MLB Trade Rumors: Matt Garza and Players Who Must Be Moved

The calendar is getting ready to flip to December, which is big news for MLB fans because that means the winter meetings are right around the corner. The annual summit of general managers and agents kicks off next Monday, and we should see a flurry of signings and trades. 

Free-agent signings are exciting, but the real fun is in the trade market. With only a select few teams being able to afford players like Albert Pujols, Prince Fielder and Jose Reyes, they will have to find other ways to improve themselves. 

I would be willing to bet that we see a number of impact players moved in Dallas next week, but there are some that have to be dealt more than others because their current teams are mired in mediocrity with no real end in sight. 

Here are three key players that have been rumored to be on the trading block that should be moved before the start of the season. 

Matt Garza, Chicago Cubs

The Chicago Cubs have to make drastic changes if they want to get back into contention soon. Their best bargaining chip is Garza, and one they appear to have aspirations of dealing for the right price, and he still has two years of control left, which only increases his value on the open market.

Garza has the stuff to be a No. 1 or 2 starter for a playoff team, and that kind of player can fetch a hefty return on the trade market.

The Cubs farm system is starting to improve, but there is a long way to go before it is churning out future stars that can bring an end to the longest championship drought in North American sports. 

Dealing Garza can go a long way to replenishing that system, if Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer can find the right team willing to make a deal.

Wandy Rodriguez, Houston Astros

It is not definite that Rodriguez is on the market, mainly because the Astros don't have a general manager right now, but there is a good market for him if he is made available, according to ESPN's Buster Olney.

The Astros sale is finally complete and they are going to hire a new general manager that will have to rebuild the franchise from the ground up. Seriously, they are a disaster of epic proportions right now.

Rodriguez might be the best trade chip that the Astros have, but his suitors are limited because he is only effective against the National League.

Still, starting pitchers that are able to throw 200 innings—or close to it—every season and post an ERA under 4.00 have a lot of value and he could fetch two solid B-level prospects in return.

That might not sound like a great deal, but when you look at what the Astros ran out there every day in 2011, it doesn’t look so bad.

Yonder Alonso, Cincinnati Reds

We have been hearing Alonso’s name on the trade block for basically the last two years and he is still a member of the Cincinnati Reds, though that could change this winter according to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports.

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The Reds clearly are willing to move first baseman Yonder Alonso for pitching — a somewhat curious strategy considering that first baseman Joey Votto is under contract for only two more seasons.

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Alonso is one of their best bargaining chips, and could net them a decent starting pitcher is good news because they need all the rotation help they can get.

I wouldn't worry about "only" having Votto under contract for two more seasons because they have to prove that they can win consistently while they still have him if they want to have a chance to re-sign him, and trading Alonso can improve the club in 2012 and 2013. 

Alonso made a great impression in September with five homers and a .398 on-base percentage, though those numbers should be taken with a grain of salt because rosters are so diluted in the final month, but he has the potential to be a solid middle-of-the-order hitter for the right team.