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The Baltimore Orioles have filled one of their biggest needs, acquiring former All-Star closer Francisco Rodriguez from the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for infield prospect Nick Delmonico. The Orioles announced this via their official Twitter feed:

The Orioles bullpen, while not terrible, has been disappointing this year, especially since it was perhaps their biggest strength last season. As of Tuesday, the Orioles rank 17th in the majors with their 3.68 ERA. Last season they ranked fifth with a 3.00 ERA.

K-Rod is another solid right-handed option out of the ‘pen for the O’s. He’ll probably take over the spot left open by former Oriole Pedro Strop.

While not initially the closer at the start of the season, Rodriguez has been very effective closing out games for the Brewers since taking over for Jim Henderson, converting all 10 of his save opportunities this season. His ERA is a stellar 1.09, and the 12-year veteran also recently picked up his 300th career save.

However, K-Rod will not be used as a closer with Baltimore. Although he has six blown saves this season, Orioles closer Jim Johnson continues to lead the majors with his 35 saves. His job is not in immediate danger.

That doesn’t mean K-Rod won’t be used in high-pressure situations. He’s likely second in line for save opportunities and, according to Brittany Ghiroli of MLB.com, Orioles general manager Dan Duquette stated that Rodriguez will be used in late-game scenarios:

Buster Olney of ESPN concludes that K-Rod was one of the best relievers in the trade market and greatly improves the Orioles’ bullpen:

The Brewers received 21-year-old infield prospect Nick Delmonico in the trade, who was the Orioles’ sixth-round pick in 2011 and was ranked as the Orioles’ fifth overall prospect according to MLB.com.

Injuries have limited Delmonico to 60 games with Advanced-A Frederick. However, he has shown signs of legitimate power, already amassing 13 homers.

He has primarily been used as a third baseman this season, although he spent time at first and second base in 2012.

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Francisco Rodriguez, arguably the most sought-after reliever of the 2013 MLB trade deadline, is officially off the market.

According to the MLB Roster Moves Twitter feed, the Milwaukee Brewers have agreed on a deal that will send Rodriguez to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for infield prospect Nick Delmonico:

Delmonico was the Orioles’ sixth-round pick in 2011, quickly becoming one of the franchise’s best young prospects. The 21-year-old has yet to reach the Double-A level, but has shown massive improvements in both facets of his game in the minors.

Playing for the Frederick Keys, Baltimore’s High-A club, he’s hit 13 home runs with 30 RBI and a .244/.351./.471 slash line. It’s unclear where he’ll play in the field at the big-league level, as he’s been bouncing between third, first and designated hitter with Frederick. He has also played some second base despite being drafted as a catcher. 

As FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal pointed out, the folks at Baseball America were mostly bullish on Delmonico’s pro prospects going forward, ranking him fourth in the Orioles’ system:

While that’s a steep price to pay for a set-up man, the Orioles weren’t alone in their chase for K-Rod.

CBS Sports’ Danny Knobler reported earlier this week the Red Sox, Dodgers and Tigers had all made inquiries about Rodriguez, who has served as the Brewers’ closer since the end of May. With the July 31 deadline just over a week away, it’s likely the market for Rodriguez would have only heated up going forward.

The 31-year-old right-hander became expendable as Milwaukee fell out of the playoff race. The Brewers are 41-57 heading into Tuesday night’s action, a full 19 games behind the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Central. Their desire to move Rodriguez was likely heightened even further with news that star outfielder Ryan Braun would be suspended for the remainder of the season as part of the Biogenesis scandal. 

The expedition of this process will only serve to help the Orioles’ middling bullpen. Baltimore relievers have posted a 3.68 ERA thus far, ranking 17th in baseball and fourth in the American League East, ahead of only the first-place Boston Red Sox. FanGraphs‘ WAR formula paints a slightly rosier picture, ranking the O’s bullpen 13th in MLB. 

Nevertheless, Rodriguez will provide some much-needed security. K-Rod, who owns the MLB record with 62 saves in a single season, is a proven closer. He’s led baseball in saves three different times and made his bones as a world-beating set-up guy for the 2002 Los Angeles Angels World Series team.

Though he had a down 2012, Rodriguez has rebounded in fine form this season. He’s posted a 1.09 ERA and 1.05 WHIP across 25 appearances, saving 10 games while not blowing any. Orioles closer Jim Johnson leads MLB with 35 saves, but has struggled with erraticism, coughing up six leads and boasting a 2-7 record.

The expectation is that Rodriguez will be the set-up guy, but if Johnson falters, the Orioles now have a built-in replacement. Baltimore is in third place in the AL East, 2.5 games behind the Red Sox. The Orioles currently hold a 1.5-game lead over the Texas Rangers for the final AL wild-card spot.

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Although spring training is just under way, there are still a number of quality free agents available who could have a big impact with a team.

The latest news yesterday was the huge contract that Michael Bourn signed with the Cleveland Indians. Bourn is one of the most dangerous leadoff hitters in baseball, and in spite of a relatively down year for him, he still hit .274 with 42 stolen bases. Bourn was perhaps the top free agent still available, and his signature arguably turns the Indians into serious contenders for their division.

Even with the signing of Bourn, there are many talented players still unsigned, primarily with pitching.

Here are the latest talks on a few of the top players: 

Kyle Lohse

Lohse had an incredible 2012 season with the St. Louis Cardinals, going 16-3 with a 2.86 ERA, 109 WHIP and 211.0 innings pitched.

Lohse turned down the Cardinals’ qualifying offer of $13.3 million to become a free agent.

However, as recently as early January, Lohse had not received a single offer from a team. But he is still far and away the best free agent available, and one of the top pitchers in this league.

The lack of an offer is, in large part, because a team that signs him would lose a valuable first-round draft pick to the Cardinals.  Lohse is in amazing form, but at 34 he cannot be expected to pitch this well for much longer. He is also a Scott Boras client and he will want Lohse to command top-dollar.

There were recent soft rumors of the Boston Red Sox making a move,  but according to a major league source, that is highly unlikely.

One team that remains an option is the division rival Milwaukee Brewers.  GM Doug Melvin stated recently that there is a chance the Brewers could pursue Lohse, and the loss of their first-round pick (No. 17) is not as big a deal for them as it is for other teams. 

The most intriguing destination is the Washington Nationals.

One of the names included in the highly publicized Biogenesis PED records was ace pitcher, Gio Gonzalez. Gonzalez Tweeted in response to his inclusion, strongly denying any association whatsoever.

But if found guilty, he could face a 50-game suspension, and the Nationals would need to quickly replace their ace and the player who finished third in the Cy Young voting.

Enter Lohse.

The Nationals were linked to Lohse soon after the recent allegations. Even more, the team already forfeited its first-round pick to sign Rafael Soriano. They are already serious contenders, and the addition of Lohse would only add to that recognition.

But nothing will happen with the Nationals until the allegations with Gonzalez get resolved.

As it stands, the first-round compensation is the biggest obstacle for Lohse, much like it was with Bourn.

The Nationals and Brewers seem the most likely landing spots, but a team could certainly swoop in unexpectedly and sign him, just as the Indians did with Bourn. 

Jose Valverde

The normally dependable Valverde, who will turn 35 this season, finished 2012 with 35 saves and a 3.78 ERA for the Detroit Tigers.

Valverde had a solid year on paper but completely imploded during the playoffs and was eventually replaced as the closer by Phil Coke. He is seen as a player on the decline.

The market has been quiet for Valverde, until ESPNDeportes.com falsely reported that Valverde agreed to a one-year deal with the Miami Marlins. 

However, according to Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald, the report was shot down by the Marlins. The Marlins would be wise not to sign Valverde, as they are rebuilding and also have a good closer in Steve Cishek, who had 15 saves, a 2.69 ERA and 68 strikeouts in 63.2 innings.

The false rumor, according to Spencer, was actually agent Scott Boras garnering attention for Valverde and trying to create a market that isn’t there. Boras rarely has done business with the Marlins.

The most likely option for him is the New York Mets.

If signed, Valverde would likely replace Frank Francisco as the closer, who struggled all last season with injuries and inconsistency. 

Valverde is also on their radar, according to Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com. He reports that a deal with the Mets would likely be similar to the one they gave Shaun Marcum this offseason, which was a one-year deal worth $4 million plus incentives. According to Spencer’s Miami Herald article, Boras is demanding about $4 million to $7 million for Valverde.

Valverde has not played himself into an enviable role, as he pitched terribly down the stretch last season. Although the Marlins rumors seem to be very false, Valverde does appear to have a good shot at being signed by the Mets.

They could very much use the bullpen help, but it is worth noting that the Mets rumor was published before the recent signing of Brandon Lyon.

Francisco Rodriguez 

Rodriguez, who turned 31 in January, had a somewhat down year.

He finished 2012 with a 4.38 ERA and 72 strikeouts in 72.0 innings with the Milwaukee Brewers. But Rodriguez also recorded 31 walks and only three saves in 10 save opportunities.

His final record was 2-7. 

The market for Rodriguez has also been quiet due to a domestic abuse charge filed by his girlfriend in early November.

It is his second domestic violence arrest, but in this case no one appeared to testify against him, the charges were eventually dropped, and the girlfriend admitted Rodriguez did not cause the injuries.

Despite the dropped charges, Rodriguez has not been too hotly pursued.

Almost a month ago, a rumor went around that the Toronto Blue Jays were seeking a late-inning reliever and Rodriguez’s name was included. Jon Heyman of CBSSports Tweeted of the Blue Jays’ interest. The New York Mets are rumored to be interested in a potential reunion. Rodriguez had a successful two-plus seasons with the Mets before being traded, but Valverde seems the more serious candidate for the Mets.

K-Rod is also another Scott Boras client, and Boras will try to command as much money as possible.

The Mets have signed a flurry of cheap, low-risk relievers recently. Right now the market is quiet for K-Rod, but the Mets seem the most viable option of any teams.

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Major League Baseball’s non-waiver claim trade deadline is still well over two months away; however, the Milwaukee Brewers—per usual—have wasted no time in vocalizing their needs and interests within the trade market.

After watching long-time first baseman Prince Fielder walk through free agency last January and grimacing at 26-year-old replacement first baseman Mat Gamel tearing his ACL earlier this month, Brewers general manager Doug Melvin reportedly searched the free-agent market for a veteran first baseman to help provide depth. Reports indicated that Melvin contacted 37-year-old first baseman Derrek Lee a few days back, though a potential contract never came to fruition.

Now, it seems Melvin could shift his attention to the trade market. MLB Network analyst Harold Reynolds voiced his opinion about a move that could fix Milwaukee’s current situation at first base. What he said was rather surprising.

Reynolds claimed that the Brewers should attempt to trade setup man Francisco Rodriguez for 33-year-old Boston Red Sox first baseman/utility infielder Kevin Youkilis. The biggest question worth asking at this juncture is if such a deal is a legitimate possibility.

Rodriguez, who the Brewers acquired shortly after the All-Star Game last summer, has struggled considerably this season, posting a 5.28 ERA and 1.44 WHIP in 15.1 innings of work. The least attractive part of his ineffectiveness, however, is that he’s due to receive $8 million by the end of this season.

Many surmised that Milwaukee would keep Rodriguez throughout the 2012 season despite his hefty contract. Now that manager Ron Roenicke and company find themselves sitting at 14-18 through Saturday, second to last in the NL Central, it wouldn’t be too surprising to see Melvin actively shopping his veteran setup man for a quality first baseman—possibly even Youkilis.

Likewise with Milwaukee, the Boston Red Sox have looked nothing short of appalling thus far. Coming into Saturday’s action, Bobby Valentine’s crew boasted a 13-19 record good enough to place last in the highly competitive American League East division.

Valentine has labored to keep clubhouse continuity and has moreover grappled with Youkilis on a few occasions. Youkilis has garnered a .219/.292/.344 line with just two home runs this season, and is due to make $13 million by the end of 2012.

The promotion and palpable success of third base prospect Will Middlebrooks has taken away some of Youkilis’ playing time. Couple that with his distaste toward Valentine and a lofty contract, and it seems the writing could be on the wall for Youkilis. Gordon Edes of ESPNBoston.com certainly believes it.

Having said that, is a deal between these two needy clubs a possibility?

For the Brewers, who have already come out to say that they’re committed to winning this season, that could be a definite possibility. Owner Mark Attanasio had this to say to MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy ealier this week:

“We’re only [27] games in,” he said. “It’s going to depend where we’re at, at that point in time. Look at where we were when we added CC [Sabathia]. We were over .500, but we were several games back.”

The Brewers have a reputation for making big deadline deals (see CC Sabathia), and I highly doubt that their historical trade deadline aggressiveness will subside this season. Bringing in a veteran presence such as Youkilis could be the difference between making the postseason and watching at home.

For the Red Sox, who after losing longtime closer Jonathan Papelbon witnessed newly acquired closer Andrew Bailey go to the disabled list with an injured thumb, the need for an effective relief arm is clearly there.

Throw all that together, and a deal may not be as farfetched as originally thought.

Alec Dopp covers the Milwaukee Brewers as a featured columnist at Bleacher Report.  Follow him on Twitter @alecdopp and read his blog.

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Since free agency began in 1976, the New York Mets have had some hits and misses. Some players, like Carlos Beltran, proved to be good, while others didn’t do as well.

Whether by statistical underperformance, ego problems or injury, whomever was GM at the time really screwed up when they tabbed these people. 

With the midpoint of the offseason upon us, here are the 10 worst free-agent signings in team history. Be wary, though, some moves will surprise you. 

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When the Milwaukee Brewers offered Francisco Rodriguez arbitration, they thought it would be a smart move. I understand that the team wanted to get compensation for the reliever, but unfortunately it ended up backfiring on them.

Not only did the Brewers lose out on a draft pick, they are now on the hook to pay a setup man $13 million. The team also missed out on the chance to sign other relievers such as Octavio Dotel and LaTroy Hawkins, both who would have been much cheaper options. Dotel signed a one-year deal with the Tigers for $3.5 million, while Hawkins agreed to a one-year, $3 million contract with the Angels. Keep in mind Hawkins had a 2.42 ERA with the Brew Crew just this past season.  

Rodriguez, who complained all last season about wanting to close, accepted arbitration because he obviously was unable to a find a team to pay him more than what the Brewers offered. Manager Ron Roenicke has already stated that John Axford will remain the team’s closer, so K-Rod’s wish of closing will not come true in Milwaukee. Axford was lights out for the Crew in 2011, saving 46 games in 48 chances, while also posting an ERA of just 1.95.

Losing Takashi Saito and LaTroy Hawkins definitely makes Rodriguez more valuable to the Brewers, but there are other affordable options that they could have pursued. The Brewers also have some nice young relievers in Kameron Loe, Marco Estrada and obviously Axford. Not to mention, Zach Braddock is expected to be a key contributor in the team’s pen in 2012. Braddock missed most of the 2011 season, but in 2010, the 24-year-old posted a 2.94 ERA in 46 games.

I do also like that the Brewers addressed their problem at shortstop by signing Alex Gonzalez to a one-year deal. However, now that they have K-Rod’s contract, the rest of the team’s offseason plans might be in jeopardy.

Before Rodriguez accepted arbitration the Brewers were rumored to be front-runners for the Cubs’ Aramis Ramirez, and now the third baseman will probably be out of the team’s price range. Ramirez, who already turned down arbitration from the Cubs, is seeking a lucrative contract for three to four years.The Brewers want to keep their payroll under $100 million, and with K-Rod accepting arbitration it currently puts the team over the $80 million mark.

What the Brewers need to do is find a team to take K-Rod off their hands. Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal said there are several teams who already expressed trade interest in Rodriguez. It’s not too surprising that teams are interested in the righty, especially if the Brewers are willing to eat a portion of his contract.

Before K-Rod was traded to Milwaukee, he recorded 23 saves in 26 opportunities for the Mets, and is someone who can still definitely help out a ballclub. Personally, I would like if the Brewers negotiated a new contract with Rodriguez, but only if it’s for $10 million or less per year. Rodriguez is still an asset to the team, but paying $13 million for a setup man is just absurd. Not even Jonathan Papelbon and Heath Bell are making $13 million a season.

Another option for the Brewers would be to release K-Rod before spring training, a move that could potentially save the team $10 million to $11 million. This option seems unlikely because K-Rod appears to have plenty of suitors, but it is still a possibility.

Any way you look at it, the Brewers must find a way to get out of paying $13 million for a guy who is not even their closer.

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Relief pitchers in general, and closers in particular, have repeatedly proven to be terrible investments in free agency. Nevertheless, every offseason sees millions upon millions of dollars thrown at closers, particularly when they’ve put up stats like the cream of this year’s crop:

Jonathan Papelbon

After saving 30-plus games for six-straight seasons in the pressure cooker that is Boston, Papelbon has certainly proven that he has the mental toughness to handle the closer’s job. He also recovered well from a down year in 2010 to post a dazzling 0.933 WHIP this season (along with cutting his blown saves from eight to three).

Papelbon is only 30, so he should have several good years ahead of him. Boston may opt to shell out for his services, but wherever he lands, he’s in for a big payday.

Heath Bell

Despite rampant speculation to the contrary, San Diego opted to hang on to Bell at the trade deadline. The Padres, one presumes, expect to be able to re-sign their lights-out closer, but they’ll have plenty of competition.

Bell has saved at least 42 games each of the last three seasons, with ERAs no higher than 2.71. The only potential red flag is that his strikeout rate plummeted this season from a career-high 11.1 K’s per nine innings in 2010 to a career-worst 7.3.

Francisco Rodriguez

Milwaukee isn’t likely to offer its current setup man as much money as he can get on the market as a potential closer. K-Rod is now three seasons removed from his dazzling 62-save season as an Angel, but he’s an established commodity out of the bullpen (not to mention a fairly big-name acquisition for some club in free agency).

On the other hand, Rodriguez’s ERA as a Met (where he spent the first half of the season) was a disappointing 3.16. It’s hard to judge whether any team signing him will get that version or the one who went 4-0 with a 1.86 ERA as a Brewer.

Ryan Madson

Perhaps the best bet to be seriously overpaid this offseason is newly-minted Phillies closer Madson. He saved 32 games with a solid 1.154 WHIP, but one season of production in the closer’s role doesn’t necessarily translate to long-term success.

The former starter may yet become a reliable stopper out of the bullpen, but he’s also got a substantial possibility of blowing up entirely after signing a big contract.

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As we head into the dog days of August, Jays fans are just now starting to get excited over the prospects of this team.

Usually around this time of year, it’s the lull in the schedule where teams usually just try and play out the string until September, but for the Jays, things look completely different.

The Jays are fighting game in and game out, and are 57-55 in 102 games this season. The team was expected to maybe win at most 75 games this season, so they are definitely ahead of expectations.

If the Jays had the ability to close out games with more ease, they could likely have seven-10 more wins than they do this season.

But with that said, the Jays are expected to fall out of contention soon as they remain 11.5 back in the wild card and 12.5 back in the AL East. Their playoff hopes are fading fast, but the future is brighter than ever.

A main component of the future made his debut last night. Brett Lawrie, a native of Langley, British Columbia, made his highly anticipated Blue Jays debut in fine fashion coming up with an RBI single in his first ever at-bat.

After a bout of “erroritis,” Lawrie calmed down a little and finished out the game strong, finishing 2-for-4 with an RBI.

Lawrie’s debut last night set the country a blaze as it’s likely the most publicized minor league debut in Jays history. Lawrie, who has drawn comparisons to Ian Kinsler and David Wright, didn’t look out of place last night at the plate.

So that begs the question, since the Jays are ahead of expectations and .500 plus this year, would the Jays contend if they had three more players to add to the fold? Obviously these players would have to be good players.

But on the other hand, are the Jays just too young and inexperienced to contend right now even if they had those three extra players to add to the depth of the squad?

We’ll dissect the two scenarios right now.

Three Players

In my opinion the Jays would be in a better position if they have a closer, starting pitcher (a No. 2 or No. 3) and a second basemen.

The Jays this offseason should be looking at improving their bullpen. The relief department is filled with quality arms.

Closers available include Heath Bell, Jonathan Papelbon, Jose Valverde, Ryan Madson and Jonathan Broxton, all of whom would be better options than Jon Rauch.

A few others have options attached to their deals and may opt out such as Francisco “K-Rod” Rodriguez who will likely want to leave Milwaukee due to being a set-up man behind John Axford.

So the free-agent cupboard is stocked heavily for Alex Anthopolous to really make an impact this offseason.

The Jays have been in talks with Houston over Wandy Rodriguez, and he would likely fit into the mold of that No. 2 or 3 starter this team needs; however, I just think he’ll get murdered by the AL East bats. Even Baltimore, the worst team in the AL, could destroy this guy.

The No. 2 or 3 pitcher in my opinion will come from within, as the free-agent class for pitchers is rather bare.

As for the second baseman, Aaron Hill is still find is a useful player; however, his swing needs serious work.

After a great silver slugger year where he hit 36 home runs 108 RBIs and averaged .286, Hill’s numbers have plummeted into the abyss as he’s only hit .215 in the two seasons since (August 6th) and hit 31 home runs in 882 at-bats.

 Hill has abandoned his quick, smooth stroke for a more loopy and long home run swing, thanks to the hitting coach Dwayne Murphy’s philosophy of sitting on your pitch and letting it rip. Hill’s best season came under Gene Tenace.

Adam Lind credited Tenace with his great offensive numbers in the month of July and August 2009, saying: “The thing is, a lot of people can teach you how to hit, but not a lot of people can teach you how to hit in the big leagues.”

Hill has been struggling, hitting only .232 this season, as is Travis Snider, who is now in AAA again. JP Arencibia will never be a high-average hitter, but he should still average around .245 to .260, but he’s at a .216 clip right now.

Rajai Davis hit .284 last season, this season he’s been relegated to fourth OF duties and is hitting .242.

The rant aside, only a scarce few have improved under Murphy (Bautista, Escobar, Molina) and the Jays might actually be better served finding a new hitting coach as opposed to adding another bat in the offseason. Build from within, I would like to say.

We’ve looked at the three players side and I decided that a closer is a must for this team, and a bonus would be a legit starting pitcher and second baseman. However, we could probably fill those two positions from within for a much cheaper price.

Three Years

The Jays are one of the youngest teams in the majors right now and some argue they are still two or three years away from contending because of their lack of experience, and the fact they have quality depth up and down the minor leagues.

The Jays are blessed with a great deal of starting pitching depth down in the minors with as many as possibly 10 or more major league caliber starters.

Deck McGuire looks to be a horse, Henderson Alvarez is looking dominant with his 95 mph-plus fastball and Nestor Molina is mowing down the competition.

Justin Nicolino is a man amongst boys in the Northwest League. Noah Syndergaard looks to be the real deal as well.

Asher Wojciechowski is struggling somewhat in Dunedin, but the organization still has high hopes for him, as well as Aaron Sanchez, another one of those projectable high school arms the Jays drafted last season.

Chad Jenkins, Drew Hutchinson, Adonys Cardona, PJ Walters, Mitchell Taylor and Joel Carreno are looking pretty great as well down in the minors.

The Jays have also only signed four of their top 25 drafted players from the 2011 draft. The Jays could add Tyler Beede, Daniel Norris, Kevin Comer, John Stilson and Tom Robson to the fold as well.

The highest rated Jays prospect whom I nearly forgot about, Kyle Drabek, has struggled with his control this year and was demoted to AAA earlier this season.

He hasn’t made it back and has continued to struggle down in Las Vegas. When he figures it all out again, he’s that quality arm the Jays are searching for.

Most of these guys I would say are two or three years away from a chance at making in to the show. McGuire, Drabek and Alvarez are likely the closest to making an impact right now.

The Jays infield isn’t littered with prospects, but there are some good ones that may be worth the wait.

SS Adeiny Hechavarria has huge amount of upside as he projects more like an Edgar Renteria or Alcides Escobar types of shortstops. He’ll likely not hit for average, but he does have a gold glove caliber glove and some speed.

Dickie Thon, Chris Hawkins, Mike McDade, David Cooper, Kellen Sweeney and Jorge Vega-Rosado look to be serviceable MLB players down the line.

To add to that, the Jays might have the best stocked catching prospects in the minors as Travis D’Arnaud is looking like a top-five prospect in AA. Carlos Perez is having a down year, but may have even more upside in some scouts opinions. AJ Jimenez and Santiago Nessy are looking good as well.

Lastly we look out to the outfield and that’s where the Jays will obviously need to make moves. Already having long-term options in center and right, the Jays really don’t have a lot of need for outfielders at the MLB level; however the team is stocked nicely in the outfield.

Jake Marisnick is having a sick year down in Lansing, as he’s projecting more and more like Hunter Pence by the day.

Anthony Gose is striking out a ton in AA; however he’s already at 50 steals this season and looks to finish with a .250 plus average. His arm out in center is very strong and looks to be a part of the future.

The other three heads of the monster in Lansing, Marcus Knecht, Mike Crouse and Markus Brisker, are all making good strides down in Michigan.

Eric Arce is displaying some power down the GCL and Moises Sierra is showing a good bat and a strong arm down in New Hampshire.

As you can tell, the Jays are well-stocked in the minor league system.

Should the Jays continue to rebuild and wait the three years, or should they look to add those necessary missing pieces and make a run next year when the playoff format should likely change?

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Every baseball season, at least a few “name” players switch teams via trade.

These players are known to even the most casual of fans because they have appeared in All-Star Games and competed for major awards in the past.

At the time of the trade, their level of skill can fall into any number of categories.  

Many are former stars and heroes who now find themselves in the fading light of their careers; still in search of that elusive World Series ring. Lance Berkman and Kerry Wood were dealt separately to the Yankees last year in an attempt to reach that goal.

Some are players still in the primes of their careers whom rebuilding or poor teams can no longer afford to hold onto. Dan Haren, Roy Halladay, Matt Holliday and Victor Martinez have been traded recently for similar reasons. 

Fewer are rising stars who likely have their best years in front of them, but are players that generate polarizing opinions and are valued differently by different clubs.

Still, what all of these players have in common is that, through some combination of talent and experience, they are expected to make their new teams better.

After the jump is a list of 10 former All-Stars, each more talented than the last. Look for any number of these players to make a midseason switch and help a contending club in their chase for a pennant. 

Sources:

Cot’s Baseball Contracts: http://mlbcontracts.blogspot.com/

Fangraphs.com

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If there’s one thing you can say about the New York Mets, it’s that they’re consistent.

Consistently bad that is.

After a 5-4 loss to the Colorado Rockies last night at Citi Field, the Mets fell to 4-7 and have just one win in their last seven games. Their 3-1 start to the season seems like a distant memory right now.

And there’s no shortage of problems.

Their starting rotation, without Johan Santana, has produced just four wins in 11 starts this season. R.A. Dickey and Chris Young are both tied for the team lead with one win apiece. Mike Pelfrey, the team’s No. 1 starter by default, sports an ugly 10.80 ERA in three starts.

Jon Niese has pitched well at times, but is this year’s version of Oliver Perez. He’s been able to shut down opposing teams with an excellent curveball, but just cannot avoid the big inning. In last night’s start, Niese served up a three-run homer to Troy Tulowitzki to put the Rockies ahead 4-3.

Throw in Chris Capuano and his 6.75 ERA and the Mets are 13th in the NL in starter’s ERA (5.59).

A shaky bullpen doesn’t help either. Despite averaging more than five runs per game, the Mets have been unable to get ahead and stay ahead in games. Their bullpen is 15th in the NL in ERA (4.83), 14th in BAA (.309), 15th in runs allowed (24) and leads the league with 21 walks. Closer Francisco Rodriguez already has three blown saves this season.

At this rate, the Mets won’t have to worry about K-Rod’s option vesting (he gets $17.5 million if he finishes 55 games this season) because he’s not going to get any chances to pitch with a lead.

Things are getting out of hand, if they haven’t already.

And as the team inches closer and closer to irrelevance, and the trade deadline, just how many players could become available?

It’s no secret that the Mets have some serious financial problems. The lawsuit stemming from their involvement with convicted swindler Bernie Madoff isn’t anywhere near finished and the Mets are on the hook for more than $1 billion.

Team owners Fred and Jeff Wilpon, as well as team president Saul Katz, are trying to sell a minority stake in the team but many insiders believer they’ll have to sell the whole team to get out of this mess.

General manager Sandy Alderson has come out and stated publicly that the team’s payroll is “significantly” higher then he’d like. He claims it’s because he wants “flexibility”, but the issue of having to pay players is also a big reason. The Mets have already received a $25 million loan from MLB commissioner Bud Selig, and were denied a second (though Selig denies they asked a second time).

So if they’re not winning on the field, and they can’t take on big contracts, or write them, the Mets have some serious issues to face.

Two players, Jose Reyes and Carlos Beltran, are both entering the final years of their contracts. Beltran has moved from centerfield to right field in order to spare his surgically repaired knee and manager Terry Collins has held him out of the lineup in day games after night games.

Reyes is trying to show that he’s 100 percent healthy for the first time in two seasons. Watching him so far, Reyes definitely seems like he’s ready to have a big season. The only question is how much of that season will be with the Mets.

Reyes is batting .327, with a team-high 17 hits. He’s not getting on base enough though, with just one walk in 52 at-bats this season and a .340 OBP. But his legs are finally healthy and he’s been able to leg out two triples this season.

But therein lies the problem for the Mets. The healthier Reyes is, the more he’s going to cost. If Reyes has a big season, he’s easily a $100 million player and teams will be lining up this offseason to sign him unless the Mets can get a deal done mid-season.

Reyes has said he’s willing to negotiate, but wont do so until mid-season. Unfortunately, he might have to give the Mets a big discount to stay in New York.

Mid-season trades for Beltran and Reyes are not only possible, they’re likely.

But who else could become available?

Pelfrey has had success with the Mets, but this season has been a disaster for him. Last season, Pelfrey set career highs in innings (204) and wins (15), as well as a carreer-best 3.66 ERA.

The Mets signed Pelfrey to a one-year, $4 million contract this offseason, avoiding arbitration. But Pelfrey is not a No.1 pitcher. Normally a contact pitcher, Pelfrey has been unable to keep the ball on the ground and doesn’t have the stuff to get strikeouts.

Next year’s free agent class is severely lacking in the starting pitching department. Mark Buehrle and C.J. Wilson are the best two pitchers available, but the White Sox are widely expected to re-sign Buehrle this season.

If the Mets were to make Pelfrey available, teams would be lining up around the block. It’s difficult to trade young starting pitchers, but the Mets don’t have much reason to hold onto him either. Not to mention his agent is Scott Boras, so who knows how much Pelfrey will cost to resign even if they want to.

Packaging Pelfrey with an aging Beltran wouldn’t be a bad idea, considering Beltran alone might not fetch much from interested teams.

K-Rod is also a player to pay attention to at the trade deadline. If it doesn’t seem K-Rod will reach the 55 games finished mark at mid-season, a team in need of a closer (like the White Sox) could decide to take on his contract, as long as there’s no risk that his option will vest.

Despite his struggles with the Mets, K-Rod is still an effective closer, just maybe not with the Mets. Bobby Parnell would appear the heir-apparent, but he hasn’t shown the ability to handle his eighth inning duties, never mind the ninth.

Alderson has said that the Mets don’t have any untouchable players, though they most likely wouldn’t be trading David Wright or Ike Davis.

But there’s a few things to consider here. First of all, the Mets haven’t won anything with Wright. Despite having a solid core of players on paper, the Mets have collected just one division title and fell just one win short of the World Series, in the time Wright has played the hot corner.

Is it possible that the Mets just can’t win with him? It’s unfair to single Wright out, since he’s easily the Mets best offensive player almost every season, but he’s struggled in clutch situations and his strikeout rates have been steadily increasing.

Over the last three seasons, Wright is batting just .269 with runners in scoring position and just .228 with runners in scoring position and two out. His strikeout rate increased from 18.8 percent in 2008 to 26.2 percent in 2009. Last season, that rate jumped up again to 27.4 percent.

Despite those struggles, Wright has driven in 100 runs or more in five of the last six seasons. He’ll hit 25 home runs and he’ll steal 20 bases, but how many more reasons can the Mets think of to hold onto him?

The players the Mets would most logically trade would bring in solid prospects, but no one would bring in more than Wright. He’s under contract through the 2012 season and the Mets hold a $16 million option for 2013.

A five-time All-Star with power, speed and Gold Glove-caliber defense would have teams offering up their best prospects. Yes, it’s hard to trade your best player which would send fans everywhere running for the hills.

But does it seem like the Mets will be able to surround Wright with enough support to win anything significant (a division title) within the next two years? None of their prospects have looked good in limited time in the majors, and unless the Mets reverse their policy of not spending over slot on draft picks, there isn’t anything better coming down the pipe.

As Alderson said, it’s unlikely the Mets would trade Wright. But should they listen to offers? Absolutely.

The Mets play a double-header today to finish their series with the Rockies before heading to Atlanta for three with the Braves. Who knows? By the end of the day the Mets could be 6-7 and things might not be so bad.

But if they continue to struggle and find themselves in the basement at the trade deadline, there shouldn’t be any untouchable player or a name left off the “available” list. The Mets are a franchise in transition. An uncertain present and an even more uncertain future will make life tough.

And drastic times call for drastic measures.

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