MLB Trade Scenarios: General Managers Most Desperate to Pull off a Move

The trade deadline is a little over a month away, but we already have a relatively clear picture of who will be the biggest buyers and sellers come July.

With that said, some teams will inevitably be more aggressive as buyers/sellers for one reason or another, and those are the teams that pull off the big time deals.

Whether it is a surprise contender looking to do what they need to in order to legitimately contend, a rebuilding team set on moving veteran talent or something else all together, some teams will just be more aggressive than others.

So here is a look at eight general managers, four buyers and four sellers, who will be the most desperate to pull off a move at the deadline and why.

Buyer/Seller: Ben Cherington, Boston Red Sox

Despite a rough start to the season that has seen new manager Bobby Valentine struggle to mesh with his team and the roster to be hit with significant injuries, the Red Sox currently sit at 33-33 on the season.

Early season ineffectiveness from Kevin Youkilis led Valentine to criticize the veteran, and when he hit the disabled list top prospect Will Middlebrooks got a chance to show what he was capable of at third base. With a .289 BA, 6 HR, 24 RBI line he's done enough to push Youkilis off of the position.

That has left Youkilis as perhaps the most talked about trade chip on the market, and he will undoubtedly be moved at some point this summer.

That is not to say that the Red Sox will be sellers though, as they are expected to be a major player for Cubs starters Matt Garza and Ryan Dempster. One way or another, it should be an active deadline for the Red Sox.

Seller?: Doug Melvin, Milwaukee Brewers

The Brewers are an interesting case, as they could go a number of different ways at the deadline just a year after winning the NL Central crown.

The team is currently 31-36 and sits 7.5 games behind the Reds in the NL Central. While their pitching has been solid, they rank near the bottom of the league across the board offensively.

Following the Zack Greinke and Shaun Marcum deals last offseason, their farm system is depleted and while they have the look of a team heading for a rebuild they don't currently have the pieces to do so.

Extension talks with Greinke and Marcum, who are both set to hit free agency at season's end, have not gone anywhere. If the Brewers decide to blow things up, they'll have the biggest trade chip on the market in Greinke and they'd certainly be as aggressive a seller as anyone if that's the route they choose to go.

Buyer: Ned Colletti, Los Angeles Dodgers

The Dodgers currently have the best record in baseball at 42-25, and they have continued to win games even with superstar outfielder Matt Kemp on the disabled list. 

Low-cost veteran signings Chris Capuano (8-2, 2.71 ERA) and Aaron Harang (5-3, 3.59 ERA) have been better than anyone could have hoped, and scrapheap signing Bobby Abreu (.873 OPS) has been huge in Kemp's absence.

While those guys have been a big part of the team's success, it begs the question whether or not they can keep playing at such a high level.

With new ownership willing to do what it takes to put a winner on the field, the Dodgers will likely be as aggressive as anyone on the trade market as they look to upgrade at third base and add some depth to the rotation.

Seller: Billy Beane, Oakland A's

The A's are coming off a terrific week, and they have slowly come together as a team this season following an offseason shakeup that saw the team add a number of players.

However, they still don't have the horses to contend with the Rangers and Angels in the AL West, and that is due in large part to the fact that they seem to trade anyone and everyone who has trade value.

This offseason they shipped off young starters Trevor Cahill (5-5, 3.08 ERA with Arizona) and Gio Gonzalez (8-3, 2.52 ERA with Washington) despite the pair being relatively affordable and still under team control.

Beane will aggressively shop veterans like Grant Balfour and Coco Crisp (.199 BA), who signed a disaster of a two-year, $15 million contract this offseason. He could also look to move ace Brandon McCarthy and catcher Kurt Suzuki among others. 

The A's are always looking to get younger and cheaper, and this year's deadline will be no different in Oakland.

Buyer: Kenny Williams, Chicago White Sox

Never one to shy away from making a deal, Williams has found himself with an unexpected competitor on his hands in what was expected to be a rebuilding season for the White Sox.

The team has a glaring hole at third base, where Brent Morel (.177 BA) struggled mightily before going down with an injury. The team signed Padres cast-off Orlando Hudson (.183 BA) to fill the void, but he hasn't been any better.

The name being thrown around most often is Red Sox corner man Kevin Youkilis. But if the Padres make Chase Headley available, he would represent a more long-term solution at a position where the White Sox really don't have an answer moving forward unless Morel can rebound.

Seller: Jeff Luhnow, Houston Astros

The Astros opened the season better than anyone could have expected, as they sat at 22-23 on May 25th, just three games out of first place.

They've gone 5-16 since then, however, and there is no reason to think they won't look to sell off their remaining veteran pieces at the deadline with rebuilding efforts well under way.

Carlos Lee (.301 BA, 4 HR, 25 RBI) is in the final year of his contract and would be a solid bat for any contender to add. Closer Brett Myers (1.99 ERA, 16-of-17 SV) is also set to hit free agency, and he represents one of the better relief arms on the market.

The real wild card will be Wandy Rodriguez (6-4, 3.35 ERA, 88.2 IP) who is enjoying another terrific season despite his surroundings. He'd likely net a big return, but the Astros asking price, coupled with the $15.5 million he is still due after this season have kept teams away in the past.

Buyer: Dave Dombrowski, Detroit Tigers

While they have turned things around of late, the Tigers have been as big a disappointment as any team in baseball. Following the offseason signing of Prince Fielder, and with superstars Justin Verlander and Miguel Cabrera already in tow, they were picked by many to contend for the AL pennant.

The duo of Max Scherzer (5.17 ERA) and Rick Porcello (5.18 ERA) have been frustratingly inconsistent, while Doug Fister (7 GS, 2 DL stints) has battled injuries. That could be reason enough for the team to look into adding a starter.

Second base also remains a revolving door, and if the Rockies make Marco Scutaro available the Tigers will likely go after him hard. 

There are a few areas of need, and GM Dave Dombrowski will no doubt be anxious to make a move in hopes of locking up the AL Central and moving towards fulfilling expectations.

Seller: Theo Epstein, Chicago Cubs

As expected, the first season of the new front office team of Jed Hoyer and Theo Epstein has been a rough one in Chicago. The duo inherited an organization in desperate need of an overhaul, and they will be as active a seller as any team has been in years.

Ryan Dempster (12 GS, 2.11 ERA) could be the best arm on the market come July, and he is a lock to be dealt. The team has a tougher decision to make regarding Matt Garza (12 GS, 4.04 ERA) though, as he would likely fetch a greater return than Dempster but also could make sense as someone to build around.

Beyond those two arms, Alfonso Soriano (.266 BA, 12 HR, 41 RBI) will be shopped hard and in a weak market for bats and with the Cubs willing to take on much of his salary they could very well find a taker.

Smaller pieces like Jeff Baker, Shawn Camp, Blake DeWitt, Reed Johnson and others could also be moved as the full-on overhaul will begin this July.