MLB Trade Deadline: Updating Nightmare Scenarios for All 30 Teams at Deadline

As of the time of this publication, there will be less than four days left before the MLB non-waiver trading period ends. At the beginning of the month, my Bleacher Report colleague Robert Knapel wrote an article/slideshow that detailed what the nightmare scenarios might be for each MLB team regarding trade deadline deals.

For many of the teams, the nightmare scenario might involve trading away too many prospects for one particular player; for other teams, it may mean not getting an upgrade at a particular position; and for still others, it may be making a deal before the deadline when it would have been more beneficial to wait until the offseason.

Updating what has already happened:

The St. Louis Cardinals satisfied the need for a starting pitcher, acquiring pitcher Edwin Jackson in what amounted to a three-team, 11-player trade between the Cardinals, Chicago White Sox and Toronto Blue Jays. The Blue Jays received Cardinals outfielder Colby Rasmus and White Sox third baseman/outfielder Mark Teahen, and the White Sox received Blue Jays reliever Jason Frasor and starter Zach Stewart.

The Cardinals also received relievers Octavio Dotel and Marc Rzepczynski, along with outfielder Corey Patterson from the Blue Jays.

And several media outlets are reporting that a trade between the San Francisco Giants and New York Mets involving outfielder Carlos Beltran is all but done, with the Giants awaiting approval from Beltran, who has 24 hours to give his okay.

The Braves also took care of a need with catcher Brian McCann now on the 15-day disabled list with an oblique strain, acquiring Wil Nieves from the Milwaukee Brewers for cash.

So, what’s left? Quite a bit, and for each MLB team, avoidance of disastrous deals will be a key.

Here then is an update of the nightmare scenarios that each MLB team will try to avoid at the trade deadline.

Doug Mead is a featured columnist with Bleacher Report. His work has been featured on the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, SF Gate, CBS Sports, the Los Angeles Times and the Houston Chronicle. Follow Doug on Twitter, @Sports_A_Holic.

Arizona Diamondbacks: Dealing Justin Upton

As Robert Knapel noted in his nightmare scenario piece on July 5, the absolute worst move the Arizona Diamondbacks could make is to be tempted by any discussions involving their young stud right fielder, Justin Upton.

Upton is having a career year at just 23 years of age, hitting .301 with 18 HR, 59 RBI, a .532 slugging percentage and .910 OPS.

For general manager Kevin Towers to even entertain the thought of trading Upton for any package of prospects or major league-ready players would be a crying shame. Towers and manager Kirk Gibson have this franchise headed in the right direction—stay the course.

Atlanta Braves: Not Unloading Nate McLouth

The Atlanta Braves find themselves six games out of first place in the AL East entering Wednesday’s games, and just 3.5 games out front in the wild-card race over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The glaring need right now for the Braves is a center fielder who can actually produce. Nate McLouth has been abysmal throughout his career with the Braves, and GM Fran Wren should entertain and initiate any discussions that involve moving McLouth out of Atlanta.

Baltimore Orioles: Being Stuck with Both Vladimir Guerrero and Derrek Lee

When Baltimore Orioles GM Andy MacPhail decided to upgrade the roster during the offseason, he paid $15.25 million to acquire both first baseman Derrek Lee and designated hitter Vladimir Guerrero.

To say the returns haven’t matched the value would be a vast understatement. While Lee has hit better in recent weeks, he is still hitting just .246 with 11 HR and 39 RBI, and will have quite a ways to match his 162-game average of 27 HR and 90 RBI.

Guerrero has been even less productive, with seven HR, 31 RBI and a career-low .382 slugging percentage.

MacPhail could go a long way in keeping his job by unloading at least one of these high-priced aging veterans, and should even offer to pay a chunk of the remainder of their contract in doing so.

Boston Red Sox: Getting Rid of Prospect Jose Iglesias

All Boston Red Sox fans have heard about over the last two seasons is that shortstop prospect Jose Iglesias is the shortstop of the future for the red-tubed team. Why then is Iglesias continually mentioned in trade talks?

Well, because he is so highly regarded by the Red Sox, that’s why.

Iglesias is a slick-fielding shortstop with a developing bat, great speed and natural baseball instincts, and Sox fans got a brief glimpse of Iglesias’ skills in a call-up earlier in the season. GM Theo Epstein will be extremely hesitant to include Iglesias in any deal, no matter who he may be looking to bring in.

Well, maybe with the possible exception of Jose Reyes…Hmmm…

Chicago Cubs: Not Unloading Alfonso Soriano and His Salary

In recent days, the Chicago Cubs have thrown out hints that they would be very willing to eat a large chunk of the remainder of the money owed to center fielder Alfonso Soriano (about $60 million through 2014).

Soriano has also said that he would waive his no-trade clause if he were dealt to a contender.

Considering Soriano’s contract (eight years, $136 million) was one of the worst signings in Cubs history, GM Jim Hendry could certainly help his case in the eyes of owner Tom Ricketts by unloading Soriano along with some cash.

Chicago White Sox: Giving Up on Season Too Early and Unloading Needed Talent

As of Wednesday’s games, the Chicago White Sox, even though they are one game under .500, were only 3.5 games out of first place in an American League Central race in which no team has pulled away.

While GM Kenny Williams may be lamenting the fact that his payroll is around $130 million and several players aren’t performing anywhere near their abilities (Adam Dunn, Alex Rios, Gordon Beckham), he would be foolish at this point to start unloading players.

With the Cleveland Indians in a swoon and the Tigers failing to capitalize, the White Sox still have an excellent chance to take a weak AL Central division and make some hay in the playoffs. The trade of Edwin Jackson doesn’t necessarily hurt the White Sox, who still have five very capable starters. However, unloading anyone else vital to the lineup would be offering up a white flag way too early.

Cincinnati Reds: Giving Up Catcher Devin Mesoraco in ANY Deal, Including Jimenez

The Cincinnati Reds are hanging on for dear life right now in the NL Central, a four-team horse race where, like the AL Central, no team has taken control. At just five games behind the pace, the Reds, despite being three games under .500, should not be ready to cry uncle just yet.

However, including catching prospect Devin Mesoraco in any deal for starting pitcher, including rumors surrounding Colorado Rockies pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez, should not be even remotely discussed by Reds GM Walt Jocketty.

Mesoraco is the catcher of the future for the Reds, and together with a more stable starting rotation, the Reds have a great core of players (Joey Votto, Brandon Phillips, Drew Stubbs) that can and will take the Reds into the future with bright hopes.

Cleveland Indians: Mortgaging the Future for a Starting Pitcher Now

Many are of the belief that the Cleveland Indians are only one or two starting pitchers away from being playoff-ready and will position them for success now.

However, with young prospects Alex White, Jason Kipnis, Lonnie Chisenhall and younger players Justin Masterson, Josh Tomlin and Vinnie Pestano, the Indians are clearly headed in the right direction, even if that direction doesn’t include the postseason this year.

If GM Chris Antonetti can acquire a starting pitcher without mortgaging the future for the Indians, good for him. But don’t unload what’s helping to get them there.

Colorado Rockies: Trading Ubaldo Jimenez at All

I am simply not of the camp that believes that the Colorado Rockies should rebuild and restock by trading starting pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez.

While there is no guarantee that Jimenez will be traded at all, especially considering what GM Dan O’Dowd is supposedly asking for in return, the thought of trading Jimenez, who has righted the ship after a rocky start to his 2011 season, seems silly.

I know, he could bring in some valuable prospects and possibly major league-ready players, but giving up on a man who posted a 19-8 record in 2010 while holding opposing hitters to a .209 average and who is signed through 2012 with team-friendly options for 2013 and 2014 seems like a desperate move for a team that has done well in drafting and developing young talent.

Detroit Tigers: Failing To Add a Backline Starter

The Detroit Tigers, and specifically GM Dave Dombrowski and manager Jim Leyland, are under pressure to win this season, especially after comments made by Tigers owner Mike Ilitch. Ilitch told Bob Wojnowski of the Detroit News that he would be “extremely disappointed” if the Tigers failed to make the postseason this year.

Hint, hint.

With that said, the Tigers would be remiss if they didn’t add a starter to complement Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer and Rick Porcello, who have a combined record of 35-16. Otherwise, Dombrowski and Leyland just may be partnered somewhere else next season.

Florida Marlins: Selling off Key Components of Team Before Move into New Stadium

The Florida Marlins are poised to move into the brand-new facility next April, and with the move will come a new name—the Miami Marlins.

While they may not know who their manager will be next season, the Marlins will not open the new ballpark with very many fans in the stands if they start selling off key pieces of their roster, such as Hanley Ramirez, Randy Choate, Ricky Nolasco, Anibal Sanchez and Leo Nunez, as has been rumored.

ESPN’s Jayson Stark noted last week that the Marlins will be looking to build momentum going into next season, not take away from it. Unloading players mentioned above would certainly do that.

Houston Astros: Allowing a Lame-Duck GM To Make Trades Before Necessary

The Houston Astros, with the worst record in all of baseball, are not going anywhere this season. In addition, they have a new owner coming in, Jim Crane, who has not yet received the full approval of MLB.

For GM Ed Wade to make any moves at this point in time seems fairly pointless. Crane in all likelihood will be seeking out his own management team when he is finally given the team, and having a lame-duck general manager make any moves before that team seems counterproductive.

It’s not like the Astros absolutely have to make any moves right now at all. In fact, waiting until the offseason until all teams are in play for the services of players like Wandy Rodriguez, Michael Bourn and Hunter Pence might make more sense and even yield a bigger haul of top-tier prospects than dealing them at the deadline would bring.

Kansas City Royals: Not Using Current Outfielders To Yield More Top Prospects

The Kansas City Royals have two outfielders that they brought in during the offseason who have contributed mightily this season for the Royals—Melky Cabrera and Jeff Francoeur. GM Dayton Moore was able to spend just $3.75 million in signing both outfielders, and the return has been terrific.

Striking while the iron is hot would be very beneficial to Moore and the Royals. Several contending teams are looking for outfield bats, and Cabrera especially could bring in more valuable prospects. Franceour has indicated he’d love for the Royals to pick up his 2012 option, and/or sign long-term with the Royals, but if Moore can get a hefty return and continue building on a terrific core of young players, he should absolutely take the chance.

Los Angeles Angels: Trading Mike Trout

I will absolutely ditto what my Bleacher Report colleague Robert Knapel said about trading Mike Trout back on July 5—it would be a huge mistake.

In the 12 games that Trout has played since being called up from Double-A ball, Trout has shown off the skills that has made him the No. 2 prospect in all of baseball. Although the 19-year-old star has hit just .179, he has rarely been overmatched, and his speed and range in the outfield has impressive to say the least.

While GM Tony Reagins would no doubt like to upgrade the bullpen and possibly third base position before the deadline, there isn’t any deal out there that should include Mike Trout.

Los Angeles Dodgers: Not Convincing Hiroki Kuroda To Waive His No-Trade Clause

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Hiroki Kuroda is one of the hottest pitching commodities on the market right now, with the Tigers, Indians, Red Sox, Yankees and Brewers all expressing interest in acquiring the Japanese right-hander.

Kuroda, according to Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated, is very hesitant to waive his no-trade clause to accept a deal to any team at this point. Kuroda appears content to stay in Los Angeles rather than pitch for a contender. GM Ned Colletti should have a heart-to-heart with Kuroda and do whatever he can to convince Kuroda to change his mind—the yield in prospects could be a nice little prize.

Milwaukee Brewers: Not Addressing an Upgrade at Third Base

The Milwaukee Brewers have already addressed one need—acquiring reliever Francisco Rodriguez as the setup man for closer John Axford. Now, however, they have one more need to seriously look at—third base.

With Yuniesky Betancourt raising his average over 30 points since May 31, the shortstop position is more stable. But Casey McGehee is still mired in a horrible slump, hitting just .220 with five HR and 30 RBI, far below last year’s numbers of 23 HR and 104 RBI and a .285 average.

The Brewers are locked in a four-way battle for the AL Central. GM Doug Melvin should be looking for a creative way to address his production at the hot corner sooner rather than later.

Minnesota Twins: Hanging onto Michael Cuddyer

With several teams in the mix to land an outfield bat for the playoff push, the Minnesota Twins would be foolish not to listen to serious offers for outfielder/utility man Michael Cuddyer.

In the final year of his contract, Cuddyer would bring a nice package of prospects in return. In addition, Cuddyer will likely be asking for a raise on his current $10.5 million salary. Keeping Jason Kubel makes more sense, considering he makes half the money Cuddyer makes.

New York Mets: Letting Go of Jose Reyes

With Wednesday’s news that right fielder Carlos Beltran is likely going to San Francisco, the New York Mets have now unloaded two very high-priced players in Beltran and Francisco Rodriguez, definitely good news considering the current financial situation in Queens.

However, shortstop Jose Reyes is still with the Mets, and even though Reyes has essentially been taken off the trade table by the Mets, teams are still bidding for his services.

Reyes is without a doubt the most popular Mets player in town. Considering all the bad press that the Mets have received this season in light of the Fred Wilpon/Bernie Madoff scandal, they could do a lot in repairing that bad light by doing everything they can to hold onto Reyes, and to sign him to a long-term contract.

New York Yankees: Getting Rid of the Killer Bees

This spring, the Yankees put on display two of their highly touted pitching prospects, Manuel Banuelos and Dellin Betances, clearly representing them as the future of the Yankees in the starting rotation.

While GM Brian Cashman would dearly love a starting pitcher to support the cast of CC Sabathia, AJ Burnett, Ivan Nova, Freddy Garcia, Bartolo Colon and Phil Hughes, getting rid of Banuelos or Betances would be counterproductive.

It’s highly unlikely that Colon or Garcia will last much beyond 2012, if even that far, and by that time the Killer Bees could be ready to join their rightful place in the starting rotation.

Oakland Athletics: Being Unable To Unload Middle-of-the-Road Outfielders

The Oakland Athletics have several outfielders (David DeJesus, Conor Jackson, Josh Willingham, Coco Crisp, Ryan Sweeney) who have all been mentioned numerous times in trade discussions and rumors.

With the A’s 11 games under .500 and out of contention, GM Billy Beane would be well served to ship at least two, if not more, of these players out of town for a decent package of prospects.

With the exception of Willingham (13 HR, 50 RBI) and Crisp (.266 average, 27 stolen bases at top of lineup), none of them have given much production at all to the A’s, who are ahead of only the Seattle Mariners in terms of offensive ineptitude.

Philadelphia Phillies: Making Moves Just To Make Moves

The Philadelphia Phillies have the best record in baseball. Yes, they have issues in right field with Domonic Brown not yet hitting his stride yet, but he’s getting there, now hitting .249 with five HR and 17 RBI. And left fielder Raul Ibanez has also rebounded from a terrible start, with 14 HR and 54 RBI.

Their starting pitching has been outstanding, and with the return of Brad Lidge and Ryan Madson, the bullpen has stabilized considerably as well.

I’m sure that GM Ruben Amaro is looking at different players, however making a move just to make a move really isn’t totally necessary. A healthy Phillies team like the one now playing is still good enough to beat just about any team in baseball, and having Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels and Cliff Lee in any short playoff series is a pretty safe bet to me.

Pittsburgh Pirates: GM Neal Huntington Giving Up Future for Now

The Pittsburgh Pirates are in an unusual position—they are buyers for the first time since 1992. Their surprising season has them right in the mix in the AL Central, and GM Neal Huntington believes that with the right pieces, the Pirates can make a strong playoff push.

However, Huntington has never been in this position before as a GM, and it would be a huge mistake for him to stray off the course he has set for the future of the Pirates franchise and gamble on trading prospects for rental players.

There are deals that can be made for the Pirates, but Huntington needs to take care in what he’s giving away.

San Diego Padres: Not Getting Absolute Top Value for Closer Heath Bell

There seems to be almost no question that San Diego Padres closer Heath Bell not will be with the Padres after the July 31 deadline—he has been rumored to be gone since the start of the season.

However, a source told Scott Miller of CBS Sports on Wednesday that the Padres still believe that they can sign Bell to a long-term contract with a hometown discount, so a trade before this Sunday isn’t a sure thing.

With that said, any deal involving Bell needs to made with the thought that the highest possible return is the goal, and the only goal. If the Padres don’t believe they’re getting fair value in return, then don’t make the deal—simple as that.

San Francisco Giants: Acquiring a Catcher Just To Get a Catcher

When San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey went down for the season after a nasty collision at home plate with Scott Cousins of the Florida Marlins, Giants fans went into panic, as did many other baseball fans, wondering what the Giants would do without Posey.

Well, they’ve done fairly well so far. At 59-44, the Giants have a three-game lead in the NL West over the Arizona Diamondbacks, and they’ve done it with a backup catcher in Eli Whiteside who is only hitting .223 but doing a great job in handling an excellent pitching staff.

Posey will be back next season, and will likely be behind the plate. While many are proposing that Posey move to first base sooner rather than later, that certainly may happen, but panicking and grabbing a catcher who may not be the total package like Posey would be counterproductive as well.

Seattle Mariners: Trading Felix Hernandez

The Seattle Mariners finally snapped their record 17-game losing streak on Wednesday, beating the Yankees 9-2 behind the strong seven-inning effort from ace Felix Hernandez, who allowed just one run on five hits, striking out five and lowering his ERA to 3.38.

The Mariners have an outstanding pitching staff, with a combined ERA of 3.57, good for ninth overall in the majors. However, with an offense that is averaging only 3.29 runs per game, trading off any of the starters would be a mistake. That’s not the issue.

GM Jack Zduriencik needs to look at trading off some of his pretty woeful hitters in the lineup and get whatever he can for them, rather than anyone on the pitching staff, especially King Felix.

St. Louis Cardinals: Trading for a Closer That Won’t Help Them in Future

The St. Louis Cardinals addressed a huge need today—acquiring starting pitcher Edwin Jackson as part of what amounted to a three-team, 11-player trade, and gave up disgruntled center fielder Colby Rasmus.

The Cards also received relievers Octavio Dotel and Marc Rzepczysnki from the Toronto Blue Jays as well as Jackson from the White Sox.

Now, while the Cards would dearly love a closer, they have Fernando Salas, who has performed well in the role of closer, with 19 saves in 22 opportunities.

Trading for an established closer who may not necessarily fit into future plans at this point would be counterproductive, especially one who will command a high price and possibly work against the Cards’ plans of trying to sign Albert Pujols to a long-term deal.

Tampa Bay Rays: Not Taking the Opportunity To Deal B.J. Upton

Since Tampa Bay Rays outfielder B.J. Upton debuted with the Rays back in 2004, he has never quite lived up to his billing, and the Rays are certainly entertaining the thought of trading the enigmatic center fielder.

The Washington Nationals have held Upton in high regard for several months, and have essentially said they would shoot for “the moon” in trying to acquire Upton.

With prospect Desmond Jennings waiting in the wings, the Rays should take the Nats up on their offer.

Texas Rangers: Not Finding Help for the Bullpen

The Texas Rangers have been leading the AL West for most of the season, however they are now just 2.5 games ahead of the Los Angeles Angels heading into their Wednesday night matchup with the Minnesota Twins.

The bullpen has been porous this season, with an ERA above 4.50, and closer Neftali Feliz hasn’t been nearly as sharp as last season. Feliz has already blown two more saves this season than he did in all of last season, and left-handed specialist Arthur Rhodes is looking like he’s showing his age.

With the wealth of relievers still on the market, GM Jon Daniels needs to shore up this area of the team quickly if they hope to fend off the Angels.

Toronto Blue Jays: Maybe What They’ve Done Already Is Enough for Now

The Toronto Blue Jays filled some needs and got rid of some players in Wednesday’s deal with the Chicago White Sox and St. Louis Cardinals. In receiving center fielder Colby Rasmus from the Cards, the Jays may have found their long-term answer in center field. Rasmus was not happy in St. Louis, constantly at odds with manager Tony LaRussa, so with the change, Rasmus could find happiness.

While the Jays still have potential trade targets, they certainly unloaded two who had been long rumored to be gone—Jason Frasor and Octavio Dotel. However, how much is too much? The last thing that GM Alex Anthopolous wants to do is make deals that don’t make sense, so he’ll likely be very careful in the coming days not to unload too much.

Washington Nationals: Not Getting Top Value for Tyler Clippard

The Washington Nationals, at just a few games under .500, have played competitive and spirited baseball all season long with their crop of younger players. The future looks incredibly bright as well, with both Bryce Harper and Stephen Strasburg expected to pay huge dividends.

With the Nationals literally only a few players away from being contenders in the NL East, any deal involving setup man Tyler Clippard should bring back absolute top value. Clippard right now is one of the elite setup men in all of baseball, and will have a bright future with any team. Not getting a huge return for Clippard’s services would be a crying shame.