10 Untraded MLB Players Who Desperately Need a Change of Scenery

While the MLB trade deadline came and went, a majority of the players who expected to be traded actually were, while others unexpectedly found themselves wearing the same uniform on August 1st. 

Some of those untraded players needed a fresh start on a new team in order to find some newfound motivation, while other players simply deserved the opportunity to play on a contending team.

Here is a list of 10 players who needed to be moved before the deadline for the betterment of themselves or the team.

Honorable Mention: Carlos Zambrano

It seems like every year Carlos Zambrano finds himself on the trade block. You would think that, after so many attempts to trade him, the Cubs would somehow find a way to finally rid themselves of the cancer that Zambrano and his contract bring into the clubhouse. 

However, it was another failed year for the Cubs in attempting to do so and they are now stuck with his $38 million contract for the next season and a half.

You would think that Zambrano might be successful if he was traded to a team with a no-nonsense type of manager in a pennant race, but in actuality, no team wants a character like Zambrano anywhere near its locker room, especially for $18 million a year.

10. Jeremy Guthrie, SP, Baltimore Orioles

Jeremy Guthrie has arguably been one of the biggest no-luck pitchers in the MLB for the last few years.

Guthrie has been stuck on the Baltimore Orioles for the past five seasons, and they have all been smack dab in the middle of his prime.

He hasn't posted a winning season with the O's since his first year in 2007, but that is no way indicative of how he has pitched. With little run support year in and year out, Guthrie has been flying way under the radar and could've been an excellent pitcher for a contending team to pick up.

While it could be that the Orioles wanted to keep Guthrie because they feel they are close to contending in the American League East, Guthrie has suffered long enough and deserved to be on a team who isn't 23.5 games out of first place.

9. Brad Penny, SP, Detroit Tigers

It was unlikely that Brad Penny was going to be moved at the deadline because the Tigers were trying to acquire pitching and not get rid of any.

However, Penny has never been known for being a good clubhouse guy and that was evident after the publicly displayed argument between he and catcher Victor Martinez in the middle of a game.

I will give the benefit of the doubt to Martinez, since he is not known for having any character problems. Either way, a pitcher should never show up his catcher in the middle of the game, especially right in the middle of the field.

If need be, that is something that must be taken care of inside the clubhouse so no one else can see.

8. Chone Figgins, Third Base, Seattle Mariners

Chone Figgins was always an exciting player to watch in his days with the Anaheim Angels.

Once he hit the free-agent market, he received a sizable contract from the Seattle Mariners, who thought he could continue to do what he accomplished with the Angles.

However, Figgins has done nothing but disappoint with the Mariners in his first year and a half with the club, and no one really knows why.

Figgins' 2011 campaign has been atrocious and, in turn, has lost his starting spot at third base. 

It is unlikely that anyone was interested in taking on Figgins' contract considering how poorly he has played this year, but there is no doubt that Figgins was interested in a fresh start somewhere else where he can get back to playing like he used to.

7. Brett Myers, SP, Houston Astros

Brett Myers is a serviceable veteran who could have helped a team in contention that was in need of some starting pitching.

While the Houston Astros went through a fire sale and traded away all of their young offensive talent, they failed to translate their established starters like Brett Myers into good returns.

6. Wandy Rodriguez, SP, Houston Astros

Wandy Rodriguez is another pitcher who the Houston Astros failed to deal before the deadline. 

It was hard to get equal value in return for Rodriguez due to his contract, but now the Astros are stuck with an expensive pitcher while arguably being the worst team in MLB.

Wandy Rodriguez could have been the best pitcher available this deadline and there was no doubt a few teams were interested in his services.

Instead of pitching a team into the playoffs, Rodriguez is now likely stuck on the Astros until his contract is up in 2014.

5. Joakim Soria, RP, Kansas City Royals

Some speculated that Joakim Soria's tenure in Kansas City was coming to an end this year due to the emergence of reliever Aaron Crow, but he still finds himself closing for the last-place Kansas City Royals.

After a shaky start to the season, Soria has pitched brilliantly for the past two months of the season by only allowing earned runs twice in his last 22 appearances.

With Crow now nipping at the heels of Soria to become the next Royals closer, Soria could have been a serviceable closer for a team looking for bullpen help, like the St. Louis Cardinals.

4. Ichiro Suzuki, RF, Seattle Mariners

Although an unlikely trade target, Ichiro Suzuki deserved to be traded to a contending team to chase the championship that he surely deserves.

Ichiro likes it in Seattle and would have the ability to block any trade due to his no-trade clause.

Even though Ichiro is at the age where his production has begun to decline, he still could have been an incredibly productive leadoff hitter for a team who was in need of one.

For now, Ichiro remains virtually the only offensive threat on an anemic Mariners offense and he will miss the playoffs for yet another season.

3. Hanley Ramirez, SS, Florida Marlins

Hanley Ramirez was on the fast track to becoming one of the biggest stars in the MLB until his lack of dedication caught up with him.

While he is still considered one of the better shortstops in the game, he is currently in the middle of his worst season yet.

Ramirez is considered to be one of the laziest players in the majors and some believe that he lacks the worth ethic to ever consistently play at his fullest potential.

While I am not making excuses for Ramirez, it is important to look at possibly why he doesn't give it his all the entire time.

Ramirez is the centerpiece of a team that seems to be content with losing. The Florida Marlins constantly trade away all of their talented players and refuse to spend any money in free agency or to re-sign their own players.

While there is still no excuse for Ramirez's careless play at times, it makes you wonder what a change of scenery would do for him.

2. Heath Bell, RP, San Diego Padres

The San Diego Padres shocked the majors when they traded Mike Adams instead of the more popular Heath Bell.

Many thought Bell was a shoo-in to be traded to a contending team before the deadline, but he is now stuck closing meaningless games for the Padres for the rest of the season.

Many teams didn't want to give up top prospects for a rental closer, and some speculated that Bell would have re-signed with the Padres at the end of the 2011 season anyway.

Bell may love it in San Diego since that is where he lives, but he probably would have preferred to stay away from home a little longer and be closing out games in the postseason instead.

1. B.J. Upton, CF, Tampa Bay Rays

Just like Hanley Ramirez, Tampa Bay outfielder B.J. Upton has been accused of being a lazy player, who lacks the worth ethic to ever reach his potential.

There is no denying Upton's potential, and at 26 years old, he still has plenty of time to reach it.

Upton's situation is eerily similar to Hanley Ramirez's in that he, too, plays for a struggling Florida team that fails to compete year in and year out.

Upton rose through the minor leagues as one of the top prospects in the Rays organization, and now has seemingly left the spotlight due to his underachieving play and the emergence of the Rays' new star, Evan Longoria.

Upton plays behind a small home crowd in Tropicana Field, and is on a team that has trouble competing due to the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees being in the same division.

It would be hard to get equal value in return for Upton since his ceiling is so high.

However, it is not certain that he will ever reach his ceiling if he stays in Tampa Bay for much longer. I think a fresh start for Upton would allow him to become the player he is supposed to be.