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As we approach the 2010 MLB All-Star break, there is one topic that always seems to be more attention-grabbing than watching your favorite slugger launch rockets to the moon; one subject that nearly always trumps the festivities of raising money for charity, and playing a single game to determine home field advantage.

MLB trade rumors.

And while every passing year seems to offer at least one major topic of interest, the 2010 season is presenting the fans with not one, but two distinct trade possibilities that have Chatty Cathys everywhere talking up a storm.

The subject of uber-interest has to do with where exactly Seattle Mariner Cliff Lee and Houston Astro Roy Oswalt will wind up before the trade deadline.

But who exactly is the better trade is an even more intriguing question.

I decided to break down the two powerhouse pitchers’ trade value with that same question in mind, and while I WILL NOT delve into the specifics of interested teams, I will instead attempt to simply look at the same areas that interested teams would look at: money, age, skill set, and overall value.

Yes, talking about the interested teams does in fact change the landscape of the debate, but that’s not what I am going for; rather, I am simply trying to show who is the better overall value.

So without further ado, let us meet the two pitchers.

Cliff Lee
31 years old
96-55 with five career shutouts, and a K/9 rate of 6.8
Nine years in the league

Analysis: There is no denying the overall value of someone like Cliff Lee becoming available in trade talks with his irrefutable penchant for managing games, being a force on the mound, and possessing an above-average ability to be a starting rotation leader in more ways than one.

So it’s obviously no surprise that Lee is one of the biggest potential acquisitions out there for teams in need of a true pitching ace.

Lee first grabbed the attention of most in his 2004 season where he lit up the majors with a very impressive 14-8 record despite a curious 5.43 ERA.

Lee followed up that performance in 2005 with an 18-5 record with a much improved 3.79 ERA.

But it was the 2008 season that wound up becoming his banner year (all with the Indians mind you) that really opened up everyone’s eyes as Lee dazzled fans, and baffled nearly every batter he faced going on to brandish a 22-3 record with a 2.34 ERA; a career-best season and a performance that awarded the flamethrower the Cy Young Award.

A year later, however, Lee became the victim of injury and mediocrity, finishing his lengthy career with the Indians sporting a 7-9 record with a 3.14 ERA, causing many skeptics to believe that Lee was nothing more than a fluke; a one-timer; a pitcher who had his fun in the sun and a player who had reached his peak.

It wasn’t until the Philadelphia Phillies scooped him up at trade time did Lee not only bounce back, but showed that he was anything but a fluke going 7-4 with a 3.39 ERA in the regular season—and more importantly—going 4-0 with an astonishing 1.56 ERA with a 7.4 K/9 rate in the postseason for the Phillies.

This season after being traded to the Mariners, Lee had once again dealt with injuries in the early goings only to recover rather nicely where he sits on a 6-3 record with a 2.39 ERA while boasting an almost unimaginable 76 strikeouts to only four walks.

At the end of the 2010 season Lee becomes a free agent, basically making him a high profile rental player who comes at a cheap price. So whether it’s a team looking for a quick shot in the arm, or a team looking to sign a long-term ace, Lee seems to fit the bill and the obvious better choice.

But not so fast.

Roy Oswalt
32 years old
142-80 with six career shutouts and a K/9 rate of 7.4
10 years in the league

Analysis: There is probably no other name more synonymous with the title “workhorse” than Roy Oswalt. No other pitcher in the majors is known more for his durability and penchant for winning than the long time face of the Houston Astros franchise: Roy Oswalt.

Roy Oswalt is a two-time 20-game winner, a six-time double digit winner, a three-time All-Star, and unfortunately as of late, the victim of horrible run support regardless of how he pitches.

Oswalt came out of the gates in his 2001 rookie season pitching lights out and ending the year with a 14-3 record and a remarkable 2.73 ERA showing the world—and Astros fans—what was to come.

Aside from the current season, there hasn’t been a single year where Oswalt threw fewer than 8.0 strikeouts per game.

Despite having less than desirable run support for a good portion of his career, Oswalt still managed to smoke batters on a daily basis.

And even through hard times and injuries, Oswalt still showed he could play through them, or quickly bounce back from them.

Now in 2010, his time in Houston is starting to wear thin, and it was Oswalt who decided it was perhaps time to go.

But there is some dead financial weight associated with Oswalt..

Unlike Lee, Oswalt comes with a heavier price tag (over $25 million residual) which seems to make him option number two to most suitors.

Or does it?

Renting vs. Buying.

As stated before, depending on what team shows interest in each of these pitching powerhouses has a lot to do with this debate, but we’re not here to just talk about the obvious.

The real question comes down to who is the better deal.

Roy Oswalt’s contract is listed at $16 million in 2011 and 2012, which is more money than Cliff Lee has garnered in his entire nine-year career ($23,555,300 in nine years, according to The Baseball Cube).

That’s a lot of meatloaf on the dinner plate.

Cliff Lee’s contract is listed at eight million with a $1 million buyout, which equates to approximately $4.5 million residual that any given team would have to assume for the rest of the season.

Oswalt can be acquired for a minimum of two years right off the bat, giving an interested club flexibility on their future plans, while Lee will ultimately demand a long term contract either right off the bat or at the end of this year.

Oswalt has the proven name, Lee is the curious sleeper.

So just who is the better deal?

The Author’s Take:

Both pitchers are over the age of 30, and while that doesn’t always translate into negativity, the real question comes down to security .

In my opinion, taking Oswalt over Lee (assuming you have quality run support and an ample bench) gives you a pitcher who is comparable in price, but more importantly, a bit more proven.

This is not to say that Cliff Lee isn’t going to do well wherever he goes, but it’s each player’s overall career that is the tiebreaker.

Yes, both pitchers are similar in numbers, but in regard to games played and accomplishments, Cliff Lee unfortunately doesn’t compare in the experience department.

Yes, both pitchers have dealt with injuries, but it hasn’t seemed to have any lasting ill effects on either of their overall performances, showing both to be durable.

Oswalt has been there and done that for 220 plus games; Lee 151.

In the end—whomever you take—you’re going to pay a hefty price for a staff ace who can simply come in and take control, but when you add in reliability, durability, and experience along with the money, the decision basically makes itself in my opinion.

My call: Roy Oswalt is the better deal.

So what’s your call? Leave a comment below, get the debate going and don’t forget to let everyone know why.

Ray Tannock is also an NFL columnist and MLB Editor at Fantasyknuckleheads.com

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Personally witnessing Cliff Lee manhandle the New York Yankees in two different uniforms, at both Yankee Stadiums, was far from fun.

All I can say is Cliff Lee is that good.

Our first time in 2008 was like a blind date, as Lee wore a Cleveland Indian uniform back then. I was simply going to see a regular season game and watched the Yankees make contact with the ball three times.

The next time was Game One of the 2009 World Series . Lee was throwing for the  Philadelphia Phillies and dictated the entire game, leaving the Yankees in awe once again.

The impression Cliff Lee has made on me is that he is the best pitcher in all of baseball.

Not Halladay, Sabathia, Santana, The Freak, Johnson Greinke, or Jimenez—it’s Lee any day of the week, no matter the uniform.

Why?

In 2010, Lee has faced 336 batters, struck out 76, and given up just three home-runs. His strikeout -to-walk ratio is a remarkable 19:1. Understand that only one other pitcher in the history of baseball, Brett Saberhagen, ended the season in double digits back in 1901. Lee is well on his way to being the second pitcher to hold that record.

Lee leads the AL in complete games with four and has a 2.39 ERA. Lee has not walked a single batter in his last four starts and has only walked four this entire season.

It is hard to imagine being this good playing for the Seattle Mariners . Each start listening to me, myself and I …because the Mariners are the definition of unreliable. Lee has racked-up three losses, but he is lucky it is not more. His numbers in defeat include an ERA of 2.70 and allowing nine hits in 30 innings pitched. Not too shabby by any standards.

The Seattle Mari ners have openly expressed trading Lee, or renting according to the NY Mets . Other teams rumored to be in the hunt are the Twins, Rangers, Dodgers, and supposedly the Phillies and Yankees. The Yankees are surely interested, but what team wouldn’t want Lee? Yankees fans should not hold their breath because realistically, when are Yankees not in the mix?

Fact remains—Lee is a bye into the post-season for a lot of teams. Get ready to give up a lot of prospects to get the 31 year old leftie, but Lee is well worth it.

Up next for Lee is my New Y ork Yankees, which makes me shiver just thinking about it. Lee will face Phil Hughes , who has been the most reliable of all the Yankee starters.

This will be a test for the young rightie, who has gotten major runs support from the Yankees bats. It couldn’t be a better timing as Alex Rodriguez seems to be getting hot, after crushing two homers in his last three games.

The best advice for Hughes facing Lee is to go into the game thinking that no runs will score, which is very possible.

Hughes is 24 years old and is on a innings limit, so Joe Girardi had him miss his last start. He is 10-1 in 13 starts, with 79 strike-outs and a 3.17 ERA in 82 innings pitched.

As much as I trust Phil Hughes, Cliff Lee is phenomenal, making this match up the Yankees vs. Cliff Lee.

The game is Lee’s to win or lose, but the odds are surely in his favor.

PREDICTION: YANKEES OR LEE?

Cliff Lee wins, final score 4-0.

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Recently dubbed the “rock-solid, no-questions-asked, No.1 trade target in baseball” by Larry Stone of the Seattle Times, Cliff Lee has done nothing but improve his trade value every time he takes the mound.

Last week, I discussed where the Mariners could send Cliff Lee as a second half rental. The consensus leading contenders in the Cliff Lee sweepstakes are the New York Mets and Minnesota Twins.

The Mets recently stated that they are interested in acquiring starting pitching more than any other position, and Cliff Lee is reportedly fine with playing in New York. The Mets, however, may not be able to match the Seattle Mariners’ asking price. Any of Ike Davis, Jenrry Meija, or Jonathon Niese could catch the Mariners’ attention, but the Mets are unlikely to include any of them. 

The Minnesota Twins, however, may be willing to part with enough talent to strike a deal.

The Twins’ starting rotation has had issues over the past month. Nick Blackburn, Kevin Slowey, and Scott Baker have posted only two quality starts over their past nine combined trips to the mound; and Francisco Liriano has lacked the consistency of a true ace. 

Additionally, the Twins own coveted-but-blocked catching prospect Wilson Ramos, who became instantly available when Joe Mauer signed an eight-year contract extension.

Ramos, a unanimous top 100 prospect for 2010, has been pegged by Peter Gammons as the best minor league catcher who could be traded.

Twins skipper Ron Gardenhire recently said that the Twins are not the type of organization that pursues half-season rentals at the expense of their farm system. Gardenhire stated that the Twins are more interested in developing their own prospects than selling them off for established players such as Cliff Lee and Roy Oswalt. 

This philosophy is driven by the desire to turn Minnesota prospects into Minnesota major leaguers. The Twins may make an exception to this; however, when a prospect’s path to the Major Leagues is blocked by, say, an MVP-caliber catcher, that mantra becomes hard to preach.

At this point, the Minnesota Twins and Seattle Mariners are near-perfect trading partners. The Twins need starting pitching, and the Mariners have the best pitcher on the market this year in Cliff Lee.

The Mariners are seeking a long-term solution at catcher, and the Twins are holding onto a top-100 caliber prospect in Wilson Ramos. 

The Mariners have not explicitly placed Cliff Lee on the trade market. General Manager Jack Zduriencik has been non-committal, but only the naive would believe the Mariners have not been feeling out potential trade partners.

If and when the Mariners trade Cliff Lee, the Minnesota Twins, and Wilson Ramos, might be the best match.

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Ultimately, a player’s career determines his value come free agency; however a big contract year can draw attention to a player and force a bidding war where a player gets paid, the more than he would have expected when the season started. Use Danny Tartabull as an example.Tartabull had two great seasons leading up to the off season of 1991-2. One of those great seasons was the 1991 campaign which was parlayed into one of the biggest contracts in baseball (Only $5 million a year, but it was 1992). The following players could benefit from a big second half just like Tartabull.

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Cliff Lee will most likely be the biggest name moved this season. There have been lots of rumors about where Lee may eventually end up. He has been linked with the Mets, Twins, and Rangers among other teams. Now, there are even rumors that Lee will be traded within the next two weeks.

It is amazing that a player of Lee’s caliber has been traded twice since last July. Both packages were solid, but they were not what you would expect for a pitcher that has preformed as well as Lee has. It would not be surprising to see the Mariners get a better package for Lee than both the Indians and Phillies.

Lee has been absolutely lights out this season. In 11 starts, Lee has posted an AL leading 2.39 ERA. Lee also lead the AL with a 0.91 WHIP. Lee has also walked only 4 batters in 86.2 innings. This gives him a league-leading 0.4 BB/9. Lee has also struck out 76 batters this year. As a result, he has an absolutely absurd 19.00 K/BB rate.

This K/BB rate is unheard of. The previous high is an 11.00 K/BB rate posted by Brett Saberhagen in 1994. While Lee may not be able to maintain this level of success throughout the rest of the season, it certainly helps his value. Lee could also improve on some of his numbers if he is traded to a National League team.

Because of his success and the fact that Lee will be a hot commodity at the trade deadline… (to read the rest and see who the Mets might trade to get Lee click on the link below)

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The biggest name in trade rumours this season: Cliff Lee.

There have been lots of rumors about Lee may eventually end up. He has been linked with the Mets, Twins, and Rangers among other teams. Now, there are even rumors that Lee will be traded within the next two weeks.

It is amazing that a player of Lee’s caliber has been traded twice since last July. Both packages were solid, but were not what you would expect for a pitcher that has preformed as well as Lee had. It would not be surprising to see the Mariners get a better package for Lee than both the Indians and Phillies.

Lee has been absolutely lights out this season. In 11 starts, Lee has posted an AL leading 2.39 ERA. Lee also lead the AL with a 0.91 WHIP. Lee has also walked only 4 batters in 86.2 innings. This gives him a league leading 0.4 BB/9. Lee has also struck out 76 batters this year. As a result, he has an absolutely absurd 19.00 K/BB rate.

This K/BB rate is unheard of. The previous high is an 11.00 K/BB rate posted by Brett Saberhagen in 1994. While Lee may not be able to maintain this level of success throughout the rest of the season, it certainly helps his value. Lee could also improve on some of his numbers if he is traded to a National League team.

Because of his success and the fact that Lee will be a hot commodity at the trade deadline… (to read the rest and see who the Twins might trade for Lee click on the link below)

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Cliff Lee will most likely be the biggest name moved this season.

There have been lots of rumors about where Lee may eventually end up, and he has been linked with the Mets, Twins, and Rangers among other teams. There are even rumors that Lee will be traded within the next two weeks.

It’s amazing that a player of Lee’s caliber has been traded twice since last July. Both packages were solid, but weren’t what you would expect for a pitcher that has preformed as well as Lee. It wouldn’t be surprising to see the Mariners get a better package for him than either the Indians or Phillies did.

Lee has been absolutely lights-out this season.

In 11 starts, Lee has posted an AL-leading 2.39 ERA and leads the AL with a 0.91 WHIP. Lee has only walked four batters in 86.2 innings, which gives him a league-leading 0.4 BB/9. Lee has also struck out 76 batters this year, giving him an absolutely absurd 19.00 K/BB rate.

The K/BB rate is unheard of, as the previous high is an 11.00 K/BB rate posted by Brett Saberhagen in 1994.

While Lee may not be able to maintain this level of success throughout the rest of the season, it certainly helps his value, and Lee’s numbers could actually improve if he’s traded to a National League team.

Because of his success and the fact that he’ll be a hot commodity at the trade deadline… (to read the rest and see who the Mariners could get for Lee click on the link below)

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Earlier this week, I wrote an article talking about the Mets outfield dilemma now that Carlos Beltran is playing rehab games for the St. Lucie Mets.  I concluded that the best-case scenario would be for the four outfielders to platoon.  I also joked that maybe Angel Pagan should take ground balls at second base, giving Jerry Manuel the ability to play all four outfielders at once.

Though the idea for Pagan to play second is far-fetched, it’s also pretty unwise.

Ruben Tejada is the current second baseman.  Personally, I am a big fan, largely because of his spectacular defense.  Tejada is a natural shortstop, who has stepped in at second and played like he has been a second basemen all of his life.  Mets announcer Gary Cohen can’t help but marvel every game at Tejada’s ability to turn double plays, and make hard plays look easy. 

Undoubtedly, a good offensive player will win a spot over a good defensive player most of the time.  For that, I had expected that hypothetically, if Manuel had to choose between Tejada and Pagan, he would choose Pagan.  Tejada, however, is proving to be a better offensive player than we had thought.

The twenty-year-old Tejada is currently hitting .264 with a .328 OBP.  While these numbers are only mediocre, that is not what impresses me.

What I am impressed by is his consistency; he currently has a nine-game hitting streak, and has gotten a hit in 13 of the 16 games he has started this year!  His 11 runs scored also means that he has scored more than half of the times that he has reached base.

Tejada is the future, and his playing time and at-bats are a valuable experience for him to improve an offensive game that, mixed with superb defense, will make him a good player for years to come.

So if Tejada is not taken out of the lineup for Pagan, that still leaves the Mets with four outfielders.  While platooning outfielders is still the most likely option, I have a suggestion.

Why don’t the Mets consider trading Carlos Beltran?

Despite his relative inability to stay healthy recently, he undoubtedly has the highest trade value of all of the outfielders.  If the Mets want to snag a pitcher before the July 31 trade deadline, maybe they should consider shopping Beltran for a Cliff Lee or Roy Oswalt.

Beltran is 33, and becomes a free agent after the 2011 season.  He is due $18.5 million this year and next.  His hefty price tag and questionable health may be question marks for teams who are looking to unload payroll by trading their superstars, but at the same time, Beltran is still a very talented player, whom every team wouldn’t mind having at the top of their lineup.

For the Mets, unloading Beltran would give them a little bit of financial flexibility to resign a newly acquired pitcher.  Also, trading Beltran would allow the Mets to keep their current core of youth intact.  They would be able to acquire a pitcher while keeping their prospects, as well as the players who have led the Mets to a 42-31 record.

I hate to see a starter lose his job to injury, but at the same time, I hate the prospect of breaking up the current team, which has been a tremendously pleasant surprise in 2010.  You know what they say, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.

Now, I have to admit that I don’t think a Beltran trade is very likely, or even on the mind of the Mets brass.  Beltran has a full no-trade clause, teams would be skeptical about picking him up after his knee surgery, and trades of this caliber rarely take place.

But the idea makes sense, and swapping Beltran for a pitcher of equal pedigree could catapult the Mets into the playoffs.

What do you guys think?

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Through three and a half innings on Thursday night, it looked like the win streak was going to come to an end for the Texas Rangers.

Going into the home half of the fourth, the Rangers were down 5-1 after the Pirates had opened the game with four runs in the very first inning against Rangers starter Scott Feldman.

But the Rangers kept whittling away at the lead and eventually tied the game with two runs in the seventh thanks to a Michael Young RBI triple and an RBI single from Ian Kinsler.

The game would stay that way until Vladimir Guerrero sent the Ranger fans home happy with a walk-off, game winning single in the ninth, scoring Elvis Andrus.  Andrus worked a one-out walk and advanced to third after a single from Michael Young and a fly-out by Ian Kinsler.

Now, with the win streak at 11 games, and getting a little help thanks to a 10-6 win by the Los Angeles Dodgers over the Angels, their lead in the AL West is now at four and a half games.

With this win streak, could this possibly bring all the trade talk to an end?

The Rangers are currently going through bankruptcy proceedings and on Thursday, they were ordered into mediation with the creditors, which will push back the deadline of the sale past Major League Baseball’s trade deadline.

There had been several rumors that had Roy Oswalt possibly headed to the Texas Rangers. Evan Grant and Tim Cowlishaw of the Dallas Morning News went as far as to say that the Rangers were the front-runners to land the Houston right-hander.

Now, it looks like the Rangers aren’t front runners to land anyone at this point. However, 105.3 FM in Dallas discussed the possibility of landing Seattle left-hander Cliff Lee and referenced a twitter conversation between David Cameron of USSMariner.com and Jamey Newberg of The Newberg Report .

In the conversation, Cameron asked Newberg what players might be involved if the Rangers were to make a deal for Lee. Newberg brought up three different players, one of which was Chris Davis, along with Martin Perez, a 19-year-old left-hander currently in Double-A Frisco, and another lesser prospect.

So it begs this question: If those are the three players that could be involved in a deal, and assuming that Seattle will accept those three players, would you make that deal for a three-month rental?

Let’s not forget that there’s a slim to none chance that Cliff Lee signs a long term deal with the Rangers, so you can pretty much forget having him past October.

If I’m the Rangers, I’m not hesitating for a second before I make that deal.

The Rangers are not getting what they thought they would out of Scott Feldman, who was their top starter last year, and you’re without both Rich Harden and Derek Holland for an extended amount of time.

Adding a guy like Cliff Lee would just about sew up the AL West division. You can pretty much hand the division title to the Rangers unless the Angels go out and add Roy Oswalt and Prince Fielder, in which case I would say all bets are off and let the best man win.

Here’s the question that I would ask:

There’s no guarantee that the Mariners are going to take that deal or even consider moving him to a division rival. So, assuming that Lee isn’t heading southeast to Dallas/Fort Worth, are the Rangers good enough to stand pat and still win the division?

Does this win streak mean that this team is for real and that they can win with what they have?

If the Angels make the aforementioned moves that I brought up before, adding Oswalt and Fielder, can the Rangers still hold them off?

Oswalt makes the Angels a heck of a lot more dangerous than they currently are. Adding a power pitcher that steps into a rotation that already boasts Jered Weaver, the Angels are definitely ten times better than they currently are. We also know that they are in need of a first baseman after the injury to Kendry Morales. Adding Fielder gives them that, as well as a whole lot more power in the lineup.

The AL West would go right down to the last week if the Angels make that move and the Rangers stand pat.

I know that Ranger fans always say that the team folds after the All-Star break, but let’s be honest, this is not the same Ranger team that has folded in the past. Those Ranger teams didn’t have Vladimir Guerrero, Nelson Cruz, Ian Kinsler, and Michael Young all in the same lineup.

I know fans are getting jumped on, especially yesterday, by some of the on air guys around the Dallas/Fort Worth area, and maybe rightfully so. With the team having won nine straight going into its game on Wednesday, The Ballpark at Arlington only had just over 33,600 confirmed fans for that night.

You’d think a first place team with a nice win streak going would draw more fans than that. What makes this even sadder is it was “dollar hot dog night” at the ballpark, which more than likely drew more fans than would normally be there on any other night.

Before you Ranger fans come on here and say “it’s too hot,” I’ll use a phrase that’s been coined by Greg Henson on 105.3 FM The Fan in Dallas: “Shake yourself, Ranger fans.”

Last night, with the team already up three and a half games on the Angels in the AL West, the attendance in Arlington, Texas was 19,567. Ouch. The Houston Astros drew more at their ballpark (26,662) on Thursday night against the San Francisco Giants. It was 91 degrees at game time in New York and the Mets still drew over 31,000.

If the Dallas Cowboys had run off 11-straight wins, the airwaves would be buzzing around here with bandwagon fans coming out of the woodwork in droves.

Instead, the airwaves are pretty quiet with very few people wanting to talk about the Rangers. Unless you get called out by the on-air guys in town, then you come out with just about every excuse you can find, most of the excuses being “it’s too hot.” But that’s just fine to the players, they figure you’ll come around, if only for playoff time.

Because even if it’s hot outside, you’ll still show up at the ballpark, wear your Texas gear, and become the fans you should have been all season long.

This team may not be able to make a trade at the deadline, but if they don’t fold after the All-Star break like so many think they will, will you start coming around then? Or will your excuse still be, “it’s too hot?”

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Good day to all of you baseball fans. We still have a little more than a month before Major League Baseball’s trade deadline, and the rumors are flowing hot and heavily.

Not only are players moving, but you have Fredi Gonzalez getting fired in Florida because apparently no one is really good enough to manage the Marlins.

A few days ago we found out that the Texas Rangers were all but taken out of the Roy Oswalt and Cliff Lee sweepstakes because a judge’s ruling in court over the bankruptcy proceedings.

There’s a ton going on, a lot of rumors to cover, players on the move, and so much more.

Who’s going, who’s staying, who’s going to make the biggest splash, who will be winners and losers, and who will shock us all?

Let’s get to it…

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