Kuzul

The Milwaukee Brewers farm system has been talked about all spring, but for all the wrong reasons.

After unloading a boatload of young talent to acquire two top-tier starters before Christmas, a common thought has been that the Brewers have the worst system in all of baseball. Yes, in order to acquire Zack Greinke and Shaun Marcum, the Brewers had to shell over their top prospects in Brett Lawrie, Jake Odorizzi and Alcides Escobar, among others.

First of all, saying that one team has a better farm system than another is like saying both teams are playing the lottery, but Team A has five tickets while Team B only has one. Just because one team has more tickets doesn’t mean they’re going to win.

For the last 10 years, the Kansas City Royals have been regarded as having one of the league’s best farm systems. When was the last time the Royals made the playoffs? Their roster is filled with “top prospects,” yet they’ve been lucky to reach 70 wins over the last decade. Don’t let their fast start this season fool you–they will be in the cellar of the AL Central by early-June at the latest.

With prospects, it’s either hit or miss. Some will get hurt and never make it, while others will tear it up in minor league ball but flame out in the majors. There is no such thing as a “sure thing,” especially in baseball.

To acquire the services of Jose Reyes or Rafael Furcal the Brewers would have to deplete their system even further, but it is definitely possible. Both are in the final year of their contracts and would give the Brewers a legitimate two-hole bat while removing the defensive liability currently at shortstop in Yuniesky Betancourt. With Furcal expected to be on the disabled list until mid-May, the Brewers may even be able to snag him for a discount.

It just so happens that both the New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers are off to sluggish starts in top-heavy divisions, and both the Mets and Dodgers owners’ are in the midst of financial uncertainty and may be looking to unload payroll of players who may not be back in 2012.  

Shortstop and bullpen help are the only glaring needs for the Brewers at this point, but they have three arms on the disabled list that should all return to action in the near future. Knowing that Brewers GM Doug Melvin likes to get his work done quietly and well before the actual trade deadline, this means he could be on the prowl for a shortstop beginning in mid-June.

Do the Brewers have the pieces to get a deal done for Reyes or Furcal?

Believe it or not, the Brewers still have plenty of prospects that could make an impact on a major league roster sooner rather than later, including a plethora of young pitching prospects.

RHP Wily Peralta, a first-round pick in 2005, opened plenty of eyes with a solid spring and is ready for a chance in the big league’s. Then there are RHP’s Eric Arnett, Cody Scarpetta, and Kyle Heckathorn who are all a a year or two away from being ready to pitch in the majors, depending on the situation. Out of the four, Arnett may be the only one with whom Melvin would be reluctant to trade. 

On the offensive side the Brewers top prospect could be OF Kentrail Davis, who is projected to be ready for the majors as soon as 2012. Davis has speed and power, and he’s shown the ability to be a strong defender in both center-field and right-field.

They also have middle-infield prospects in second-baseman Eric Farris and shortstop Scooter Gennett, both who are still a few seasons away from making an impact on a major league club.

When dealing with two of the largest MLB markets in New York and Los Angeles, the Brewers won’t necessarily need to ship away major league ready talent in return for Reyes or Furcal, although Peralta could be expendable at this point since the Brewers rotation is locked up through the 2012 season (at a minimum).

Fielder leaving after the season as a Type A free-agent will net the Brewers two draft picks to help replenish the system, so they can afford to send a few prospects away in return for “proven” talent. The organization is already in a “win now” attitude, so why hold back at this point? 

Plus, an NL Pennant would look great on the mantle next to the Lombardi Trophy. 

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

I saw this today on ESPN.com and just couldn’t help but comment on it: 

“There’s nothing the Mets would love more this spring than to have Carlos Beltran play well enough to make himself tradable in July. So scouts are already bearing down on him just in case.

But when we asked one of those scouts if he could see himself recommending that his team trade for Beltran, his answer said it all:

‘Noooooo. I’m rooting for him, because I feel bad for him, seeing a guy who was once a great player limping around with a brace on his knee…But would I recommend him? No— because I don’t want to get fired.'”

So, these scouts feel bad for the guy because he’s limping around on a brace?

Last I checked, Beltran is brace-free and is hitting .256/.326/.513 with two home runs in this early season.

Now granted, that’s not going to get you any undisputed All-Star votes, but from a guy that we barely saw in 2010, I’ll take that kind of production any day of the week.

Beltran is due $18.5 million in 2011 and despite moving to right field and playing mostly part-time, he’s doing fairly well for “a guy who was once a great player limping around with a brace on his knee.”

I’m not going to refute anything a scout says because, well, they’re a scout and they’re paid to make these assumptions. But from a die-hard Mets’ fan point of view, Beltran has reached his expectations and could potentially overachieve them as the season prolongs.

What makes everything even more promising? Beltran finally believes in himself, believes in his knees and believes in his abilities.

Talking about playing in all three games of the Mets vs. Braves series, one of them being a doubleheader, Mets manager Terry Collins told ESPN New York’s Adam Rubin, “I talked to Carlos last night and he told me, ‘I want to play all three.'”

Collins also went on to say, “I think there will be a time [when] he’s a seven-day-a-week player.”

All pretty promising if you ask me. It all makes it that much easier for Carlos to find a new team after the 2011 season, when his contract is up with the Mets.

While there is still the chance of a midseason trade on the horizon for Beltran and the Mets, it seems too slim of a chance to get your hopes up.

For that, I wish Carlos all the best during his last season with the New York Mets and with his future in the MLB.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

One could make a great argument that New York Mets shortstop Jose Reyes is the heart and soul of the Mets, both offensively and defensively.

Unfortunately, due to many outside issues pressuring the club financially, you can also make a great case that Reyes will more than likely not be on the squad in 2012.

Whether it’s the Mets’ financial woes dealing with the Madoff ponzi scheme, or GM Sandy Alderson’s statement that, “it makes good sense to see him play a time or two before we make decisions”—either way, it seems like Reyes is more than likely a goner.

Quite depressing, to say the least.

However, as Reyes continues to return to the vintage form that we’ve seen thus far in 2011, he will at least command a decent amount of compensation on the trade block.

Here are the seven teams that will more than likely get in on the Jose Reyes bidding war come the July 31st MLB trade deadline.

Begin Slideshow

The 2011 MLB season is barely a week old and trade rumors, needs and possibilities are already swirling around many teams. One thing is certain though, only eight of the league’s 30 teams will make the playoffs, leaving plenty of sellers in the market.

Anyone who knows baseball will tell you that starting pitchers start games, batters put teams in position to win games but the bullpen finishes games and makes wins possible.

Most relief pitchers will pitch less than 60—in many cases even less than 40—innings in a season but they are integral parts of any team. They may not get the call often, but when they do they need to be ready to deliver, make great pitches and shut batters down.

Because of how clutch they need to be in pressure situations, relief pitchers will be one position many contending teams will be looking to address down the stretch.

While none of the teams each of these 11 players currently play for are out of the hunt, each of them play for a team that either typically struggles, play decent in a strong division or is struggling to this point.

Here then are the 11 relievers who could make an impact if traded to a Pennant Contender. These are only speculation, not trade rumors, but at Bleacher Report we will keep you aware if any of these speculations become rumors or reality.

Begin Slideshow

The official contract talks between Albert Pujols and the St. Louis Cardinals may be on hold at this point, but that certainly hasn’t slowed down the speculation regarding his future.

Even though the Cardinals and Pujols appear to be a significant amount apart at this point, most people still seem to believe that a deal will get done.

If however a deal is not reached, Pujols will become quite possibly one of the most talented free agents to hit the market in recent history.

With a player of his caliber, the talent level and cost are so dramatically high that it’s hard to pinpoint exactly who could and would make a strong push for Pujols.

While any team in the league would benefit from his services, there are a number of teams which it would be significantly more feasible for.

Begin Slideshow

With Chase Utley’s future in doubt for the rest of the season, The Philadelphia Phillies are going to have to make a move at the trade deadline in order to bolster their offense for the postseason run.

So far the Phillies have gotten by with their offense. They have scored 22 runs in the first four games.

A good start by Ben Francisco and Ryan Howard have paced the Phillies. The two combined to knock in 10 of those runs.

In order for the Phillies to remain consistent and contend for another World Series appearance, they are going to have to get another bat in their lineup via trade, especially if Utley is out for an extending period of time.

Here are 10 players who the Phillies could target as we near the deadline.

Begin Slideshow

This hurts.

Born and raised in Madison, WI, I’ve been a Milwaukee Brewers fan my entire life. I remember my dad taking me to games at old County Stadium to see Robin Yount and Paul Molitor play, and it was so easy and “available” to stand outside after the game to fetch autographs from your favorite players or even to just see the team.

This was long before $100 million contracts. At the time, it didn’t matter whether you played in a small-market, blue-collar town like Milwaukee or a large metro area like New York City, where today players have added incentive to play with millions more available in endorsement deals.  

It was about making a living by doing something you enjoy, but more importantly, it was about playing baseball.

I’m not saying it isn’t about baseball for players these days, I’m just coming to terms with the fact that capitalism reached America’s Pastime over the last 20 years.

Today, being a fan of a team in a small-market means you need to realize that most players will come and go. It doesn’t mean the team can’t win, it just means the GM needs to be really good at making draft picks and, more importantly, good at making trades.

I give credit to Brewers owner Mark Attanasio for everything he has done to improve the franchise, bringing competitive baseball back to Milwaukee. The smallest market in the league has a payroll that will exceed $90 million in 2011, which is 17th most in all of baseball. Attanasio wants to win just as much as the fans, if not more.

That is why the best move for the future of Milwaukee baseball is to trade beloved first baseman Prince Fielder.

Everyone north of the equator knows he won’t be donning a Brewers uniform in 2012, so why not trade him now?

Regardless of their 0-4 start, the Brewers are a good team. They stand to win plenty of games, with or without Prince. They’ve been hit by the injury bug early and often to begin the season, and their start reflects that.

Prized acquisition Zack Greinke will return in a few weeks, which will give them a deep rotation that should keep them in most ballgames.

If the San Francisco Giants proved anything by winning the World Series last season, it’s that it takes pitching to win, not hitting.

If the Brewers keep Prince through this season, they would get high draft pick compensation when he signs elsewhere as a Type-A free agent. But very few draft picks, if any, can step in right away and do what the Brewers will need them to do.

Why not trade him away now, with the possibility of getting enough in return to be able to contend not only this year, but in the years to come? Not only that, but if he isn’t traded, there is a very good chance he heads down Interstate 94 and signs with the rival Chicago Cubs in the offseason. That alone is reason enough to send him packing to the team of their choosing.

Which team is that? The Los Angeles Angels.

Angels owner Arte Moreno struck out this offseason in his attempts to bring in the big bat he desires. Eventually, in a move that will be questioned for years, the Angels were able to acquire Vernon Wells from the Blue Jays.

The addition of Prince would give the Angels the “Face of the Franchise” Moreno so desperately desires long into the future, as well as making them instant contenders.

Not only are the Angels the lone American League team that can afford Fielder’s new contract who actually needs a 1B/DH type, they just happen to have the right pieces to make this trade work.

The Angels have a big power bat waiting for a chance to man first base in Mark Trumbo, the organizations fourth ranked prospect who led the minor leagues with 36 home runs last season.

They also have a crop of pitching prospects, led by right-hander Taylor Chatwood. Chatwood, the Angels reigning Minor League Pitcher of the Year, is known for his fantastic fastball-slider combination and should be ready for the majors by 2012, if not before.  

The sooner the Brewers are willing to make the move, the more talent they will get in return. Dealing him to a team that has a good chance at re-signing him will only increase that potential.

I’m all for a team “going all in” as the Brewers have this season, but there is a lot more to their team than Prince Fielder. If you can trade him now, get Major League ready talent in return, and improve your chances of winning now and in the future, then I’d say it’s about time to pull the trigger.  

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

This is an insane column, folks. Why would the Seattle Mariners trade Felix Hernandez before the trade deadline? Why would they trade him ever?

To butcher a line from my good friend (never met the man) Allen Iverson, “Felix? We talkin’ ‘bout King Felix?”

I went to Arizona last year for spring training with a friend who was “in” with the Seattle brass. We were hooked up with game tickets, as well as being able to meet and mingle with the players, etc.

I got a really good look at Seattle’s pitching staff that year, and if somebody told me that they were going to trade Cliff Lee, I would have performed, right there on the spot, my best Iverson impersonation: “Lee? We talkin’ ‘bout Cliff Lee?”

I would have bet my bank account (good for about two trips to Bojangles—Bo-rounds one trip and seasoned fries the next; gotta mix things up a bit—and a nosebleed seat to a Bobcats game—I’m trying to embrace my new surroundings since my move from Los Angeles) the Mariners wouldn’t trade Lee.

Thankfully, I never made that bet because 1) I love Bo-rounds and B) the Mariners shipped Mr. Lee to the Texas Rangers for first baseman Justin Smoak, a couple of young pitchers and some other guy. The Rangers, incidentally, went on to play in the World Series. The Mariners did not.

You can look at this thing two ways. First, you can ask yourself how the Mariners could essentially make the same mistake two years in a row and thus conclude that writing about a King Felix trade is just an extreme waste of my time, or you can pitch your tent on the other side of camp, where the “well, they did it before, so I can see them doing it again” people reside. Where are you most comfortable?

In order to trade Hernandez, Seattle must believe it has some extremely pressing needs at the plate. Looking at last year’s Cliff Lee trade, we see that the Mariners definitely upgraded their bats and defense with Justin Smoak, a very promising young slugger.

You see, Seattle went into last season making a deep run in the playoffs without even playing a single inning. In addition to Cliff Lee, they acquired Chone Figgins at third base, Casey Kotchman at first base and Milton Bradley in the outfield. They were stacked to make a run for it.

Then Bradley self-destructed (big surprise there), Figgins essentially decided to take the year off but still collect his paycheck and Kotchman proved that there was a significant reason why the Red Sox only used him as a “just-in-case” man. All of these things made Seattle believe they needed to move Lee for some bats. What will make them believe that this year?

In taking a look at Seattle’s roster, not much impresses me. There is the ageless Ichiro Suzuki manning the outfield, Justin Smoak at first and then there is…well…you tell me. Miguel Olivo is a decent enough catcher, batting .318 with Colorado last season, but then again, Chone Figgins was good before his move to Seattle.

Unfortunately, the Mariners’ Gold Glove center fielder, Franklin Gutierrez, has a stomach illness that they’re unable to diagnose, and thus he’s listed third on the depth chart at his position. It seems that the Mariners have big bat concerns.

As for its starting pitching, Seattle has King Felix and not much else to write home about. At this point the question becomes, what can you do to improve your team overall, and does keeping Hernandez actually hurt you since he can’t singlehandedly take you to the playoffs?

I argue that they have to trade the man. He is worth so much in return, especially to teams that have a legitimate shot at the playoffs this year. Seattle has little else in the way of trade chips; in fact, it has nothing else. Holding on to Hernandez would be the wrong move for the Mariners.

I understand that the fans will have to wait several more years for their team to be contenders, but with last year’s trade blunders behind them, it is time to start anew.

If you believe that King Felix needs to be traded, then the “who will take him” problem comes into play. There are the usual suspects, led by the New York Yankees.

It seems that the Bronx Bombers aren’t exactly awesome on the mound this year—at least not as awesome as they would like to be. CC Sabathia is followed by Phil Hughes (promising but not an ace), A.J. Burnett (overpaid and underperforming), Ivan Nova (who?) and finally Freddy Garcia (everybody rejoice—he won his final spring training game, whoop-dee-doo).

The Yankees brass knows that rotation won’t hold up to a healthy Red Sox lineup with additions Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez, and that is whom they’re fighting for a playoff berth.

The Yankees are very much the team to beat in the King Felix trade discussions. The Phillies will be making a playoff run but have no room for Hernandez. Tell me where you would place King Felix in a rotation with Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, Roy Oswalt and Joe Blanton.

On ESPN yesterday Curt Schilling projected the Milwaukee Brewers to win the NL Central, and he may be right. They are looking very strong at the plate. It isn’t inconceivable that they would make a run at King Felix. Hernandez would make a very nice addition to a rotation led by youngster Yovani Gallardo.

But whom would they give up for the best pitcher in baseball? If they were making a World Series run, they would still need Prince Fielder’s bat in their lineup along with the other Brew Crew starters. Maybe they have an unbelievable farm system that Seattle can raid in return; I don’t know.

The Boston Red Sox have no need for Hernandez. They are pitching Jon Lester, Josh Beckett, John Lackey, Clay Buchholz and Daisuke Matsuzaka. All are under long-term contracts, and all are pretty damn good.

Maybe the Cubbies or Mets would take a run at the King, but I don’t see them landing him.

My take on Seattle’s situation is grim. They won’t make the playoffs by keeping King Felix, and they won’t make the playoffs by trading him, at least not this year. I project that Seattle shops him around before the deadline and that Hernandez gets snatched up by the only team in Major League Baseball that has the money, prospects and current roster players to make such a deal: the New York Yankees.

The Yanks were spurned by Cliff Lee and are scared of the Red Sox additions. With the Baltimore Orioles adding a lot of pop to their batting order this offseason, the boys in pinstripes are staring third place in the AL East squarely in the face. King Felix could change all of that.

By the trade deadline I see the Yankees mortgaging the farm to acquire Felix Hernandez and the remainder of his five-year, $78 million contract. I also see Seattle being the better for it in a couple of years when the zillions of top-rated prospects that they’ll surely get in return finally showcase their abilities at Safeco Field.

Speaking of the Yankees and pitchers, here is a little trivia for you. The Yankees had a guy pitching for them at one point who was the winningest left-handed pitcher in baseball over a three-year span. The twist is that he wasn’t pitching for the Bronx Bombers when he held this distinction. Can you name the player and the years?

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Back in early February, Texas Rangers third baseman Michael Young officially asked to be traded.

However, the Rangers have yet to be involved with any serious offers.

Part of the reason is that Young is set to make $48 million over the next three seasons. Also, Texas is asking for grade-A talent, which could only make matters more difficult.

On March 19th, Tim Brown of Yahoo! Sports tweeted that the Rangers are willing to roughly split the $48 million in order to get a deal done.

With that said, should the Cleveland Indians attempt to make an offer?

Well, after trading away fan favorites in Victor Martinez, Casey Blake and Ben Francisco, the Tribe could use someone like Michael Young. They also traded away CC Sabathia and Cliff Lee (consecutive Cy Young award winners in 2007 and 2008).

As for Young, he is a seasoned vet with a legitimate amount of postseason experience who can be a leader for the younger players. In 2010, he batted .284 with 21 homers while driving in 91 runs and hitting 36 doubles.

Since 2002, he is averaging .303 at the plate with 16 jacks, 84 RBI and 36 doubles. The stats are there and are definitely worth considering.

Last season, only Sin-Shoo Choo on the Tribe was comparable to Michael Young, which shows that Cleveland could be in dire straits come 2011.

Also, only Grady Sizemore, Travis Hafner and Fausto Carmona have multi-million dollar deals, so the Tribe possibly could afford to offer Young a rather long-term deal.

For starters, he is 34 years old and may only have a few good years left.

However, with a new contract and a new team, Young could be willing to take a bit less for a team in a smaller market. The difference here is that he would immediately become the big fish in a small pond.

In Texas, there was Vladimir Guerrero, Josh Hamilton, Cliff Lee (although now in Philly), Nelson Cruz and Ian Kinsler.

Michael Young could make an immediate impact in Cleveland and become a fan favorite in the process.

The Indians need an experienced third baseman, and it would make their infield very good along with Luis Valbuena and Asdrubal Cabrera.

So, Tribe fans, should the Cleveland Indians make a deal for Texas Ranger Michael Young? You be the judge. 

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Mariners ace Felix Hernandez has been one of the hottest stories of the MLB offseason, but not resulting from his 2010 Cy Young or his actions on or off the field.

Trade speculation has been rampant and relentless regarding the American League’s best pitcher, as Hernandez’s Mariners team walks the tightrope of adding payroll or starting from scratch in a rebuild.

FOX Sports’ Jon Morosi recently revealed eight of the 10 teams in Hernandez’s much-discussed no-trade clause, and all of them were high-profile and high-payroll organizations.

The list included the New York Yankees, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Los Angeles Dodgers, Texas Rangers, Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs—which inevitably caused outcry for the “King Felix to the Yankees” talk to stop for good.

The problem with that logic is a clear misunderstanding of the no-trade process and why a pitcher of Hernandez’s skill set would construct one in this framework.

Are we to believe that King Felix, a man with ice water running through his veins and an unrelenting competitiveness, would suddenly get cold feet about large-market baseball?

Additionally, we’re to take seriously the notion he would all but eliminate every MLB team that could pay the astronomical salary he’ll command when the time comes for an extension?

This no-trade construction is simply a savvy move by an agent that is doing his job—maximizing the earning potential of his best and most desirable client.

The Yankees, Phillies, Red Sox and Cubs of the world are included not because Hernandez would never pitch there.

These teams are instead chosen for two key reasons:

1. The larger payroll markets are most likely to not only afford Felix’s salary in the short and long term, but also pursue a trade for him in order to make a run at a title.

2. Players with no-trade clauses in their contracts have the ability to be “compensated for forfeiture” of that right in order to complete a deal. As a result, Felix can essentially be “bought out” without losing a dime of his contractual value ($20.03 million per year from 2012 to 2014).

Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik has repeatedly shot down any rumors of the situation, and he has no motivation to do otherwise. It is far too early to even consider moving your franchise player—especially in the most wide-open AL West in recent memory.

Felix is happy in Seattle, the Mariners are thrilled to have him and they have every reason to believe they’ll contend in the near future.

Do I believe that a trade is imminent in 2011? No, absolutely not. Do I believe a third season in four years of between 60 and 65 victories could begin to sway that opinion after 2011? Yes, I do.

If Seattle struggles as a franchise until the July 2012 trading deadline, they will be forced to reevaluate the future of the organization—including Ichiro Suzuki in his contract year and Felix representing about 50 percent of current 2013 payroll obligations.

They will have plenty of money to spend and prospects to groom over the next 12 months, but much like LeBron James in Cleveland, they’ll have to show Felix he can win a title there…and soon.

The odds of Hernandez ending up in pinstripes—or any other MLB uniform—is very slim in 2011. They are not even one percentage point lower, however, than they were before word of his no-trade reached the news wire.

If Felix stays a Mariner for the duration of his contract, it will be because they build a team around him, maintain a stable financial position and establish the groundwork for a World Series contender.

It will not, however, be based on a disinterest in pitching for large-market teams or a devout commitment to his no-trade clause.

It is important to first understand the real reasons behind a no-trade before assuming a player’s motive.

Felix would not prefer to pitch in Cleveland or Kansas City as opposed to New York or Chicago, but that does not mean he will move out of Seattle in the near future, either.

One thing can be said for certain amidst all of the speculation and frustration: Interested teams will never stop trying to change Seattle’s mind.

The Mariners would demand a player ransom that could make the Twins feel like they got fleeced in the AJ Pierzynski deal, but this would be one occasion where a US organization would negotiate with terrorists.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com