MLB Trade Rumors: 6 Deals That Will Happen but Shouldn't

As we inch closer to the non-waiver trade deadline at the end of July, contending teams are defining their needs and beginning to look at potential options outside of their organizations to fill them.

While these players might look like the perfect fit to cure what ails these teams on paper, in reality these contenders are very likely to be disappointed, both in the production they receive and in having to give up the players and prospects that they did to acquire them.

Let's take a look at six deals that we think will happen, and why the phrase "buyer beware" has never been more appropriate than in these situations.

Kurt Suzuki Gets Traded to the Rays

Why the Deal Will Happen

With Derek Norris, their catcher of the future now on the scene, 28-year-old Kurt Suzuki has become expendable in Oakland.

Tampa, who has been seemingly looking for a somewhat permanent solution behind the plate for years, is an obvious choice as a team who would have interest in him. With a plethora of young pitching that is under team control for the foreseeable future—something Oakland is always looking to stockpile—a deal could certainly be struck between the two teams.

Why the Deal Shouldn't Happen

While many would consider Suzuki to be an upgrade at the plate over Jose Molina, Tampa's current starter, that simply isn't the case.

Both are excellent defensively, and while Suzuki is significantly younger than Molina, they have both been inept when it comes to swinging the bat in 2012:

Molina: .200/.273/.342, 4 HR, 13 RBI

Suzuki: .210/.249/.260, 0 HR, 16 RBI

For as highly regarded as many of Tampa's pitching prospects are, they'd be wise to continue their search for a replacement behind the plate rather then settle for Suzuki, who only provides more of what they already have.

Francisco Liriano Gets Traded to the Yankees

Why the Deal Will Happen

While the Twins and Liriano have both played much better baseball as of late—the Twins have played .500 baseball in June while Liriano has pitched to a 2.87 ERA and struck out 31 batters in as many innings—the Twins are a team that needs an infusion of young, quality talent that is ready to contribute immediately in the worst way, especially on the mound.

Even before CC Sabathia and Andy Pettitte landed on the disabled list, there were rumblings that the Yankees were looking to shore up their rotation. With no guarantees that Freddy Garcia, Adam Warren and the like can get the job done in their absence, those rumblings figure to grow only louder.

A free agent following the season, the 28-year old left-hander is going to draw substantial interest around the league as the trade deadline draws closer, according to Jon Paul Morosi of Fox Sports:

Club official I spoke with expects robust interest in #Twins lefty Francisco Liriano. Mercurial but he's been the Good Frankie of late.

- Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) June 26, 2012

The Yankees, while they have been reluctant to include their biggest prospects in trades under Brian Cashman's watch, have a number of young arms who are ready to contribute in the major leagues right now, including D.J. Mitchell, David Phelps and Adam Warren—and any of the three would be an instant upgrade for the Twins in their starting rotation.

Paired with another pitching prospect, perhaps Kevin Whelan, the closer for Triple-A Scranton-Wilkes Barre, the Twins address two areas of need and do so immediately, not having to wait for the duo to continue developing in the minors.

In Liriano, the Yankees get a left-hander to attempt to fill the void opened by Pettitte's injury, and with no long-term commitment involved, don't add salary, staying true to their stated goal of being under the $189 million luxury tax threshold in 2014.

Why the Deal Shouldn't Happen

Liriano has shown flashes like this before, but since undergoing Tommy John surgery that cost him the entire 2007 season, he has been erratic to say the least. Should he falter as a starter, the Yankees could move him to the bullpen, perhaps to supplant the struggling Cory Wade, but even then there's immense risk—you don't know which Francisco Liriano is going to emerge from the bullpen.

The one with dynamic ability, electric stuff and command of his pitches? Or the one who seems to have an aversion to throwing strikes?

Add to that this question—can he handle New York and everything that comes along with playing there?

Call me crazy, but I picture Liriano in a Yankees uniform and all I see is...Javier Vazquez.

Wandy Rodriguez Gets Traded to the Orioles

Why the Deal Will Happen

It's no secret that once you get past Wei-Yi Chen and Jason Hammel, the Baltimore Orioles' starting rotation is shaky at best. If the birds hope to stick as a legitimate playoff contender, they need to add another arm.

The Astros are rebuilding and have little need for a well-paid 33-year-old in the scheme of things, so it comes as no surprise that Astros GM Jeff Luhnow has let it be known that the veteran lefty is available, according to Fox Sports' Jon Paul Morosi.

While the financial commitment is considerable—$10 million salary in 2012 and as much as $26 million through the 2014 season, with Houston likely unwilling to pick up a significant portion—Baltimore can afford his contract, and they have a plethora of young, underachieving pitchers who could be enticing to the Astros, including Brian Matusz and Zach Britton.

Why the Deal Shouldn't Happen

In eight career starts against the AL East, Rodriguez has a 2-5 record with a 6.11 ERA and 1.64 WHIP over nearly 46 innings pitched. Both wins came at the hands of the Toronto Blue Jays. Remove the Jays from the equation, and his career numbers get worse: 0-3 with a 7.21 ERA over 33.2 innings of work.

Rodriguez would get absolutely shelled by the lineups in the AL East, and the Orioles would be left with a veteran pitcher who is virtually useless against their division rivals.

Huston Street Gets Traded to the Mets

Why the Deal Will Happen

Frank Francisco has been an enigma in the ninth inning for the Mets and currently sits on the disabled list with a strained oblique, an injury that could stay with him the rest of the season. Bobby Parnell, closing in his place, has always thrown heat but never shown the ability to translate that talent into the ninth inning.

Street, the 2005 American League Rookie of the Year with the Oakland A's and a free agent following the 2012 season, has averaged 24 saves a season and posted a 9.2 K/9 ratio over his nine-year career and doesn't really fit a need for a Padres team that is years away from contending and going through a rebuilding process.

Where Houston's Brett Myers may be the preferred acquisition for the Mets, the money left on his deal all but rules him out while Street, a free agent after the season, brings no long-term financial implications along with him.

Why the Deal Shouldn't Happen

Street has battled injury throughout his career, including a stint earlier this season that essentially cost him the entire month of May.

With the proclivity of Mets' players to get injured, there's no reason to tempt the fates by bringing another injury-prone player into the fold in Flushing.

Matt Garza Gets Traded to the Red Sox

Why the Deal Will Happen

Nobody knows the Red Sox farm system better than Cubs president Theo Epstein, and with the Sox making the improvement of their starting rotation a priority, as Boston GM Ben Cherington told Casey Stern and Jim Bowden on SiriusXM Radio, it makes perfect sense for the two former colleagues to work together on a deal.

In Garza, the Red Sox get a pitcher under team control through the 2013 season who has extensive experience playing in the AL East.

The rebuilding Cubs could have interest in a number of Boston's prospects, including 2011 first round pick Anthony Ranaudo and top prospect Xander Bogaerts. Reliever Daniel Bard could also be in play.

Why the Deal Shouldn't Happen

Would Garza help the Red Sox today and next year? Absolutely.

But it's no secret that Boston's clubhouse is a disaster, and there are no guarantees that Garza would stick around past next season. Garza is a good, not great pitcher, and the cost to acquire him is simply too high when compared with performance that he'll provide.

Jeff Francoeur Gets Traded to the Dodgers

Why the Deal Will Happen

The Dodgers are on the hunt for a middle-of-the-order bat, according to ESPN's Buster Olney, who goes on to note that there isn't much in the way of quality players available at the moment:

"

There are incredibly few options for LAD as they search for middle-of-the-order thumper--either fringy players or overly expensive hitters.

— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) June 28, 2012"

Not wanting to give up their best prospects, such as Zach Lee or Alex Castellanos, the Dodgers are sure to be targeting the types of players that Olney mentions. The Royals Jeff Francoeur certainly fits that description.

With the Royals having a number of young outfielders on the cusp of breaking into the majors, most notably Wil Myers, moving the 28-year-old and the remainder of his $6 million salary in 2012 and $7.5 million salary in 2013 makes sense.

Why the Deal Shouldn't Happen

You'd think that Francoeur would be an upgrade at the plate over Bobby Abreu, but the numbers don't lie—keep in mind that Abreu has only played in 46 games for LA while Francouer has played a full season:

Abreu: .268/.376/.386, 2 HR, 14 RBI

Francouer: .263/.300/.402, 7 HR, 24 RBI

Sure, the man known as "Frenchy" has one of the better outfield arms in the game and would be an upgrade in the field, but for what the Dodgers are looking for, Francouer doesn't fit the bill.