MLB Trade Rumors: What Sort of Return Could Ubaldo Jimenez Fetch?

Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports created a maelstrom of buzz last weekend when he reported that the Rockies were willing to listen to offers for Ubaldo Jimenez.

While the team isn't necessarily shopping the 27-year-old ace, there hasn't been any indication that making an offer is a fruitless endeavor. To that end, up to seventeen scouts were in attendance for Jimenez's last start.

Unsurprisingly, the Rockies are looking for high-ceiling prospects, particularly in terms of pitching, and both Troy Renck and Buster Olney expect that they'd have to be overwhelmed in order to deal Jimenez.

Since 2008, five game-changing arms have been dealt around the trading deadline, three of which aren't terribly similar in terms of piecing together what sort of package the Rockies can expect, but may be useful in establishing a starting point.

Let's jump right in.

CC Sabathia, 2008

Brewers receive: CC Sabathia

Indians receive: Matt LaPorta, Michael Brantley, Zach Jackson, Rob Bryson

In exchange for about a half season's worth of Sabathia, the Indians acquired LaPorta (rated as the 23rd best prospect by Baseball America entering the season) and three other pieces that essentially amounted to filler.

Brantley was likely the silver medal of the deal, and most expectations for his ceiling were fairly tame—his minor league numbers suggested an average-ish center fielder. Jackson was and is organizational filler, and Bryson is a middling middle relief prospect.

Cliff Lee, 2009

Phillies receive: Cliff Lee

Indians receive: Jason Knapp, Carlos Carrasco, Jason Donald, Lou Marson

Unlike the Brewers, the Phillies acquired an ace that would remain under their control for the following season as well (though, it didn't quite work out that way). The Indians also came away from this deal looking a bit better than they had in 2008, as their haul was far greater.

Carrasco (52), Marson (66) and Donald (69) entered 2009 ranked among Baseball America's top 100 prospects, and Knapp was a highly-touted 2008 second rounder with electric stuff.

Dan Haren, 2010

Angels receive: Dan Haren

Diamondbacks receive: Joe Saunders, Tyler Skaggs, Patrick Corbin, Rafael Rodriguez

The Angels are the only team on this list to acquire a pitcher with a long-term commitment. Haren is signed through 2012, with a team option for 2013, for a total of $41 million. As such, the expectation would be that they gave up quite a bit ... that's not really the case, however.

In Saunders, the Diamondback acquired a league-average starter under team control through 2013. Skaggs is a fine prospect—rated as the 82nd best prospect entering this season—and Corbin could be a back of the rotation starter.

Rodriguez is organizational filler.

Roy Oswalt, 2010

Phillies receive: Roy Oswalt

Astros receive: J.A. Happ, Anthony Gose, Jonathan Villar

As was the case with Lee, the Phillies acquired Oswalt for a year and a half (he has a mutual option for 2012, though those are rarely picked-up by both sides).

Happ had produced strong win-loss and ERA numbers through the time of the deal, but his peripherals and minor league track record indicated nothing more than a league-average pitcher.

Gose is incredibly fast and athletic, yet lacking polish and power (though, he's performed admirably since being shipped to the Blue Jays).

Villar is a glove-first shortstop, but he did crack Baseball America's top 100 this season, and he does have decent pop.

Cliff Lee, 2010

Rangers receive: Cliff Lee

Mariners receive: Justin Smoak, Matthew Lawson, Blake Beavan, Josh Lueke

This is reminiscent of the Sabathia deal. The Rangers received two-plus months of Lee in exchange for a stud prospect (Smoak was ranked 13th by Baseball America entering 2010) and filler.

Back to Ubaldo

Comparatively speaking, Jimenez is the youngest and cheapest of the group, and he has the longest stretch of team control (through 2013 with a voidable 2014 option).

The only deal that comes with terribly similar circumstances was the Haren trade, and I don't believe that that provides us with a fair glimpse into the sort of return the Rockies can and should expect for Jimenez.

On the whole, top-flight starters have commanded a stud prospect and a few other pieces—that would be the baseline here, in my mind. From a common sense perspective, I suspect that the Rockies would seek an immediate replacement for Jimenez (a la Joe Saunders) and two strong prospects.

The team is high, for example, on Jesus Montero, Dellin Betances, and Manny Banuelos of the Yankees—all three were ranked in Baseball America's top 100 entering the season. If a deal were made involving the Rockies and Yankees, the return for Jimenez would likely include at least one of the three, someone like Ivan Nova or Hector Noesi, and more.

Again, this is relatively uncharted territory—even the Zack Greinke deal isn't terribly comparable, as the Royals essentially had to deal their ace (and the Brewers did not acquire the same amount of team control any Jimenez suitor would).

Speculation is really all that we have, and looking at it logically and comparatively is the best solution.