MLB Trade Rumors: The Top 10 Veteran Arms on the Market
Only one team can win the Cliff Lee sweepstakes this offseason, and it will probably be the New York Yankees. But after Lee, the drop-off in free agent starting pitching is astronomical.
There's Brandon Webb, a former Cy Young winner who has struggled to get back on the mound and pitch with high velocity.
There's Javier Vazquez, a veteran strikeout artist who flamed out for the Yankees after the ill-fated Melky Cabrera deal.
There's Justin Duchscherer, a former All-Star reliever who's switched to starting pitching but has yet to find success.
After that there's a long list of reclamation projects (Erik Bedard, Dontrelle Willis, Ben Sheets) and former stars well past their prime (Kevin Millwood, Jamie Moyer, Freddy Garcia). Pickings are certainly slim.
As a result, teams will likely look towards the trade market to fulfill their pitching needs. Here are the top 10 pitchers who could potentially be had.
Bronson Arroyo
1 of 10
The Cincinnati Reds recently picked up the $11 million option on Arroyo for 2011, but that doesn't mean they'll hold on to him.
The Reds have a wealth of young starting pitching including: Edinson Volquez, Homer Bailey, Johnny Cueto, Mike Leake, Travis Wood and flame-baller Aroldis Chapman.
It's nice to have a veteran presence on the staff, and Arroyo is certainly that. But it's hard to justify keeping him around when he might only be the seventh best starter they have.
Arroyo is still a serviceable pitcher though. Last season, he led the Reds with 17 wins and pitched over 200 innings for the sixth consecutive time in his career.
Arroyo has never been a strikeout pitcher, but he keeps his walk totals low and limits the damage done. He had a 3.88 ERA in 2010, which is actually better than his 4.19 career ERA.
He's still only 33 years old. And at $11 million for one season, Arroyo may be an attractive option for a team looking for a short-term fix in its rotation. The Rangers, White Sox, Tigers and Phillies could all be bidders.
Daisuke Matsuzaka
2 of 10
Matsuzaka is a never-ending enigma. At times, he is brilliant, dazzling hitters with a wide array of pitches and keeping them guessing until the final called third strike. Other times he is frustrating, walking weak-hitting infielders and throwing high fastballs to sluggers.
But over the course of a major league season, he's still a pretty decent starting pitcher.
Few remember now that in 2008 Matsuzaka finished fourth in Cy Young voting after going 18-3 with a 2.90 ERA. He hasn't come close to matching that level of production since, sporting a 5.76 ERA in 2009 and a 4.69 ERA in 2010.
But he's also been struggling with several injuries and he could finally be healthy.
Matsuzaka is due to earn $20 million over the next two seasons. That's not a great deal of money for a decent No. 4 starter and a possible No. 3 if he goes to the NL. But if the Red Sox really want to unload him, then they will probably have to eat some of the salary.
There's no shortage of potential suitors if Boston makes the price right. Seattle may be an interesting fit with its strong connections to the Asian market and with a young staff in dire need of a true veteran presence.
Zack Greinke
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Greinke is the most intriguing name on this list if only because he's the most talented. But he may be an even bigger catch than free agent Cliff Lee.
Greinke was terrific in 2009, going 16-8 with a 2.16 ERA and 1.073 WHIP en route to his first Cy Young. He made an emotional comeback from anxiety and depression issues to establish himself as one of the best pitchers in the game.
He wasn't quite as good in 2010, as his ERA rose to 4.17. But he's still only 26 years old and definitely has a lot more left in the tank.
But would the Royals trade him?
Kansas City has a long list of big-time prospects like Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas, but they're still several years away from seriously contending in the AL Central. It might make sense for them to put their best trade asset on the market and see if they can speed up the rebuilding process by a year or two.
Greinke is due $27 million over the next two years, which is a bargain if he pitches like an ace. But the Royals would want a huge package in return, mirroring Toronto's demands for Roy Halladay last year.
Will any team be willing to bite the bullet and acquire him? Never count out the Red Sox or Yankees.
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Derek Lowe
4 of 10
The Atlanta Braves made a nice playoff run in manager Bobby Cox's final season. But after losing to the San Francisco Giants in four games, the Braves now have to go back to the drawing board.
Near the top of their offseason question marks is what to do with Derek Lowe. Lowe, due $15 million over each of the next two seasons, is Atlanta's highest-paid player. Yet he's only the fourth starter.
Lowe is still a capable pitcher. He had a 4.00 ERA in 2010, and over six seasons in the NL he has a career ERA at 3.82. He's won 157 games over his 14-season major-league career and he is a proven pitcher in October. But at 37 years old, he can't have much left.
The Braves will look to shop Lowe, but they will need to swallow much of his contract to get any team interested. Could a swap of Matsuzaka and Lowe, bringing Lowe back to Boston, make sense?
A.J. Burnett
5 of 10
Raise your hand if you knew A.J. Burnett was overpaid the second the Yankees handed him a five-year, $82 million contract. Is that everyone? Good.
Burnett, gifted with all the talent in the world, has been nothing short of mediocre for the Yankees. In two seasons in New York he has a 4.62 ERA and, incredibly, a losing record (23-24).
With the Yankees expected to heavily pursue Cliff Lee and maybe every other starter on the market, Burnett could be on his way out the door.
He's not worth the $16.5 million he will make in each of the next three seasons, but there are definitely teams out there that would make a bid for a 33-year-old pitcher capable of throwing a no-hitter anytime he steps on the mound.
The Yankees will need to pay at least half of Burnett's contract to trade him. But considering that they're the Yankees, that really shouldn't be a problem.
Ryan Dempster
6 of 10
It's probably about time that Chicago Cubs fans admit that their team has about as good a chance of competing for a championship as the Pittsburgh Pirates. As such, it makes little sense to hold on to Dempster (or another pitcher later on this list).
Dempster is 33 years old and will make $13.5 million in 2011. He also has a $14-million player option for 2012.
Unlike most of the other pitchers on this list, that may actually be fair value for Dempster. Since becoming a full-time starting pitcher again in 2008, he's been absolutely terrific.
In three seasons he is 43-27 with an ERA around 3.50. He's pitched at least 200 innings in each of the last three seasons, and he strikes out nearly eight batters per nine innings.
Dempster is probably not an ace, but he could be a very good No. 2 starter in the NL or a No. 3 starter in the AL. It'd be in his best interest to stay in the NL. But with the league's top teams (Phillies, Reds, Cardinals, Giants) seemingly set at the top of their rotations, he may have to change leagues.
Carlos Zambrano
7 of 10
How the mighty have fallen. Seriously.
It wasn't too long ago that scouts were saying Zambrano had the best stuff on a staff that also featured Mark Prior and Kerry Wood. He may still be the best pitcher the Cubs have, but with nearly $36 million left on his contract through 2012, Zambrano has become an albatross.
Any team going after Zambrano would have to put up with his on-field antics (such as beating up innocent coolers and shouting at teammates and coaches). But Big Z can definitely still pitch.
He's never had an ERA above 4.00 in his major-league career, and with 116 wins in 10 seasons, he is one of baseball's most-successful young pitchers.
The Cubs have no reason to hold on to him and they certainly have no intention of re-signing him when his contract expires. So the time to trade their 29-year-old righty is now.
The Yankees could go after him, as could the crosstown rival White Sox. I have a feeling he and Ozzie Guillen would get along.
Aaron Cook
8 of 10
Did you know Aaron Cook is Colorado's second highest-paid player? No, really. After Todd Helton, Rockies management somehow decided that Cook was worth a three-year, $30 million contract.
The good news is that Cook only has one year left on that deal, for $9.25 million.
He could be a good fit for a team looking for a starter to fill out the back of its rotation. A team could do worse than Cook, who was an All-Star in 2008 and had a respectable 4.16 ERA in 2009 (remember where he pitches).
He hasn't done a particularly good job staying on the field, making only 23 starts in 2010. But the 31-year-old could be an attractive option for a team that's not willing to take a flier on one of the second-tier starters on the free-agent market.
Randy Wolf
9 of 10
The Brewers decided to give the 33-year-old Wolf a three-year, $29.75 million contract before the 2010 season. Too bad they're in the same division as the Reds and Cardinals.
Milwaukee needs a few years to get competitive again. Wolf won't be around to see it, so it makes sense to trade him now.
Wolf was a solid pitcher for the Brewers this past season. He had a 13-12 record with a 4.17 ERA in 34 starts. He's been a capable, if unspectacular, pitcher for 12 seasons now and deserves to be a part of a winning team.
He's owed $19 million over the next two seasons, a reasonable price for a team looking for a consistent No. 4 starter.
Edwin Jackson
10 of 10
At 26 years old, Jackson may not look like a major league veteran. But 2011 will actually be Jackson's ninth major league season.
Nobody knows what to make of the Chicago righty. He's capable of brilliance, pitching a no-hitter for Arizona this past season. But he's also capable of being knocked out in the first inning.
Still, at $8.35 million he's a better option than many of the other pitchers on the market.
After being traded to the White Sox at the deadline, Jackson went 4-2 with a 3.24 ERA in 11 starts. He's got a fantastic fastball, and when he can control it he's often unhittable.
Chicago has a good-looking rotation with Jake Peavy and Mark Buehrle at the top and Gavin Floyd and John Danks at No. 3 and 4. The White Sox won't hesitate to trade Jackson if they can get a good deal out of it. Would the Angels or Rangers make a play for him?
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