MLB Trade Scenarios: The Player on Each Team Who Needs to Go

Assembling a successful big league roster is no small feat, as each offseason, teams spend millions of dollars signing free agents and for every contract that works out according to plan, there is another one that teams regret mightily.

For teams in contention, the smart move may be trading away the future for a shot at winning now, while teams on the outside looking in may consider moving a young talent before they become too expensive to retain.

Whether it is financial reasons, under performing on the field, a logjam at a particular position or something else entirely, every big-league roster has at least a few players who the team would be better off if they were gone.

Here is a look at the one player from each team who needs to go: the one player each team would like to trade under ideal circumstances, be it for a good prospect package or just for a salary dump.

Arizona Diamondbacks: UT Geoff Blum

2012 Salary: $1.35 Million

After serving as the Astros' top bat off the bench for three seasons and with a good track record as a utility player, the Diamondbacks signed the then 38-year-old Blum to a two-year, $2.7 million contract.

While that is not a huge amount of money, he found his way into just 23 games and hit .224 BA, 2 HR, 10 RBI on the season.

Following the signing of Lyle Overbay and re-signing of Willie Bloomquist, there does not look to be a spot on the roster for Blum, and he could be released this spring.

Atlanta Braves: SP Jair Jurrjens

2012 Salary: $6 Million (estimated arbitration salary)

The Braves unloaded the anchor of a contract that was Derek Lowe already this offseason when they dealt him to the Indians, so they don't have much in the way of an unnecessary player eating payroll.

However, they do have an abundance of starting pitching and after watching Mat Latos and Gio Gonzalez fetch huge prospect hauls for the Padres and Athletics, the team would be wise to take advantage of the market.

Jair Jurrjens has been the most rumored starter to be on the move, and after making $3.25 million last season, he will be set to make well over $6 million this coming season in his second year of arbitration.

Moving him before he becomes expensive and reaping the prospect benefits would be in the Braves' best interest.

Baltimore Orioles: SP Jeremy Guthrie

2012 Salary: $7 Million (estimated arbitration salary)

The Orioles have shopped around Guthrie for the past few seasons, but have never pulled the trigger on a deal, but facing free agency at season's end and a significant salary in arbitration, the team will likely move him for whatever they can get this season.

Despite losing 17 games in two of the past three seasons, he has also logged at least 200 innings in three straight years and posted a respectable 4.39 ERA over that span while pitching in the tough AL East.

It may not be until the trade deadline when he is dealt, as that could be when his value is highest, but chances are high that Guthrie will not end the season with the Orioles.

Boston Red Sox: SP John Lackey

2012 Salary: $15.95 Million

Coming off of an eight-year stretch with the Angels in which he went 102-71, Lackey was one of the most sought-after arms on the market when he hit free agency prior to the 2010 season.

In the end, he inked a five-year, $82.5 million contract with the Red Sox and he has been nothing but a headache ever since.

After a 14-11 record and a 4.40 ERA season in his first year in Boston, he was among the worst starting pitchers in all of baseball last season as he went 12-12 with a 6.41 ERA.

He will miss all of the 2012 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery and is still signed through 2014, so things could go from bad to worse before his tenure in Boston is up, as the team has no chance of moving him.

Chicago Cubs: LF Alfonso Soriano

2012 Salary: $19 Million

With new ownership in place, change is in the air in Chicago, as the Cubs look to do whatever it takes to build the team into a winner down the road.

The team has already made some small-scale moves, but there could be bigger things in the works as Matt Garza has been rumored to be moved, and other veterans will likely be shopped as the season progresses.

One player who will continue to be a drain on the payroll, however, will be Soriano, as he still has three years left on the eight-year, $136 million mega deal he signed before the 2007 season.

He still has some offensive skills, and if the Cubs were to eat the vast majority of his contract they could find a taker in an American League team looking for a DH, but chances are Soriano won't be going anywhere until the 2015 offseason.

Chicago White Sox: CF Alex Rios

2012 Salary: $12 Million

The White Sox surprised more than a few people when they claimed Rios off of waivers in 2009 and he cleared, as they took on the six years and $60 million that remained on his contract.

After struggling to a .199 average in 41 games after being claimed, he bounced back with a solid .284 BA, 21 HR, 88 RBI season in 2010. It was back to struggling in 2011, though, as he hit just .227 over a full season of at bats.

Now, on the hook for $37 million more over the next three years, the White Sox have to hope that the now 31-year-old Rios can bounce back once again as they are more or less stuck with him until 2015.

Cincinnati Reds: Bronson Arroyo

2012 Salary: $12 Million

The Reds were one of the surprises of the 2010 season, as they put it all together and won the NL Central with a 91-71 season.

During that season, Arroyo put together a terrific season with a line of 17-10, 3.88 ERA, 121 Ks as the staff ace. That earned him a three-year, $35 million extension and he responded with the worst season of his career last year.

Arroyo went 9-12 with a 5.07 ERA last year while leading the NL in earned runs (112) and home runs allowed (46).

Now the team is on the hook for $23.5 million over the next two years and chances are they will be unable to move him.

Cleveland Indians: SP Fausto Carmona

2012 Salary: $7 Million

After a 19-8 season in 2007 at the age of 23, Carmona looked to be the future ace of the Indians staff. However, he has had an up-and-down career since and has never been able to duplicate that success.

He was an All-Star in 2010 with 13 wins and a 3.77 ERA, and there was speculation that he would be moved at some point during the 2011 campaign.

However, a 5.25 ERA and a 7-15 record last season dropped his value considerably and he wound up staying in Cleveland after all.

The team exercised his $7 million option for this coming season, and a $9 million option for 2013 and $12 million option for 2014.

If he comes out strong, the team will likely hold onto him as long as they are competitive, but if they fall out of contention, he could be moved.

Colorado Rockies: RF Seth Smith

2012 Salary: $1.5 Million (estimated arbitration salary)

At the deadline last season, the Rockies were adamant about holding onto Smith despite the fact that a number of teams were interested in adding the left-handed hitting outfielder.

However, this winter the Rockies have signed Michael Cuddyer and acquired Tyler Colvin in a trade with the Cubs and there is now an abundance of outfielders in Colorado.

Smith has averaged a line of .275 BA, 16 HR, 55 RBI in just 390 at-bats over the past three seasons, and he will he is under team control through 2014 as he will be arbitration eligible for the first time this year.

There is no question that he would be a nice bat to have off the bench, but there are a number of teams interested in his services and if the right deal comes along, the Rockies really have no reason not to move him.

Detroit Tigers: 3B Brandon Inge

2012 Salary: $5.5 Million

An All-Star as recently as 2009 when he hit .230 BA, 27 HR, 84 RBI, Inge has always been a solid defensive third baseman, but his offensive game has deteriorated to the point that he is no longer an MLB starter.

The Tigers realized that last season when they acquired Wilson Betemit for their stretch run, but in the end, it was Inge still getting the bulk of the at bats despite a .197 average on the season.

Now, after watching Aramis Ramirez sign with the Brewers, Inge is once again set to open the season as the Tigers' starting third baseman. 

He's a free agent at the end of the season, but the team needs to upgrade the position sooner rather than later. Inge isn't getting any younger at 35, and his offense could be just as bad or worse this season.

Houston Astros: SP Wandy Rodriguez

2012 Salary: $10 Million

The Astros have traded off players like Roy Oswalt, Michael Bourn and Hunter Pence over the past two seasons and they are entering a full-scale rebuilding process.

They still have a few veterans on the roster, and none have as much trade value as left-handed starter and staff ace Wandy Rodriguez.

Over the past three seasons, he has gone 36-35 with a 3.36 ERA while posting a solid 8.2 K/9 mark. With the recent prospect hauls of the Mat Latos and Gio Gonzalez trades as a jumping-off point, the Astros could cash in by moving Rodriguez sooner rather than later.

One sticking point is the fact that he is due $13 million in 2013 and has a $13 million option for 2014 that becomes a player option if he is traded.

That is far more guaranteed money than Latos and Gonzalez had coming their way, and the Astros would have to take on at least some contract to move Rodriguez for any sort of return, something that would still be in their best interest to do.

Kansas City Royals: RP Joakim Soria

2012 Salary: $6 Million

For several seasons, one of the few bright spots in Kansas City was the play of their All-Star closer Soria, as he has racked up 160 saves in five seasons with the Royals.

However, now that the team is moving closer to being competitive, they may look to move their closer. He is the highest-paid player on the team this coming season with a salary of $6 million.

He has an $8 million team option for 2013 and an $8.75 million option for 2014 and with the Royals in need of starting pitching and long-term outfielders, the team may not want to invest so much money in their closer.

There is always a market for top-tier relievers, and Soria would be among the most sought-after players in the league at the deadline or sooner if he were made available.

Losing him would be a blow to the bullpen, but if that means bolstering an already talented crop of young players, the Royals would certainly need to consider it.

Los Angeles Angels: Vernon Wells and Bobby Abreu

Combined 2012 Salary: $33.6 Million

With the acquisition of Albert Pujols, the Angels now have a logjam at first base with last year's breakout rookie Mark Trumbo and injured former .300/30/100 slugger Kendrys Morales also in the mix for first base at-bats.

Following the ridiculous decision to trade Mike Napoli and Juan Rivera for Vernon Wells and the over $100 million that was left on his contract last offseason and the vesting $9 million option of Abreu, the Angels are stuck with an old lineup of under performing, over-paid players.

If Wells and Abreu were taken out of the mix, Trumbo could move to left field and Morales could become the everyday DH. That is wishful thinking, but it certainly puts Wells and Abreu in the category of guys who need to go.

Los Angeles Dodgers: 3B Juan Uribe

2012 Salary: $8 Million

A key member of the 2010 World Series-winning Giants when he hit .248 BA, 24 HR, 85 RBI while playing shortstop, third base and second base, Uribe cashed in on that performance and earned a three-year, $21 million deal with the Dodgers last offseason.

He struggled mightily in his first season with the team, though, hitting just .204 BA, 4 HR, 28 RBI and playing in just 77 games.

He is due $16 million of that $21 million over the next two seasons and is just another in a long line of ill-advised signings by the Dodgers.

With Jerry Hairston Jr. signed as a free agent this winter, Uribe could wind up in a backup role if he struggles again.

Miami Marlins: 3B Matt Dominguez

2012 Salary: League Minimum

Groomed as the third baseman of the future since being taken 12th overall in the 2007 MLB Draft, it looked like 2012 would be the season that the Marlins top prospect steps in as the everyday third baseman. That was, until the team signed Jose Reyes and slid Hanley Ramirez over to third base.

Much like Yonder Alonso in Cincinnati the past few seasons, Dominguez is now blocked by an All-Star despite being big league-ready. 

Good third baseman are not easy to come by, and a package built around Dominguez could land the Marlins some starting pitching help while also giving him a chance at big-league playing time.

Milwaukee Brewers: RP Francisco Rodriguez

2012 Salary: $12 Million (estimated arbitration salary)

After finding no one willing to offer him a multi-year deal, K-Rod surprised a few people and accepted arbitration from the Brewers.

After complaining about not getting a chance to close, despite the presence of John Axford in the Brewers bullpen, K-Rod was as much of a distraction as he was an asset last season and the Brewers will likely look to deal him to a team in search of a closer.

He still has top-notch stuff, as he posted a 1.86 ERA and 10.2 K/9 mark in 29 innings as the Brewers setup man last season after coming over at the deadline.

Regardless, he will likely cost more than a good setup man should, and the Brewers would be best off moving him if they can.

Minnesota Twins: 2B/SS Tsuyoshi Nishioka

2012 Salary: $3 Million

Tempting as it is to put the oft-injured Joe Mauer or Justin Morneau on here, the clear choice for the Twins is Nishioka ,who proved to be a huge flop in his first season after coming over from Japan.

Signed to be the Twins second baseman and help set the table for the team's big hitters, Nishioka fell flat and hit just .226 BA, 0 HR, 19 RBI.

The five-time Japanese league All-Star missed 59 games after breaking his left fibula, and never seemed to get into a rhythm at the plate or in the field.

Rather than give him another chance at the starting job, the Twins signed Jamey Carroll to be the starting shortstop for this coming season, and he will start alongside Alexi Casilla up the middle for the Twins.

Nishioka becomes an expensive utility infielder, due $6.25 million over the next two seasons.

New York Mets: LF Jason Bay

2012 Salary: $18.13 Million

Much like the Jayson Werth deal with the Nationals last offseason, the Mets signing of Jason Bay to a four-year, $66 million deal was a mistake from the start. Luckily for them, it was a four-year deal instead of a seven-year deal, as is the case with Werth.

Still, for a player who posted a 0.6 WAR last season while hitting .245 BA, 12 HR, 57 RBI, an $18 million salary is absolutely ridiculous.

Bay has been hurt in each of his first two seasons with the Mets, so there is some potential for a bounce-back season here, but at 33, it seems far more likely that he will be a burden on the team and its payroll for the next two seasons.

New York Yankees: SP A.J. Burnett

2012 Salary: $16.5 Million

Always full of potential, Burnett enjoyed a breakout season in 2008 as he reached the 30-start mark for just the third time in his career and went 18-10 in his final season with the Blue Jays before hitting free agency.

The Yankees scooped him up with a five-year, $82.5 million contract, ignoring the fact that his 18-10 season came with a 4.07 ERA and 1.342 WHIP.

In three seasons with the Yankees so far, he has gone 34-35 with a 4.79 ERA and 1.447 WHIP and has not filled the No. 2 starter spot behind C.C. Sabathia as the team hoped he would.

Oakland Athletics: RP Andrew Bailey

2012 Salary: $4.5 Million (estimated arbitration salary)

The Athletics seem to be ready to trade anything that isn't bolted down (Jemile Weeks) this offseason, as they have already moved starting pitchers Gio Gonzalez and Trevor Cahill.

As they continue to rebuild, the 2012 season will likely be a rough one as far as the win-loss record goes, and that is exactly why they should also pull the trigger on dealing Andrew Bailey.

The 2009 AL Rookie of the Year, Bailey is arbitration eligible for the first time this season, and an All-Star closer doesn't do a team much good when they are not going to win enough games to get him more than 30 or so save opportunities.

With a number of teams still looking for a closer, moving Bailey for a prospect package could be another step towards building a solid base of young talent.

Philadelphia Phillies: SP Joe Blanton

2012 Salary: $8.5 Million

Blanton was an important part of the Phillies rotation during their World Series trips in 2008 and 2009, as he was the No. 2 starter behind Cole Hamels in 2008 and the No. 3 starter following the acquisition of Cliff Lee in 2009.

However, since then he has become little more than an overpaid fifth starter in the deepest rotation in baseball.

Even now with Roy Oswalt gone, the emergence of Vance Worley makes Blanton the staff's fifth starter and with Kyle Kendrick still on the roster, he may very well not even by the fifth best starting pitcher on the big league staff.

Pittsburgh Pirates: No One

The Pirates have trimmed their roster down to a group of high-performing players who are just now entering arbitration and the veterans that they have signed this offseason.

After shedding the $22.7 million that Paul Maholm, Ryan Doumit, Chris Snyder and Lyle Overbay were making, the team had a little over $10 million in committed money before arbitration and league-minimum players.

That has allowed them to sign Rod Barajas, Erik Bedard, Clint Barmes and Nate McLouth while trading for Casey McGehee and all without really adding any to their modest payroll.

San Diego Padres: 1B Anthony Rizzo

2012 Salary: League Minimum

The prize of the Adrian Gonzalez trade, along with starter Casey Kelly, first baseman Anthony Rizzo looked to be the Padres first baseman of the future.

While he struggled in 128 big league at-bats last season, he tore through Triple-A pitching last season to the tune of .331 BA, 26 HR, 101 RBI in just 356 at-bats, all at the age of 21.

However, following the acquisition of Reds first-base prospect Yonder Alonso in the Mat Latos deal, the future for Rizzo in San Diego is a bit hazier.

A package built around him could land the Padres the staff ace they are lacking, with him going to the Cubs for Matt Garza one of the more popular rumors out there right now.

San Francisco Giants: SP Barry Zito

2012 Salary: $19 Million

If there is anyone in all of baseball who needs to go but simply is not going anywhere, it is Zito, as he is due $39 million over the next two seasons and then has a $7 million buyout for the 2014 season.

A Cy Young winner and dominant starter with the Athletics, Zito signed a seven-year, $126 million contract with the Giants prior to the 2007 season.

In his five seasons in San Francisco, he has racked up a record of 43-61 with a 4.55 ERA, and injuries limited him to just 13 games (nine starts) last season. 

Seattle Mariners: 3B Chone Figgins

2012 Salary: $9 Million

One of the game's top catalysts and an incredibly versatile player, Figgins seemed like a fantastic signing when he joined the Mariners as a free agent prior to the 2010 season.

He struggled through a subpar first season with the team, hitting just .259, although he still posted a .340 OBP and swiped 42 bases.

However, he fell off entirely last season, hitting just .188 and managing just 81 games. Now the Mariners are left owing him $17 million over the next two seasons as they look to get younger and give their prospects a chance to play.

St. Louis Cardinals: SP Jake Westbrook

2012 Salary: $8 Million

The Cardinals and pitching coach Dave Duncan have developed a reputation as the place struggling veterans go to resurrect their careers, and current rotation members Jake Westbrook and Kyle Lohse are perfect examples.

However, the team overshot things a bit when they re-signed Westbrook to a two-year, $17.5 million contract after acquiring him and his expiring contract at the deadline in 2010.

He wasn't bad last season, going 12-9 with a 4.66 ERA and pitching 183.1 innings, but that is hardly worth $8 million.

There is always a market for capable veteran starters, so the Cardinals could try to move Westbrook to open a rotation spot for prospect Lance Lynn, but that may mean coughing up some cash in the process.

Tampa Bay Rays: Starting Pitching Prospects

The Rays have the deepest stable of young starting pitching talent of anyone in baseball, and with an anemic offense, they would crazy not to use some of it to upgrade a number of holes in their lineup.

With James Shields, David Price, Wade Davis and 2011 AL ROY Jeremy Hellickson likely to be joined by 2011 Sporting News Minor League Pitcher of the Year Matt Moore, the Rays rotation is a formidable one.

However, the team also has Alex Cobb, Alex Torres, Alexander Colome and Chris Archer waiting in the wings and ranking among the best starting pitching prospects in baseball.

A package made up of two of those guys and some lower-level talent would likely get the Rays most anything they sought on the trade market.

Texas Rangers: P Scott Feldman

2012 Salary: $6.5 Million

After coming out of nowhere to post a 17-8 season in 2009, Feldman has struggled to match that success and missed most of last season following knee surgery.

Signed to a two-year, $11.5 million extension with a $9.25 million option for 2013 prior to the 2011 season, Feldman is now on the outside looking in as far as the starting rotation is concerned.

With Derek Holland, Colby Lewis, Matt Harrison, Alexi Ogando, Neftali Feliz and Yu Darvish, assuming the team comes to terms with him, the Rangers have one too many starting pitchers without Feldman. 

Toronto Blue Jays: CF Rajai Davis

2012 Salary: $2.75 Million

Acquired last offseason after posting a .284 batting average and swiping 50 bases in 2010 with the Athletics, Davis was signed to a two-year, $5.25 million contract with a $3 million option ($500,000 buyout) for a third year.

He struggled in Toronto, though, hitting just .238 last season and getting just 320 at-bats, as he first lost time to Corey Patterson and then to midseason acquisition Colby Rasmus.

With Rasmus slated as the starting center fielder and Ben Francisco acquired from the Phillies to serve as the fourth outfielder, Davis has become expendable, and the team could find someone in need of speed to take him off their hands this spring.

Washington Nationals: RF Jayson Werth

2012 Salary: $13.5 Million

Some contracts just make you wince when they are announced, as it is clear from the start that there is no way that it will work out for the team making the signing. Jayson Werth for seven years and $126 million was one of those contracts.

Never a superstar in Philadelphia, Werth did a little bit of everything well but was far from a $100 million contributor. Rather than being motivated by a chance to be "the man" in Washington, he flopped under the pressure in his first season and hit .232 BA, 20 HR, 58 RBI.

If you think his $13.5 million salary this coming season is bad, wait until 2016, when he will make $21.6 million at the age of 37.