Angels Trade Rumors: LA Needs to Make Strong Push for Zack Greinke

The Los Angeles Angels need to trade for Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Zack Greinke. 

According to ESPN.com's Jayson Stark: "the market for Greinke appears to be narrowing itself primarily to four clubs: the Rangers, Angels, White Sox and Braves."

Fox Sports' Jon Morosi adds this:

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#Angels remain very much involved in Zack Greinke talks at this hour, sources say.

— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) July 27, 2012"

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And remember: Zack Greinke has high regard for #Angels and likely would be amenable to extension there.

— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) July 27, 2012"

The second point Morosi makes is the key. Greinke is in the last year of his current deal. It's therefore risky to trade for him at this point if there are no guarantees he'll sign an extension—much like what we've seen in the NBA with Dwight Howard and Andrew Bynum.

The Angels are in the middle of a heated wild-card race with the Oakland Athletics in the American League—not to mention they're only five games back of the Texas Rangers in the AL West—and they need help in the starting pitching department.

Ervin Santana has been a major disappointment this season, and if the Angels don't bring in another solid arm to replace him, they'll slowly start to disappear from atop the wild-card standings and won't have a chance to catch up to the Rangers.

Greinke's 9-3 record this year would be a major upgrade over Santana's pathetic offering of 4-10. His ERA is also significantly better than Santana's. He is only 28 years old and has been healthy for most of his career. 

Given Morosi's assertion that Greinke would be amenable to an extension, the Angels don't have much to lose. They have everything to gain, though, and it's in their best short-term and long-term interest to trade for Greinke. 

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