Kuzul

It’s that time of year again. With the draft firmly in the rear view mirror, the Texas Rangers now turn their attention to players that can help them win now via trades. Last year it was Cliff Lee and Bengie Molina who were acquired before the deadline and helped the Rangers reach the World Series for the first time in franchise history. Who will it be this year?

The general consensus is that they will look to acquire some bullpen help and have been linked to names like Heath Bell, Mike Adams and Joakim Soria. If they could acquire one of these three there is no doubt that it would greatly improve the pen—but what if they can’t?

Do they acquire another old, journeyman reliever to add to their growing stable of old, journeyman relievers?

Or what about a reliever with a good history who is just having an off year?

Or what about staying put?

Not the most popular choice, but staying put could be the best alternative to not landing the big names. Look at these credentials of players currently in the minor league system:

• Cy Young winner
• Former 17-game winner and opening day starter
• .647 winning percentage
• No. 2 prospect in Rangers system with 97 mph fastball

The Cy Young winner of course is Brandon Webb who signed with the Rangers in the offseason to help make up for the loss of Cliff Lee. He has not pitched since 2009 because of injuries and is more suited for the bullpen to help relieve stress on his arm. His velocity is down but Yoshinori Tateyama has proved you don’t need to hit 95 on the radar gun to be effective.

The 17-game winner is Scott Feldman who had microfracture surgery on his right knee after the end of the last season. He has the stuff to be a reliable bullpen guy and actually has the experience of being a closer early in his career. He is fresh off of a 5-inning, no-hit game at Triple-A Round Rock.

The .647 winning percentage is property of Tommy Hunter. The team’s No. 4 starter in the playoffs last year has been recovering from a groin strain that propelled Alexi Ogando in the starting rotation. Hunter has probably lost his starting job and is a proven arm that could be a long reliever for the stretch run.

The prospect is Tanner Scheppers. The oft-injured Scheppers has just been activated off of the DL and has the power arm that you want shutting down batters in the eighth inning. The Rangers’ organization can’t make up its mind if Scheppers will start or pitch in relief in the future, but he could be this year’s Alexi Ogando in the pen.

There’s also Darren O’Day who has been injured the majority of the season and Neil Ramirez who is pitching well at Triple-A.

If the Rangers have an opportunity to land a Bell, Soria or Adams they should jump on it. But if not, they have proven arms in their systems that can help them regain their playoff form once they become healthy.

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The All-Star break is not far off.

And while some players will be traveling to Arizona for the midsummer classic, most GM will be pondering what did I do? What do I need to do?

The trade deadline is also rapidly approaching at just under six weeks and some teams will need to atone for poor decision making in the most recent off season. It’s judgement time for the first half of the year.

Large contracts were handed to a few undeserving folks. One sided trades were agreed upon, and washed up veterans began collecting another paycheck instead of a pension.

10 such GM blunders come to mind in the worst off season moves of 2011.

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Fans of the New York Mets want Jose Reyes to stay. He is young, energetic and immensely talented and would be a cornerstone of any franchise. Unfortunately, the Mets will be better off if they let him go.

Picture you are the general manager of a major league franchise. You have a 27-year-old middle infielder who is one of the fastest players in baseball. He just had one of the best years of his career. He raised his batting average to well over .300, became an All-Star and a Gold Glover and even earned a few MVP votes. He has led the league in stolen bases a few times and cemented himself as a premier leadoff hitter in baseball.

You have to keep that guy around right?

Well, that player was Luis Castillo in 2003. Even more, Castillo helped lead his team to a World Series championship with the Florida Marlins. Fast-forward five years and he is now batting .245 for the Mets and can barely field his position. I am not saying that Jose Reyes will automatically fall as fast as Castillo did, but it is important to remember to be weary of players who build their careers based on speed.

The key to this situation is value. Throughout the decade, the Mets have gotten into trouble by signing free agents at the height of their value. Francisco Rodriguez had just broken the major league record in saves, Carlos Beltran tied the major league record of postseason home runs and Jason Bay was coming off the best year of his career. Omar Minaya gave these players long-term contracts and so far they have failed to meet their unrealistic expectations.

Right now, Jose Reyes is at the peak of his value. He is currently leading the National League with a .340 batting average and has a ridiculous 11 triples. As dynamic a player as Reyes is, it is unrealistic to believe he can keep these kinds of numbers up. For once, the Mets should take advantage of immediate value and attempt to get long-term value.

Reyes’ suitors include contending teams like the Red Sox, Reds and Angels, which could help the Mets bring back quality prospects for the shortstop. The most intriguing team to me is the San Francisco Giants. They can give the Mets 21-year-old LHP Maidson Bumgarner and/or 23-year-old OF Brandon Belt. Either of these players would help the Mets in the future, and they are already major league ready.

The biggest problem that will come from trading Jose Reyes will be the backlash from the fanbase. Mets fans have already grown tired of the administration and attendance has been down throughout the season. However, the fans should accept that the current team is not yet a contender. By the time the pieces are in place to succeed, Reyes and maybe even David Wright will be past their primes. If they can replace one of these stars with multiple pieces that can help them in a few years, the Mets should jump at the opportunity.

New Yorkers are not patient by nature. They do not want to wait to see their team rebuild and they especially don’t want to see them lose a superstar in his prime.

Nevertheless, Sandy Alderson was brought here not for one year, but to help create a championship team. This year’s draft showed that the team is not interested in fillers, but future championship pieces. With the return they get from the trade, they will hopefully add even more of those pieces. In a few years the franchise will be better off than having an aging, expensive Jose Reyes.

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It’s a tough time right now in New York for the Mets. Low attendance, financial problems and injured players have hurt this team for a couple of years and it hasn’t shown any signs of letting up. One more thing. The one bright spot for this team could be gone in a few months.

Jose Reyes has had a good career so far. His play has made him a fan favorite in New York. He brings energy to the team and the fans when he is playing. There is no doubt that he is one of the most exciting players in the game.

But all of this could leave New York and move somewhere else in a matter of weeks. Reyes’s contract will expire at the end of the year. If he is not traded, it is almost certain that he will leave New York. It is being said that he wants “Carl Crawford-type money” and this doesn’t fit the Mets situation. With Reyes’s injury, one would think his value would go down. But with his amazing play this year, his value has gone up from what it was.

Reyes could be one of the biggest free agents in the upcoming offseason. Many teams would be interested in an All-Star player that is entering the prime of his career. Reyes is the type of player that can make a team go from a good team to a great team.

One problem with Reyes leaving New York is it could have a devastating impact. Reyes has been a fan favorite ever since he was brought to the organization in 2003. Trading him or letting him walk could ruin this team for years. An already low attendance begins to drop even more.

Wins start to become rarer and losses become an almost everyday occurrence. More and more fans stop supporting the team. Less and less money to spend. If this sounds like an apocalyptic scenario, it is. This could be a decision that could make or break the franchise. That’s the type of impact that Reyes has to this team. It has been shown that when Reyes is in the lineup for the Mets, they win many more games then when he is out.

Now let’s flip the coin and look at what could happen if he were to stay.

If Reyes stayed with this team, it would give the Mets a cornerstone player to build around. Financial problems would most likely still be there, but if the team wins, they will draw more fans. Fan support improves and fans are excited that the Mets kept the fan-favorite Reyes.

Put that together with good drafts and possible free agent signings and you have yourself a possible contender. Right now, the Mets need something exciting for their team. Reyes brings excitement every time he is on the field. It would only make sense for them to resign him. The Mets will at least offer him an extension, but will it be enough?

Every team in baseball would have interest in Reyes. He is a player that draws fans to games and can carry a team on his back for a good length of time. But honestly, I don’t think it will or even could be done. I hope I am wrong. So what will happen with Reyes? We will all find out in the upcoming months.

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As the MLB trade deadline approaches every year, rumors swirl about what big names will be on the move.

I barely even remembered Alex Rodriguez almost ended up with the Boston Red Sox back in 2003 before the MLBPA shot it down. Can you imagine how differently things could have turned out around the league?

It’s fun to look back on trades and think about “what could have been” after seeing how some of the prospects turned out a few years down the road. So many teams make trades that look horrible in the long run (see: Pittsburgh Pirates), but there are just as many cases where trades fall through that would have been great for those teams.

The following 10 trades were all at one point in time in the works before being declined or falling apart—and they all could have reshaped MLB as we know it.

Here are 10 trades that almost happened (but never did).

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As the MLB season heads into the dog days of summer, we all sit in anticipation to see what big names will be moved at the deadline.

Will the New York Yankees get their top of the line pitcher? Will the Milwaukee Brewers make another surprising splash like they did in acquiring C.C. Sabathia in 2008?

We will find out soon.

At this point, we can just sit back and hold out hope that our respective teams can keep winning ballgames—pleading that they are in position to make a bold move at the deadline.

On the other hand, it doesn’t always work out as planned—as no one wants to be on the losing end of a bad deal.

We’ve seen many lopsided deals over the last 20 years—although in most cases it takes years to determine the winner.

Here are the 13 Most Lopsided Deals Since 1990.

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I’m a St. Louis Cardinals fan. All of my friends know this. I have been since the day my favorite player, Mark McGwire got traded to them in 1997. The next year Big Mac broke Roger Maris’ age old HR record.

In 2001, a third baseman with a bright future made his debut with the Redbirds in McGwire’s last season—Albert Pujols. As we all know, since 2001 Pujols has undeniably become the best player in baseball. Even Cubs fans admit that (at least they’re right on something).

Last offseason, the Cardinals failed to sign Albert Pujols to a contract extension. And since the day spring training started, all I’ve heard from all my friends is how next year Pujols is going to be wearing Yankees pinstripes, Dodger blue, or god forbid, a Cubs uniform.

Or they say that the Cardinals are going to trade him to a contender this season. I’ve got news for you haters. He’s not going anywhere. Yet. So until this season is over, let’s stop talking about where Albert Pujols is going to be next year.

Throughout his career, Albert has respected the game. Always. He has refused over the course of his career to consider contract negotiations while the season is going on. This means that from the first pitch of spring training until the last pitch of the Cardinals season, he doesn’t talk dollars and cents. He wants to focus on his game, and on the team.

In my opinion, that’s how sports should be. Let the GM’s talk trades and transactions, but don’t talk to the player about extensions. So I respect Albert for asking his agent not to negotiate during the season. But in no way has Albert EVER insinuated that his refusal to negotiate in-season is an indication that he will not be playing under the Arch next year in St. Louis.

I understand my friends. They love to see me writhe in pain as I consider Albert playing in a different uniform. I’ve said that if Pujols leaves, I’ll burn his jersey. To me, Albert means ALMOST just as much to St. Louis as Lebron James did to Cleveland.

He played high school ball in Missouri (closer to Kansas City), was drafted by the Cardinals, and came up through their farm system. But just because he has opted to become a free agent at the end of this season doesn’t mean he wants to leave. Albert’s agent said that “The expiration of today’s deadline does not eliminate the possibility of Albert returning to the Cardinals in 2012, but simply delays negotiations until the conclusion of the Cardinals’ season.” In no way does that imply that he wants to leave.

I’m telling you. There is no chance in hell that the Cardinals decide to trade Pujols this season. If it happens, I’ll buy you a beer. And after the season, the Cardinals have negotiating rights to Pujols for five days. The team and its star player are not at an impasse over whether Albert wants to remain a Redbird, they are at a roadblock due to money.

Albert means too much to this team. He is the iconic figure in the city. If the team loses Albert, they lose their identity. But I’m not ruling out the possibility that Albert could head elsewhere. He may think he’s worth more than what he is, or the Cardinals may think he’s not worth what the market dictates.

But until Albert actually hits free agency five days after the World Series ends, let’s stop talking about it. Nothing’s going to happen until then, and I want to enjoy watching the man play in the Cardinals’ uniform. Because I’m going to have a heart attack if I think of him stepping to the plate in Busch Stadium for the Cubs one more time.

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The San Francisco Giants heard it throughout 2010.

“Not enough hitting. There’s no way they’ll even make it to the postseason with such a stagnant offense.”

92-70, NL West Champions.

“So what, they made the playoffs. Let’s see them try and score runs against Derek Lowe, Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt…”

NLDS: SF – 3, ATL – 1
NLCS: SF – 4, PHI – 2

“Wow, their pitching absolutely carried them to the World Series. Too bad they won’t be able to score against Cliff Lee and C.J. Wilson.”

2010 World Series: SF – 4, TX – 1

Silence.

The Giants ranked in the bottom half of the National League in runs scored in 2010, hitting a modest .257 and stealing an anemic total of 55 bases, which ranked them 15th in the NL.

However, it was, as many Giants skeptics, doubters and haters will eagerly point out, the Giants’ pitching that carried them through the 2010 season, ranking first in the National League in ERA, saves, earned runs, hits and strikeouts.

While the doubters continued to take shots at the Giants’ offense (and rightfully so, at times), the Giants continued to grind out wins, emerging from the wreckage of the NL West with a division title that came on the last day of the regular season after having been down by 7 1/2 games on July 4th. With 52 (yes, 52) one-run games in the book, Giants fans and players alike had become accustomed to their patented “torturous” style of victory.

The torture carried over into the postseason, with every single game of the NLDS and two games in the NLCS coming down to one-run games, with the Giants going 6-1 in the razor-tight contests.

However, come World Series time, the consensus was that the explosive Texas Rangers offense would prove to be too much for the Giants pitching staff, who were expected to get paltry run support from a Giants offense that had squeaked through the playoffs thus far.

I’m sure you can recall how the World Series turned out.

I don’t think I’ll ever forget.

The Giants amassed twenty runs in the first two games of the World Series to jump out to a 2-0 lead before splitting the first two games in Texas. In a fitting finish to a season filled with torture, Brian Wilson closed out game 5 in Texas, giving the Giants their first World Series victory since 1954, and their first in San Francisco after having made the move to the Golden Gates in 1958.

Come 2011, what are the experts saying?

“Not enough hitting,” says an anonymous NL scout. “I just don’t see their pitching carrying them again this year. I don’t even have the Giants making the playoffs.”

However, the Giants have something to say about that. With an NL second-best twenty two home runs and an influx of first-inning outbursts, the Giants’ offense is showing pop that it notoriously lacked in 2010.

Will it be enough, though?

With a stacked Phillies rotation and a hot-hitting Rockies team that also features a solid pitching staff, many experts and average fans alike don’t even have the Giants winning their division, let alone making a run reminiscent of their 2010 world championship.

Although the Giants rotation is once again stellar and the offense looks to have improved to a degree this year, look for Brian Sabean to be active prior to the trade deadline in search of offensive weapons.

The players that the Giants would possibly pursue include:

Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins, who is in the last year of his contract and could be dealt by Philadelphia in an attempt to rid themselves of an aging veteran.

Mets shortstop Jose Reyes, who is also in the last year of his contract and could take the place of aging (and ailing) Miguel Tejada, who would likely be included in the deal.

And Mets left-fielder Carlos Beltran, who is in the final year of a seven-year, $119 million contract and has surging outfielders ready to overtake him in the Mets’ organization. Look for the Giants to possibly make an offer to the Mets in search of a temporary, one-year lease on an offensive weapon the likes of Beltran.

Michael Manbert is a reporter for SFGiantsInsider.com.

Follow Michael on Twitter at @MichaelManbert!

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The New York Mets are only 6-13 on this young season, but the possibilities of a mid-season fire sale are quickly becoming a reality if the team continues playing uninspired baseball.

Honestly, the worst thing that could happen to the 2011 Mets is they play bottom-of-the-barrel baseball, and when the July trade deadline comes around, GM Sandy Alderson plays no favorites and puts a majority of the team on the trading block.

The ever-real thought of Jose Reyes being shipped out this coming July are already depressing enough as it is, so the thought of a complete fire sale just wouldn’t sit right with Mets fans.

Here are five things that need to happen NOW in order for the New York Mets to avoid a fire sale mid-way through the 2011 baseball season.

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It is no secret that the Cleveland Indians have been playing some great baseball in their torrid start to the 2011 season. For the first time in a few years, the Tribe could find themselves in the position in the American League Central standings that they could emerge as ‘buyers’ at the All-Star Break rather than ‘sellers’.

Over the last couple seasons, we have seen C.C. Sabathia, Cliff Lee, Victor Martinez, Rafael Betancourt, Jhonny Peralta, Ryan Garko, among many others be dealt around the Break.

While there is no glaring weak spot on the roster as of yet, there may be some teams come the midpoint of the season who will be looking to clean house. Taking into account the fact that the Cleveland Indians are indeed a smaller-market franchise, these would be trades that would not only make sense on the diamond, but also in the checkbook.

While it is still very early in the season, the Indians could find themselves looking for pieces that could help push them to their first AL Central crown since 2007 and beyond with a deep run in the postseason.

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