry sources are indicating that discussions for Braves first baseman Mark Teixeira have heated up dramatically over the past 48 hours, with as many as six teams now interested, including some new parties from the American League. Teixeira has consistently been a big second-half player and is the best bat available at the deadline. As an aside, he’ll also be worth two draft picks when he likely departs whatever team he’s playing for to pursue free agency. That combination means that Atlanta will be looking for a sizable package similar to the kinds received in the past for MVP-level players like Randy Johnson and Carlos Beltran.
* The Rays keep coming up just short on trade talks. One team they were in discussions with are complaining about their deliberate pace and their insistence on taking several names completely out of the discussion. One FOT is hearing his boss saying that “they come in thinking they’ve cracked the code, that this offer is the one that’s perfect. Maybe it is, for them.” The Rays seem perfectly willing to go with what they have, especially given the progress of Rocco Baldelli. The team seems more focused on the pen and even there has options like bringing up David Price in September.
* Matthew Leach of MLB.com is reporting that the Cards might be forced to put Adam Wainwright back in the pen when he returns from his finger injury. The Cards have been looking for relief help, but the price and the price they can afford are far apart. They’re looking into some of the lesser starters like AJ Burnett and Jarrod Washburn, but without much to deal, they’re left scraping. That’s *not* necessarily a bad thing, given Dave Duncan’s success with those types and their ability to find players like Ryan Ludwick. Chris Carpenter’s next start will be in St Louis on the eve of the deadline. Just coincidence, I’m sure.
* The Rangers will get active this weekend or at least Jon Daniels’ phone will get more active. The Rangers appear to be at the center of the trade market again, though in a much different way than last season. Gerald Laird is coveted by several teams and could bring a decent return, while some of their pitching would immediately become best available if they are in fact made available.
* The next deal to happen? If you made me pick one, I’d say Brian Fuentes will move before anyone and that Jarrod Washburn probably won’t happen in the next 24 hours.
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