This Rumor, And That Rumor

The MLB Trade deadline may be the best time to be a blogger. Because no matter where you look, you are bound to find a new rumor. That is the case today as Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated, and a couple other news outlets offered different tidbits on what the Cubs will do at the deadline. The trade deadline is a little over two weeks away, and the trades could start at any moment for the Cubs. Lets take a look at the latest.

Rosenthal reports that despite recent reports to the contrary, the Cubs are not going to trade utility man Jeff Baker. A source told the Fox Sports insider that the general manager Jim Hendry has no interest of moving any player whose contract runs through 2012 or beyond. Meaning Baker along with Blake DeWitt, Matt Garza, Sean Marshall, Carlos Marmol, Marlon Byrd, and Geovany Soto will not be traded.

I always had the feeling that Hendry would find some way to fail at the trade deadline, and this may be it. The fact that he has no intention of moving any player under contract in 2012 or beyond makes no sense. There has been a lot of interest in Baker this season, with the Indians and Red Sox being among the leading suitors. Granted Baker would not have netted the Cubs much in regards of prospects, it would have created the opportunity for the Cubs’ own prospects like DJ LeMahieu and Ryan Flaherty to have a spot on the major league roster. The same can be said in regards to trading DeWitt. As for Soto, he is young enough that a team would likely give up a couple of quality prospects for the backstop.

Kosuke Fukudome, Carlos Pena, Reed Johnson, and Aramis Ramirez could all be free agents this winter, and they may be the players the Cubs are looking to trade considering they are not under contract in 2012.

Speaking of Ramirez, Pena, and Fukudome, Jon Heyman lists those three as well as Kerry Wood and Carlos Zambrano as part of 4o players that could get traded before the deadline. Both Ramirez and Pena are among the top power hitters on the market, and could be options for a team looking for a power upgrade.

In the case of Pena, the Pittsburgh Pirates may be the team to watch for the Cubs first baseman. The Cubs and Pirates are usually always good for at least one deadline deal, and that may be the case if the Pirates act on their interest in Pena. Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports that the Pirates have some interest Pena. Interesting enough, Kovacevic suggests that Pirates may not be willing to take on Pena’s contract, meaning they would have to give up a quality prospect to obtain him. The Pirates have a wealth of pitching prospects, so that figures to benefit the Cubs.

If Aramis Ramirez is traded, it will likely be to the Los Angeles Angels. The Angels have been the team to register the most interest in Ramirez, and they figure to increase their efforts to land him in the coming weeks. The Yankees may also have interest in Ramirez, considering Alex Rodriguez will be sidelined until September. Though, Ramirez would have to waive his no trade clause. Also it has been unclear as to whether Ramirez’s 2012 option vests if he is traded, from what I have heard, that is not the case.

Sooner or later we will have trades to go along with rumors, then, we will be able see whether Hendry makes the right or wrong moves to prepare the Cubs for the future.