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July 18, 2011 Divide and Conquer, NL EastTrade Deadline WishlistsRight after the All-Star Game and the unofficial first half of the baseball season, teams and fans alike turn their attentions to the next big landmark of the year: the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline. Fans clamor for their favorite teams to acquire this player or that one. Teams haggle with other teams for the right price. Numerous mentions of clubs being “buyers” or “sellers” fill the media coverage of the deadline. People all around refresh MLB Trade Rumors hundreds of times a day.
In honor of this yearly ritual of rampant speculation and overanalysis, let us take a look at what each NL East team would like to see happen in terms of transactions by the July 31 trade deadline. Call it a wish list for the NL East, if you will.
Philadelphia Phillies: Right-handed hitting outfielder Perhaps a more pressing need is that of a right-handed hitter who can roam the outfield. Shane Victorino is on his way back from a DL stint, but there are still question marks about the Phillies bats in the outfield. Raul Ibanez has climbed back from the massive hole he dug in April (hitting .278/.309/.502 since May 1), but questions about his defense and his presence as yet another lefty hitter in an already lefty-dominant lineup could spur the Phillies' interest in an outfielder to at least share time with the 39-year-old left fielder. On the bench, the Phillies have John Mayberry Jr. and Ben Francisco, neither of whom inspire confidence in a platoon or full-time role.
The Phillies could look at names like Michael Cuddyer, Ryan Ludwick, and Josh Willingham to help the team, but the question really comes down to whether any of those names is a significant upgrade over Ibanez. Of the three, Cuddyer seems the most interesting as he is having one of his classic “good Cuddyer” years and could, in a pinch, fill in at other positions should the Phillies struggle with injuries.
Atlanta Braves: A hitting outfielder of any kind
The Braves have Martin Prado manning third base until Jones returns, opening up a spot in left field. The names of Cuddyer, Ludwick, and Willingham would all be available, but if the New York Mets would be willing to absorb Carlos Beltran's remaining $6 million salary, Atlanta as well as Philadelphia would also be interested. The preference would be for a player who could handle center field, however, as McLouth has now spent his last 558 plate appearances hitting .209/.321/.327, playing substandard defense along the way. Among center fielders that may be available, B.J. Upton is a name of interest in case the Tampa Bay Rays decide to sell. Upton's supposed “struggles” at the plate (if one could call having a .282 TAv “struggling”) are a perception caused by the byproduct of his massive prospect hype and are laughable compared to the ineptitude the Braves have had to deal with.
New York Mets: A decent return for Carlos Beltran The one player being most discussed in trade talks is Beltran, who is in the final season of the seven-year, $119 million contract he signed in 2005. The Mets and Beltran have been good to each other since then, having just about matched each others' expectations in terms of money paid and wins produced, but with the Mets unlikely to re-sign Beltran after a resurgent season (.319 TAv, 2.2 WARP in 381 PA), the team could be at the forefront of the outfielder trade market with the best piece available. This is especially the case when you consider that the team may eat the remaining $6 million owed to him this season in order to get premium talent.
What could the Mets fetch in a trade? Beltran is expected to produce 1.2 WARP for the remainder of the season, and if the Mets are picking up the entire tab (and the MORP for the 2011 season remains similar to that of the 2008 to 2010 years), that may be worth $7.2 million in surplus value. In other words, a team would have to deal an asset worth $7.2 million less than his current deal in order to get value for their two-plus month rental of Beltran.
Washington Nationals: Reinforcements to develop faster
Ultimately, however, the Nationals have no pressing needs to buy or sell at this trade deadline. Their most expensive pieces are not reaching free agency any time soon; Jayson Werth and Ryan Zimmerman are locked up long-term. Their remaining intriguing pieces are mostly young, team-controlled players like Danny Espinosa and Jordan Zimmermann. What the Nationals most need is a healthy and effective dose of Bryce Harper and Stephen Strasburg to hit the field alongside these four players to build what looks to be a future contender in Washington. The sooner the franchise commits to playing these players on their major league roster, the sooner the team will rise from its mediocre ways.
Florida Marlins: A third baseman. Failing that, a hope that they can contend in 2012 Without the classic pipeline of players the Marlins usually rely upon to fill the spots vacated as major league talent gets too expensive and moves on, the team may have to depend on some of the exceptional talent they already have in the majors. There is already some indication that Anibal Sanchez—a hot trade commodity in a weak starting pitching class—may be up for an extension because of the team's distinct lack of starting pitcher depth. The Marlins may discuss trading Ricky Nolasco, who is under contract through 2013, but the only other players who appear to be available are relief arms like Randy Choate, Edward Mujica, and Leo Nunez—all of whom are under contract or team control for at least one more season but are not of a high enough caliber to draw major talent in return. Sure, the Marlins could use a third baseman to fill in for Dominguez while he continues to develop his bat in Triple-A, but the team would likely have to trade major league talent to acquire a major-league ready third baseman. With one of the thinnest minor league organizations, the Marlins lack the prospects to add directly to their roster, and trading a player like Nolasco or Sanchez would likely be a sideways move for 2012, at best. It seems like the best bet for Florida would be to stand pat and hope for a healthy Josh Johnson and the return of the ballplayer formerly known as Hanley Ramirez.
Michael Jong is an author of Baseball Prospectus. 5 comments have been left for this article.
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Might the Mets give Beltran up for nothing just to save themselves $6M? Regardless of their financial situation, they may prefer $6M to put toward a new Reyes contract rather than a prospect.
Re: Phillies relievers. The Padres talk is as much about 2012-2013 as it is 2011. Madson & Lidge are likely gone after this year.