MLB Trade Rumors: Every Team's Deepest Position at the Deadline

MLB Trade Rumors almost always talk about players a team can either do without or get rid of altogether, often in a very exclusive manner.

But what about the deepest position each team enjoys?

Having a solid closer, outfielder(s) or even a dominant pitching staff often makes filling in the holes easier in multiple ways.

Today, I want to look at each team’s DEEPEST position at this year’s deadline and how it could—if at all—affect their trade strategy.

I realize that certain positions (pitching, relief and outfield) regards multiple players, so for the sake of that, I will either talk about that position as a whole, a solid tandem or someone specific on the team.

Ready?

Philadelphia Phillies: Pitching

There is no denying the Philadelphia Phillies’ dominant pitching staff.

And even with injuries to Jamie Moyer (at the start), Jose Contreras, Joe Blanton, Ryan Madson and Roy Oswalt, this staff has been nothing short of spectacular, making it the strongest position on the team.

But that strength has been partly due to other players ramping things up and playing better than some may have expected.

Like Vance Worley.

Because of the depth the Phillies have, and the fact that this staff is so vast, they could even consider dealing a kid like Worley to fill other areas they see as a concern.

For Phillies fan, I hope they keep Worley.

New York Mets: The Hot Corners

The Mets strength could be debated, but I honestly feel first and third hold the most strength, upside and consistency for the team.

Yes they have a pretty good middle infield with Jose Reyes and Daniel Murphy (most of where the debate could come from), but I think David Wright and Ike Davis edges Reyes and Murphy just ever so slightly.

The Mets already have a budding star in Ruben Tejada at SS, but he is a few years away from being fully seasoned, and there is Justin Turner, who could be dangled out there in hopes the Mets could possibly score a legit third baseman for depth purposes, or possibly an outfielder.

Florida Marlins: Outfield

Offensively they may not look like much now, but this team has one of the best combined youthful outfield in the majors right now—currently ranked ninth in the majors.

Even their depth is pretty good.

Logan Morrison is hitting .256 with 15 homeruns, Emilio Bonifacio .295 with 22 stolen bases, Mike Stanton is hitting .257 with 22 homeruns with Chris Coghlan (injury), DeWayne Wise (the only black eye in the outfield) and Brian Peterson (.351 and 11 homers in Triple-A) rounding out the back edge.

Atlanta Braves: Pitching

Another team with one of the best pitching staffs collectively is Atlanta, which is hands down their strongest position.

Too bad their offense isn’t always on par to help them out.

But even with an inconsistent offense, this Braves team ranks fifth in the league in ERA while ranking second in saves and strikeouts.

The Braves need a quality power bat and have an overabundance of relief pitchers they could pony up for such a bat, or simply try their hand at another deal.

Washington Nationals: Third Base

The Nationals have multiple players who are pretty strong at their positions, but if I have to name one, it’s gotta be Ryan Zimmerman.

Zimmerman only has 167 ABs this year thanks to a persistent abdominal injury, but in that time, he has hit .258 with five home runs, 19 RBI, 42 total hits and added three stolen bases.

Honorable mention goes to outfielder Mike Morse (.313 with 17 home runs), who has been a pleasant surprise.

St. Louis Cardinals: First Base

No need to sugar-coat this one, eh?

Albert Pujols is not only the strongest player on this team, he also represents the strongest position in the Cardinals organization, meaning the team has zero need to acquire a first baseman.

In addition, the Cardinals also have Lance Berkman at their disposal who can not only play first, but outfield as well.

Talk about a strength position.

Cincinnati Reds: Outfield

Drew Stubbs, Johnny Gomes and Jay Bruce make up for the league’s fourth ranked fielding team and also make up the strongest collective position on the Reds.

But the Reds also have some interesting options in regard to trading with that outfield.

The team could dangle Gomes, Fred Lewis and even Chris Heisey as trade bait, but the likelihood isn’t very good outside of Gomes.

Every outfielder except Lewis has double digits in the home run category this season.

Milwaukee Brewers: First Base

It is obvious, again, that the mention here goes towards Prince Fielder at first base.

Fielder has a great glove and keeps this team competitive for nine while possessing the ability to dig them out of a jam, and is a key component to this team’s success.

What this team could use is another quality MLB ready arm to perhaps become a member of this starting rotation that is just as much up as they are down.

Chicago Cubs: Middle Infielders

It’s a hard call to make no matter how you slice this one, Chicago.

The outfield is spotty at best, the entire pitching staff is highly inconsistent and the rest seemingly does no more than bare minimum.

Except the two kids in the middle infield.

Darwin Barney has come on strong this year and is showing great promise, while Starlin Castro continues to play at a heightened level.

The Cubs present team isn’t much to speak of, but there are signs of a great future ball club with these two players.

Pittsburgh Pirates: Relief

Yeah, I know right?

Currently the Pirates are first in the division, and their strongest position has got to be their bullpen—ranked fourth in saves.

The Pirates are doing an incredible job at complete team play, not allowing the weaker positions to have too much of a negative effect on the overall team’s performance, so kudos to that coaching staff as well.

The Pirates are desperate for some power, and they are also deep in starting pitchers and relief pitchers, which means they could use their strength to their advantage should they choose to do so.

Houston Astros: First Base

This one’s tricky.

The Astros technically have three players at their disposal to play at first base: Carlos Lee, Jason Bourgeois and Brett Wallace.

All three are decent left fielders, and each one offers a little something special.

Lee offers veteran leadership and experience and Bourgeois offers a ton of speed, while Wallace offers a bit of power and solid defense.

Clearly the strongest position in Houston.

San Francisco Giants: Pitching

The Giants are the leading MLB pitching staff with a team ERA of 3.08, with the most exciting collection of young pitchers in all the majors.

Tim Lincecum, Ryan Vogelsong, Madison Bumgarner, Matt Cain and Johnathan Sanchez make up a deadly staff that can hang with the best of the best on any given day, and they are only getting better with each passing week.

Oh yeah, they have one of the best bullpens in the majors, too.

Yeah, no denying where the strongest position resides here.

Now, imagine if the Giants acquired a viable power bat, capable of being an everyday force at the plate?

Scary, isn’t it?

Colorado Rockies: Middle Infield

Troy Tulowitzki anchors this Rockies team and represents the strongest position for Colorado, especially if you add in youngsters Jonathan Herrera and Eric Young Jr. to represent the depth.

Herrera is a solid defenseman who needs to hit better, and Young Jr. is still waiting for everyday playing time, but is also a solid left-fielder.

But for Colorado, Tulowitzki represents everything: Hitting, base running and defense…not to mention morale.

Combine everything current with what looks like a bright future, and you have a solid position for years to come.

San Diego Padres: Relief

The Padres are the owners of the best bullpen in the majors, and ironically enough, it has been that bullpen combo of Heath Bell, Chad Qualls and Mike Adams that has led most of the 2011 MLB trade rumors department.

Their strongest position and they’re entertaining trades? OK.

The Padres’ needs are numerous, but they are also overly abundant in the pitching department, which could be why they are using their formidable bullpen as trade bait.

Too bad they can’t go down another route with the same success.

Arizona Diamondbacks: Outfield

You could argue that the starting rotation for the Diamondbacks is the strongest position with Daniel Hudson and Ian Kennedy, but Joe Saunders and Josh Collmenter really suggest otherwise.

You could argue the hot corners with Ryan Roberts and Brandon Allen are the strongest position for the D-backs, but I would like to see much more from Allen than 20 at bats before making such a claim.

I believe it is the outfield that is the strongest position for the D-Backs right now despite this team playing very well collectively from top to bottom.

Chris Young and Justin Upton lead this team, while Willie Bloomquist, Gerardo Parra and Xavier Nady have all filled in admirably.

Look for Collin Cowgill to start seeing more playing time as well. Cowgill offers a bit of power, a great eye at the plate and exceptional speed, and should help the 10th ranked defense climb a little higher in the rankings by year’s end.

Los Angeles Dodgers: Outfield

Another team whose success—albeit limited success—is anchored by the outfield, which is the strongest position in L.A. right now.

Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier, Tony Gwynn Jr. and Juan Rivera are a solid balance of defense and power with a bit of speed and veterans leadership laced in as well.

The Dodgers are currently ranked sixth in fielding.

Boston Red Sox: The Middle Infielders

I had a really hard time with this one, so feel free to add in what you think is the Red Sox strongest position.

I thought about the outfield, but felt there was a lack of offensive output from them to deem the outfield the strongest.

I thought about the bullpen, but against some of the other more consistent clubs in the league, felt that wasn’t correct either.

I thought about the starting rotation, but decided that the rotation is too dinged up to be considered even IF it was the strongest position at one point.

That left the hot corners and the middle infield.

My vote goes to those scrappy, mouthy never-give-up type of middle infielders the Red Sox have in Jed Lowrie and Dustin Pedroia.

They pick up the pace when needed after already performing at a high level, play solid defense, run well and are some of the best vocal team leaders in that dugout—mostly Pedroia.

Agree? Or disagree? But tell my why.

New York Yankees: Outfield

Hands down, it has got to be the outfield, although their bullpen, middle infielders and corner-men come in at a close second.

A very close second.

The Yankees’ outfielders provide the team with speed, power, OBP and solid defense.

 The Yankees fielding percentage (.982) is only .006 points under league leading Boston, Philly and Chicago (AL)—all of which who are at .998)

Toronto Blue Jays: The Hot Corners

Jose Bautista an Adam Lind are playing the role of “team anchors” superbly both from the offensive side of the plate and the defensive side.

Combined, the two are hitting .310 with an astonishing 49 homeruns and 126 RBI, which is incredibly difficult for any team to deal with on a daily basis.

The team could use another starting pitcher to bolster up the league’s 23rd ranked staff, which could be why the Jays are reported to be kicking the tires on Ubaldo Jimenez and are willing to trade some of their relief pitchers if need be.

Baltimore Orioles: Outfield

Despite playing with a little bit of inconsistency this year, the O’s strength resides in the strong play from Adam Jones, who has recently heated up, Nick Markakis, who has simply exploded in 2011 and the combined efforts of Felix Pie and Nolan Reimold.

Although, expect Reimold to eventually become the everyday starter instead of a platoon with Pie.

The O’s lost Luke Scott for the season, and Scott is not likely to be tendered after this season.

Tampa Bay Rays: Pitching

The Rays' strongest position has got to be their collective starting rotation without question.

Combined, this squad is 41-34 with a 3.39 ERA, 486 strikeouts alongside eight complete games under their belts and four shutouts.

But here’s the thing.

The Rays have recently added the explosive Alex Cobb to the mix, deploying a six man rotation which is an incredibly smart move.

Why?

Eight complete games between two pitchers is a great thing, but it also means the arms are getting overworked from a manager’s perspective, so the Rays decided to relieve the pressure with Cobb, and he has responded with a 3-0 record on top of a 2.57 ERA.

The Rays also have a stellar outfield who gets the honorable mention, but that outfield has also been the focal trade chips behind most of the Tampa Bay trade rumors.

Detroit Tigers: The Backstop

One of the rare mentions for catcher, but this team’s strength lies within Alex Avila and Victor Martinez.

The Tigers have many strengths elsewhere on the team, but not to the tune of these two guys, and it is that collective strength by position that affords the Tigers some serious trade chips in search of what’s needed most—another pitcher.

The Tigers were rumored to be after Eric Bedard, which would be a terrible acquisition when you consider the darling turnaround season San Diego’s Aaron Harang is having.

Chicago White Sox: Outfield

The White Sox have plenty of power in Paul Konerko and Adam Dunn.

The White Sox also have plenty of relief (ranked ninth in the league) with eight quality arms at their disposal.

But the White Sox also have one of the best outfields in baseball as well, which is half the reason why this team is tied with Philadelphia for the best defensive team in the majors.

With so many quality position players, the White Sox do have plenty of trade chips, but what they do with them is left to be seen.

Cleveland Indians: MIddle Infielders

Another difficult call here, but I believe it is the middle infield that reigns supreme in Cleveland with Asdrubal Cabrera and Orlando Cabrera.

There’s plenty of quality depth in Cord Phelps and Jason Kipnis, too.

The Indians need a solid power bat if they are to keep up with Chicago and Detroit for an entire season, but may fans have got to be excited over this darling of a season thus far.

Kansas City Royals: The Outfield

The Royals' strongest position is also the one position that has been offered as trade bait during the past few weeks, with Melky Cabrera and Jeff Francoeur leading the way in both areas.

In time, it will be the hot corners that prove to be the strongest position for the Royals with Mike Moustakas and Eric Hosmer, but for now, it’s the boys in the field.

The Royals need what they have always needed: solid starting pitching that can pitch consistently, which is why they are dangling Cabrera and Francoeur out there, despite the asking price being incredibly high.

The most interesting story I have heard yet is talks between Kansas City and Philadelphia involving Melky Cabrera.

Minnesota Twins: Catcher

It is obvious that the Twins strength lies with Joe Mauer at the backstop without question, as he is the undisputed leader of this team.

But even with Mauer, the Twins' unexpected meltdown of a season has this team wondering just what to do.

The Twins are among the worst in team hitting, pitching and fielding despite possessing a few trade chips.

The Twins may want to target a quality starting pitcher and then take a long look at the staff for further answers.

Oakland Athletics: Relief

The strength of the Athletics has got to be their bullpen, which is one of the more coveted in all of baseball.

And the A’s are likely to keep them around.

But don’t count out that pitching staff, either. While it has been riddled with injuries, it is one of the more potent—when healthy—in all of baseball.

The A’s are another team in need of a quality power bat, and could trade power for speed with Coco Crisp.

Seattle Mariners: Pitching

The Mariners don’t have very many strengths, but the one they do have is the strongest position hands down.

The starting rotation.

The combined record doesn’t necessarily suggest it (30-44), but the rest of the numbers puts this staff on par with the likes of Tampa Bay (a 3.42 team ERA, 538 strikeouts, nine complete games and three shutouts)

The starting rotation has been a victim of a little bad luck, the league’s worst hitting and a bullpen who has only converted 64 percent of their save opportunities.

Texas Rangers: Outfield

The powerful outfield that plays for Texas just slightly edges that incredible starting rotation in my opinion, but then again, one could make a case for a possible tie.

Either way, both positions are exceptional to say the least.

The Rangers are a very well balanced team, which makes it hard to suggest where the strength really sits, but even with that balance, there are still some gray areas the team would like to bolster like the bullpen.

The Rangers would likely offer prospects if they were to come across a solid bullpen arm.

Los Angeles Angels: Pitching

Not just pitching, both the starting rotation and the bullpen combined.

The Angels are the 10th ranked bullpen in the majors, among the top five with their stellar rotation and have been pitching lights out since opening day.

The starting rotation is a combined 39-29 with a team 3.36 ERA alongside 471 strikeouts, seven complete games and five shutouts.

If there is anything the Angels desperately, need it’s depth at second and in the outfield, but aside from that, nothing more.