MLB Trade Rumors: Where Will Carlos Beltran and Top 20 Targets End Up?

The 2011 MLB Trade deadline is quickly approaching as we are officially less than two weeks away. The pressure is on for contending teams to get a deal done in time to push through the dog days of August and into the postseason after the stretch run in September.

It seems every day we hear a new name added to the trade market from the expected deadline sellers.

Are the entire Houston Astros and San Diego Padres rosters on the market? It just about seems so!

This is not the year to be looking for a starting pitcher, but it is ideal for those looking for relievers and outfield sluggers.

Some players can’t wait to get out of their current homes while others such as Chicago Cubs’ Aramis Ramirez do not seem thrilled about the idea of up and moving later this month. The hottest name and rental on the block is New York Mets outfielder Carlos Beltran, but will Colorado Rockies ace Ubaldo Jimenez take the throne with recent rumors that he could be had?

Jose Reyes is officially off the market, but with dozens of players on the trade block to push one team over the hump in these close division races, it’s time to take a look at Beltran and the 20 hottest names on the trade block and where they might end up.

Honorable Mention: Johnny Damon, Tampa Bay Rays OF/DH

Damon should be a coveted asset because his has the potential to be one of the best rentals on the market. He is a versatile player who can fill left field, right field, first base and DH in the American League.

He is a crafty veteran with a ton of playoff and World Series experience, which is why he has the ability to push teams over the hump. He is hitting .273 with 9 HR, 15 2B, 42 RBI, 8 SB and 45 runs in an inconsistent Rays lineup that has suffered from injuries throughout the season.

Tampa Bay has been up and down this season and already keeps Damon in the DH role. They could easily ship him off and not miss a beat. They will most likely lose out in the wild card race, so they would be wise to see what they can get in return for his services.

With his experience, it wouldn’t shock me to see him back in the Bronx with the Bombers.

20. Brett Myers, Houston Astros SP

Brett Myers may be a rather terrible starting pitcher, but he is one of the few starters on the trade market.

Houston is looking to move nearly every single one of its players—rightfully so considering this organization is pathetic and going every which way but up.

He is an experienced veteran who has pitched in pressure situations before, which is why he will be one of the few starters teams target later this month.

Still, everybody must be weary due to his career 4.26 ERA and 1.34 WHIP, which is conveniently below his season average 4.86 ERA and 1.37 WHIP.

Any American League team shouldn’t think twice about acquiring him—they should think five-, six- and seven-times about it.

If other negotiations fall through, we could possibly see him in Detroit.

19. Leo Nunez, Florida Marlins CP

You would need to bring out your toes to count the number of teams looking to acquire a reliever at the deadline.

Yes, it seems every contender is in search of a reliever, including St. Louis, Texas, Philadelphia, New York Yankees and Boston.

None of these teams need a reliever more than Philadelphia. In fact, the Phils are in need of a reliever with closing capabilities because just about every single one of their closers has suffered an injury this season.

Leo Nunez has the closing experience Philly is looking for. He has pitched in pressure situations and would fill the void until Brad Lidge and Jose Contreras return.

He already has 27 saves on the season and 83 for his career. He comes equipped with a 3.30 ERA and 1.19 WHIP—Philly would gladly take that.

More importantly for the Phillies, Nunez already knows the hitters in the NL East, which would give them an advantage in the division race.

18. Aaron Harang, San Diego Padres SP

Harang comes equipped with an affordable contract and a ton of Major League experience. San Diego is looking capitalize on the lack of quality starting pitchers on the market.

There are rumors that Harang could be headed back to the NL Central. Any American League team looking to land him has to be cautious because he has not pitched in the AL since 2003.

More importantly, he has only stayed below 4.00 ERA in a season three times outside of this season. He is enjoying a bounce back season because he has the luxury of playing in the galaxy known as Petco Park.

Five of his seven wins have come at Petco, which will draw a ton of concern on the trade market. Still, the 33-year-old is mighty familiar with the hitters around the NL Central, so it would make some sense for the Brewers or Cardinals to inquire about his services.  

17. Andrew Bailey, Oakland A’s CP

The Oakland A’s appear ready to sell on nearly all of their relievers. That means teams will first ask about their most coveted reliever—Andrew Bailey.

He’s been fantastic, when healthy, as Oakland’s closer. He plays in a pitcher-friendly ballpark, but he has the nasty stuff to succeed anywhere.

He is just now getting in the groove of things after beginning the season injured. He has nine saves and two blown saves over the past two months with 16 K’s and nine hits surrendered.

He would cost more, but teams like Texas have the talent to make such a deal happen.

16. Michael Bourn, Houston Astros OF

Michael Bourn is an excellent outfielder and speed demon on the base paths. He has the ability to turn a single into a double or triple on a single at-bat.

The Houston native continues to improve in all levels of the game and would be an instant threat for any contender.

Bourn is currently hitting .293 with 1 HR, 24 2B, 7 3B, 31 RBI, 35 SB and 60 runs scored. Simply put, he deserves to be one of the most coveted players on the market with his ability to anchor the back end of the lineup or lead off.

If he can put up these stellar numbers in Houston, imagine what he could do for the Braves!

15. Mike Adams, San Diego Padres RP

Count out Mike Adams to the Blue Jays considering he doesn’t have a passport, but that’s fine. Adams has always desired to be a closer, but with the remarkable Heath Bell in San Diego, Adams has to play second fiddle.

He has the ability to step out of Bell’s shadow in the second half with so many teams looking to bolster their bullpen. Philadelphia has been a hot suitor of late and they have an opening for Adams to fulfill his life-long dream of closing.

He currently has a 1.23 ERA and .73 WHIP. In other words, he’s been phenomenal for the Padres.

More importantly, he is far more affordable than Bell on the trade market and is not a rental with an equally affordable salary, which is why he has been linked to the Phillies.

14. Huston Street, Colorado Rockies CP

Once again we have another closer. Huston Street’s name has only recently surfaced in the rumor mill, but he will certainly be a hot commodity over the next two weeks.

Street has been stellar in Colorado and makes some people scratch their head wondering why the Rockies would be willing to kick him to the gutter.

Nonetheless, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.

He has a 3.56 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 40 K’s on the season, but no stat is more important than the 26 saves. He’s only blown two saves this season and converted 50 saves in the two previous seasons in Colorado leading to this year.

The soon-to-be 28-year-old is in the prime of his life and would be an attractive trade target for teams in need of long-term bullpen relief.

Don’t think for a second the closer-needy Cardinals aren’t monitoring this situation closely.

13. Tyler Clippard, Washington Nationals RP

The converted starter has finally found his comfort zone in the bullpen.

The All-Star actually picked up the win in the All-Star game and is easily the hottest name out of Washington this season. He has been absolutely lights out and would thrive in front of Neftali Feliz in Texas.

He is destroying his career averages as he blesses the mound every night with a 1.82 ERA, .83 WHIP and 68 K’s. He has been a well-oiled machine this season and shows no signs of slowing down, which is often rare to see from relievers who are generally fickle characters.

He found his niche in Washington and it is time for everybody involved to capitalize. Do not be surprised to see Washington dangle him at the deadline.

12. Jeff Francoeur, Kansas City Royals of

Francoeur will be a fantastic and affordable addition to any team in this league.

Boston and Philadelphia have been rumored to acquire his veteran services to add some pop to the back of their lineup.

He is doing a phenomenal job anchoring a young Royals lineup. He is hitting .263 with 13 HR and a whopping 58 RBI.

Pittsburgh and Cleveland need to take a heavy look into landing this stud because he can keep them from falling out of first place. He is just now entering the prime of his life so he could stick around in any of these destinations for the next few seasons and contribute major numbers.

11. Hiroki Kuroda, Los Angeles Dodgers SP

In a weak trade market for starting pitchers, the Dodgers have the opportunity to cash in with Hiroki Kuroda.

The Dodgers are going nowhere and are out of the division race, so they need to capitalize on Kuroda’s Major League success.

Never mind the 6-11 record considering the disastrous year in LA. He has a 3.13 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 90 K’s. The Tigers, Cardinals, Yankees and Red Sox would gladly take that type of production.

He may cost more than some of the other starters on the block, but he has the ability to propel a contender to the World Series in the postseason.

10. Derek Lowe, Atlanta Braves SP

Derek Lowe is a seasoned veteran and arguably the most durable starter in the game despite his age.

Lowe comes equipped with a monstrous contract, which is the main reason teams are shying away. Still, Detroit has been linked to him recently as many expect him to pick up the pace playing in his home state of Michigan.

The problem with Lowe is that he comes with a 4.37 ERA and 1.39 WHIP. He also hasn’t pitched in the American League since 2004 with the Boston Red Sox. Still, one has to believe that he could excel behind Justin Verlander or at the very least anchor the tail end of a rotation.

Until they say otherwise, Detroit makes the most sense.

9. Ryan Ludwick, San Diego Padres OF

Easily one of the most underrated sluggers on the open market, nearly every team in need of a slugger should be knocking on San Diego’s doors for a chance to land Ryan Ludwick.

He is a solid outfielder who can play either corner, but it is his ability in the batter’s box that should have general managers across the Majors drooling.

He has the displeasure of playing in San Diego for the past calendar year but still managed to belt out 17 homers with the Padres.

He would be rejuvenated heading to a contender, which would see a burst in his power. In 2008 with the Cardinals, he blasted 37 homers, 40 doubles and 113 RBI. Just sayin’.

We could be seeing Bo Sox GM Theo Epstein make a call to San Diego to steal another slugger like they did in the offseason with Adrian Gonzalez.

8. Josh Willingham, Oakland A’s OF

Arguably the most underrated man on the entire trade block, Willingham has the slugging ability to push a team to the World Series.

San Francisco, Atlanta and Pittsburgh make the most sense as they all desperately need a slugging right fielder.

Willingham has produced at every stop thus far on his big league career. This season alone is hitting .244 with 12 HR and 46 RBI in Oakland’s other universe.

He recently blasted the furthest homer in Oakland since the almighty Frank Thomas. He is an affordable target with a friendly contract. He is not the biggest name, but he is certainly one of the more productive sluggers on the open market.

7. Heath Bell, San Diego Padres CP

With Francisco Rodriguez in Milwaukee now, the hottest closer on the trade market is easily Heath Bell. The supreme slip-n’-slide All-Star has no qualms with being traded to a contender to set up for another closer, which is why he has been linked to the Texas Rangers.

Bell is a phenomenal talent, but some teams are reluctant to land him because he will hit free agency following the season.

Count Philadelphia out of the running, but the St. Louis Cardinals would be wise to bring on a superb closer of his quality to anchor the bullpen.

He already has 27 saves on the season and is coming off back-to-back 40-plus save campaigns. To say he has been a model of consistency at the closer position is simply an understatement. If Mariano Rivera wasn’t around, we may be calling Bell the top closer in the game.

6. B.J. Upton, Tampa Bay Rays OF

We finally get to the man with arguably the worst attitude in the Majors let alone this year’s trade market.

Seriously, is there a grumpier player in the Majors than B.J.? Did Justin get all of the manners in the family?

His name surfaced last weekend for the disgruntled St. Louis employee Colby Rasmus. It is a bit of a farfetched rumor considering the Cardinals have vehemently stated they will not give up on Rasmus.

At this point, Upton will only continue to disappoint and cause a raucous in the clubhouse. He is clearly unhappy in Tampa Bay—who is unlikely to make the postseason and can never keep fans in the stands.

The Nationals apparently covet Upton’s abilities, but do they have the pieces to land the potential superstar? We know B.J. has a ton of talent, if he can ever hone it and his attitude, he would be one of the best players in the game.

5. Aramis Ramirez, Chicago Cubs 3B

Aramis Ramirez would have to waive his no trade clause to move from Chicago and he doesn’t appear ready and willing with his family in town from the Dominican Republic.

He has been loyal to the Cubs, but it’s time to move on. The Angels and Tigers would love to pry him away from the Cubs.

I’ve stated recently that the Tigers should make a move to land the third base superstar since Detroit is close to the Windy City. A-Ram is rumored to be willing to waive his 2012 option if he is traded, which would make him arguably the top rental in the game as he plays for a new contract.

Ramirez has the slugging and defensive abilities to push a team to the top of the division. He may not be traded until August when his family leaves, but teams will be lining up to land his services.

I do not expect him to stay in Chicago and still believe that the Tigers need to swoop him up as they lurk in the AL Central shadows behind Cleveland.

4. Wandy Rodriguez, Houston Astros SP

In no way, shape or form is Wandy Rodriguez a quality front rotation pitcher, but in this dreadful market, he will be highly coveted by needy teams such as the Tigers and Cardinals.

Wandy Rod has waved his magic wand over the Astros organization, because they seem to be searching for a big haul in return.

I would never ship off quality players for Wandy Rod, but some GMs across the league appear enamored by his career 4.13 ERA, sub-.500 record and 1.35 WHIP.

He has been a capable starter for one season in his career, which was three years ago. He is currently 6-6 with a 3.63 ERA, 1.37 WHIP and 93 K’s.

If I’m Detroit, I’m passing on such a move, by GM Dave Dombrowski may feel the pressure in the last year of his contract.

3. Hunter Pence, Houston Astros OF

The big dog in Houston, Hunter Pence is the franchise cornerstone for the Astros. It will take a major deal to land him, but a team like the Pirates should be looking to take the plunge.

He may not be a true building block and is overrated in Houston because of the lack of talent around him, but there is no denying is offensive and defensive abilities. He is a phenomenal outfielder who ranks among the league leaders in outfield assists due to his pinpoint accurate and rocket arm.

In Pittsburgh, he would put up career numbers with the aggressive Clint Hurdle managing the roster. He would complete a spectacular outfield with Andrew McCutchen and Jose Tabata. These three would keep Pittsburgh atop the NL Central for years to come.

The 28-year-old All-Star comes equipped with a solid contract as he enters the prime of his life. He is hitting .316 with 11 HR, 24 2B, 61 RBI and 46 runs.

Pittsburgh owes it to the fans to make such a blockbuster deal happen.

2. Ubaldo Jimenez, Colorado Rockies SP

Ubaldo Jimenez’s name recently surfaced late last week on the rumor mill and he has been justifiably the talk of the Majors.

The 27-year-old with a team-friendly contract is entering the prime of his life as he comes off a career-best 2010 campaign in which he was a Cy Young candidate. He is heating up with the weather and will continue to excel and impress down the stretch.

Against the surging Atlanta Braves on July 19, he allowed seven hits and two walks while giving up just two runs and striking out nine batters in 6.2 innings. We’re just scratching the tip of the iceberg with Ubaldo.

He has been fantastic this month with a 3-1 record, 2.77 ERA and 30 K’s. Last month he was 3-2 with a 2.45 ERA and 33 K’s.

It would take a monster package to land him, but Colorado is wise to see what they can get for him given this atrocious trade market. If any team has the pieces to land him it’s Texas.

1. Carlos Beltran, New York Mets OF

Carlos Beltran is the top rental heading into the deadline. The All-Star is enjoying a bounce back season as he plays beyond his current abilities to secure another nice contract in the offseason.

This is why most teams—Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Detroit, Boston, Atlanta and Philadelphia—are lining up to inquire about his services. Each organization knows they will continue to get the best this man has to offer as he plays out of his mind to land a deal. He is looking to prove to teams around the Majors that he still has what it takes to produce and carry a team into the postseason after disappointing mightily in New York.

He is currently hitting .293 with 14 HR, 30 2B, 59 RBI and 55 runs scored. He will never produce stellar numbers again after breaking the bank again in the offseason, but one lucky team will land a player as determined and motivated as any other player in this game right now.

In the end, I still think it will be San Francisco who pries him away from New York. Jeff Keppinger is simply not enough for this lineup.

Beltran could play across the outfield and give the Giants the true punch they need in the heart of their lineup to make another World Series appearance. They better trade for him, or Brian Wilson will rage!