Kuzul

While the rest of Major League Baseball was spending the evening of Black Friday recovering from all the hectic holiday shopping and Thanksgiving leftovers, the Toronto Blue Jays and Oakland Athletics were busy putting the finishing touches on a blockbuster trade.

Third baseman Josh Donaldson, who ascended from out of nowhere in 2013 to become the central figure in the past two of Oakland’s three straight trips to the postseason, has been sent to Toronto in exchange for fellow hot-corner man Brett Lawrie and three prospects, according to the A’s official Twitter account:

Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports was the first to break the news.

This deal is a significant one for both clubs, but it means very different things for each.

On one hand, the Blue Jays clearly are gearing up to make a push in 2015 to end what is now MLB‘s longest active October-less streak, dating back to 1993.

The acquisition of Donaldson, who turns 29 on Dec. 8 and is fresh off two MVP-level campaigns as one of the sport’s best all-around third basemen, comes a little over a week after Toronto handed out a five-year, $82 million contract—the second largest in franchise history—to catcher Russell Martin.

Those two moves, combined with the offensive talent the Jays already have in place—namely right fielder Jose Bautista, first baseman Edwin Encarnacion and shortstop Jose Reyes—suddenly make this one of the most dangerous lineups around.

Although the fact that all five swing from the right side (Reyes is a switch-hitter)—something general manager Alex Anthopoulos will want to address—each provides either on-base ability or power. Or both.

To put some numbers to the names, here’s a rundown of each player’s relevant statistics in those categories:

Considering how unpredictable the AL East proved to be in 2014, the Jays seem to be sensing this is their shot to go for it, and they may not be done, as Jim Bowden of ESPN notes:

Given that the reigning division champion Baltimore Orioles have yet to make any moves, while the 2013 World Series-winning Boston Red Sox just brought in Hanley Ramirez and Pablo Sandoval—the top two hitters on the free-agent market—it’s shaping up to be an interesting offseason in the East.

And things may just be getting started.

Speaking of going for it, that’s just what the Athletics did in 2014, albeit to an outcome that ultimately was extremely disappointing.

In early July—Independence Day, to be exact—they traded top prospect Addison Russell to the Chicago Cubs for right-handers Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel.

It was a definitive 2014-or-bust move, one that GM Billy Beane followed up a few weeks later by swapping his cleanup hitter, Yoenis Cespedes, for left-hander Jon Lester to further beef up the rotation of a team that looked destined for the playoffs as the best in the majors in the first half.

Alas, Oakland fell apart in the second half, going just 29-38 to finish behind the surging Los Angeles Angels in the AL West.

The slow-motion collapse became complete when Lester, obtained in part because he is one of the top playoff pitchers of this era, couldn’t hold a 7-3 lead in the eighth inning of the AL Wild Card Game against the upstart Kansas City Royals, whose postseason-less drought dating back to 1985 was the only one longer than the Blue Jays’.

Now that Donaldson is gone, the last memory of him in an A’s uniform will be of his fruitless diving attempt to snag Salvador Perez’s hard-hit liner down the left-field line that proved to be the game-winner in the 12th inning.

In the wake of that gut-wrenching loss, there has been speculation that the A’s might consider trading off some key pieces, namely Samardzija, who can become a free agent after 2015.

Donaldson’s name had been brought up, too, but given that he’s still in his prime and is one of the best values in MLB—his projected 2015 salary via arbitration is a mere $4.5 million, per MLB Trade Rumors—it wasn’t as if he had to be moved.

Plus, Beane just spent $30 million in a curious move not even two weeks ago to sign designated hitter Billy Butler to help replace the right-handed bat in the lineup that departed when he traded Cespedes.

But with Lester a free agent, Cespedes still in Boston (at the moment?), Samardzija now even more likely to be moved and Donaldson in Toronto, it’s obvious the A’s are going back to the drawing board after three consecutive trips to the postseason.

This is the way Beane and his front-office cohorts of a mini-market franchise have to operate—by zigging when others would zag.

The goal, of course, is to get younger, cheaper, team-controllable talent, both in terms of quality and quantity. That’s the only way the A’s can create a window of opportunity to have any sort of sustained success.

The return in this particular trade, however, does feel light, especially with how productive and more importantly, how valuable—in the true definition of the word—Donaldson has been.

While still only 24 years old, Lawrie has battled numerous injury problems in his career and hasn’t impressed in the majors since his rookie season in 2011. He’ll likely take over for Donaldson at third base in Oakland, a rather precipitous drop-off.

As for the three prospects—infielder Franklin Barreto, lefty Sean Nolin and righty Kendall Graveman—none is considered a can’t-miss type. Only Barreto, at No. 5, checked in as part of the Jays’ top 10 prospects, according to Baseball America.

Meanwhile, Baseball Prospectus would have ranked the three as follows in Toronto’s system, per Chris Mellen:

Barreto has the most upside, but he’s also an 18-year-old who has yet to play above low-A.

Both Nolin and Graveman have reached the major leagues, but they have accumulated just seven innings combined. As such, they may not yet be ready to join Oakland’s 25-man roster on Opening Day 2015, and even if they do, neither projects as more than a mid-rotation arm at best.

It’s a testament to Anthopoulos that he was able to pull off this trade without having to surrender any of Toronto’s very best prospects, including right-hander Aaron Sanchez or southpaw Daniel Norris. Those two will only help strengthen the Jays during a 2015 season that certainly is setting up to be rather promising.

As for Beane, well, he likely has more maneuvers in mind, starting with swapping Samardzija, as he looks to rebuild the Athletics yet again now that the team’s window has all but shut.

Friday night’s trade was indeed a significant blockbuster for both the Jays and the A’s, two teams now headed in very different directions.

Statistics are accurate through the 2014 season and courtesy of MLB.com, Baseball-Reference and FanGraphs unless otherwise noted.

To talk baseball or fantasy baseball, check in with me on Twitter: @JayCat11.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

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Justin Upton and Matt Kemp should probably keep their phones nearby. 

The outfielders have been two of the most talked-about players in MLB trade rumors this offseason. One baseball executive simply told Joel Sherman of the New York Post: “Justin Upton will be moved.” As for Kemp, Jon Heyman of CBS Sports writes that “there is serious interest” in the 30-year-old. 

One attribute that both players have in common is the ability to hit for power—and a lot of it. In 2014, Upton clubbed 29 home runs, while Kemp posted a .606 slugging percentage in the second half of the season. With so few impact bats to be had on the free-agent and trade markets, that kind of pop is extremely valuable. 

While their offensive skill sets are similar, their contract situations couldn’t be more different. The 27-year-old Upton will make $14.5 million next season and is set to become a free agent at the end of the campaign. Meanwhile, Kemp is still owed $107 million through 2019. 

What follows is a rundown of the best potential packages and landing spots for the All-Star outfielders. The list begins with the Settle Mariners because the American League West club has been linked to both bats, per Jon Paul Morosi of Fox Sports. 

Seattle Mariners

The Targets: Upton and Kemp

It makes a lot of sense that the Mariners would be calling about both of these outfielders. 

Last year, the M’s had the lowest OPS in the AL, and the team was especially weak from the right side of the plate. As for Upton, the Atlanta Braves are looking to land a major haul. Sherman writes that the team is seeking a “higher return” than the Jason Heyward deal. 

In that four-player swap, Atlanta received right-hander Shelby Miller and pitching prospect Tyrell Jenkins in exchange for Heyward and reliever Jordan Walden.

Seattle definitely has some talented young arms, with Taijuan Walker and James Paxton right at the top of the list. Parting with either of those starters would be a big risk, as the Mariners would only be guaranteed to have Upton under team control for one season. 

Kemp is under contract for five seasons, but his price tag is significantly higher as a result. Walker and Paxton would once again be logical names to begin the conversation with, but position players would have to be discussed, as well. 

With Hanley Ramirez joining the Boston Red Sox, the Los Angeles Dodgers are in the market for a new shortstop. Seattle has a couple of players who the Dodgers could target in Chris Taylor and Brad Miller. Last year in Triple-A, Taylor checked in with a .328 average and an .894 OPS. 

Houston Astros

The Target: Upton

According to Sherman, the Houston Astros are one of the teams that have “inquired” about Upton. 

Houston certainly has the prospects to make such a deal happen. Carlos Correa headlines the farm system, but the shortstop isn’t going anywhere. MLB.com tabbed the 20-year-old as the No. 2 prospect in all of baseball. Aside from Correa, the Astros still have some prominent names to offer up.  

As for pitching prospects, the Astros have Mark Appel, who was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2013 MLB draft. Right-handers Mike Foltynewicz and Lance McCullers are two other pitchers who could be part of a potential deal. 

Houston also has some position players who are high-profile trade chips. Outfielder Domingo Santana ranks as the No. 50 prospect on MLB.com’s top 100. Plus, third baseman Colin Moran was the No. 6 overall pick in the 2013 draft. 

If Houston were to part with any of those names, the team would have to feel remarkably confident that it would be able to ink Upton to a contract extension. 

San Diego Padres

The Target: Kemp

The Dodgers and the San Diego Padres have discussed a possible trade involving Kemp, per Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports. 

Rosenthal tweets that the Padres have the pieces to help the Dodgers upgrade either their pitching staff or the catcher’s position. San Diego has the top catching prospect in baseball in Austin Hedges. MLB.com dubs Hedges the “best defensive catcher” in the minors and ranks him as the No. 22 prospect on the top-100 list. 

The NL West team also has a number of starting pitchers who could interest the Dodgers. According to Corey Brock of MLB.com, Ian Kennedy is the most available arm. Brock adds that the Padres would be “reluctant” to part with Andrew Cashner and Tyson Ross. 

After Kemp posted a .971 OPS in the second half of 2014, San Diego would have to put together a highly compelling offer to pry Kemp away from its northern neighbor. 

Texas Rangers

The Target: Upton

The Texas Rangers have checked in on the availability of Upton, as Calvin Watkins of ESPNDallas.com reports. When it comes to potential trade pieces, the Texas Rangers are loaded at the middle infield spots, as general manager Jon Daniels explained, via Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News. 

“It’s not a secret that we have depth there,” Daniels said. “It’s an area of strength for us. We’ve talked about the possibility for a while. We just have to decide if now is the time to make a move there.”

Of course, the Braves already have a Gold Glover at shortstop in Andrelton Simmons. As a result, adding another middle infielder isn’t exactly a top priority for the club. However, the Rangers do have one infield prospect who would draw the interest of every team in baseball.

Last season, third baseman Joey Gallo connected on 42 home runs while splitting the year between High-A and Double-A. According to Rosenthal, the 21-year-old likely wouldn’t be “in play” in trade talks. 

Note: All stats courtesy of MLB.com. All salary information courtesy of Cot’s Baseball Contracts on BaseballProspectus.com. 

If you want to talk baseball, find me on Twitter @KarlBuscheck. 

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

For some baseball fans, the most exciting part of the game has absolutely nothing to do with how things unfold on the field. It’s the offseason, chock-full of rumors, speculation and “what if’ scenarios, that gets their hearts racing and works them into a frenzy.

You can’t really blame them, for there’s only one hot-stove league—and it’s almost always a perfect mix of excitement and entertainment.

While we’ve seen some big names change teams already—Jason Heyward, Hanley Ramirez and Pablo Sandoval the most notable—we’ve only scratched the surface when it comes to player movement in America’s pastime this winter.

The rumor mill is spinning furiously, and separating the truth from the tall tales is becoming increasingly difficult with each passing hour, much less day. What better time for us to play one of our favorite games, “Fact or Fiction”?

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Though the Chicago Cubs failed to sign free-agent catcher Russell Martin last week, it doesn’t mean the team won’t have other intriguing options moving forward.

With plenty of money to spend on the open market this offseason and an opportunity to upgrade behind the plate, Cubs’ president Theo Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer made it clear in early November that the team would pursue Martin.

As expected, the Cubs made a serious attempt at signing him, offering the 31-year-old a deal in the ballpark of four years and $64 million. Meanwhile, news of the reported offer prompted Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports to name the Cubs as the front-runners to land Martin.

Martin and the Cubs seemed meant to be, but the Toronto Blue Jays wouldn’t let that happen, as they ultimately lured Martin north of the border with a five-year, $82 million pact.

However, Martin’s agent, Matt Colleran, told ESPNChicago’s Jesse Rogers that the Cubs were in the mix until the very end:

There were times throughout the process where it was Toronto and the Cubs, 1 and 2. They probably flipped spots in that process. One day the Cubs [were] going a little ahead, and the next Toronto was ahead. When we got into the [last] weekend the dollars started to come into play, and Toronto was just super aggressive with their approach.

Martin became a free agent following his best offensive campaign since 2007, as he batted .290/.402/.430 with 11 home runs and 67 RBI over 460 plate appearances for the Pirates. More significantly, Martin ranked second in both weighted on-base average (wOBA) at .370 and weighted runs created plus (wRC+) at 140 among all catchers with at least 450 plate appearances. He also ranked third in wins above replacement (fWAR) at 5.3.

Yet it’s what Martin does on the other side of the ball that made him such a coveted free agent—the kind a team is willing to overpay for.

According to ESPN.com, Martin registered a 38.5 percent caught-stealing rate and committed only three passed balls over 940.2 innings in 2014.

Beyond that, Martin also paced all catchers last season with 12 defensive runs saved—after saving 16 runs the previous year—and finished the season ranked as the third-best framer in the major leagues, according to Baseball Prospectus.

More on that from ESPN Stats & Info: “He got strikes on 85.5 percent of taken pitches in the zone, 12th-highest among the 42 catchers who caught the most pitches last season. That’s about 2.5 extra strikes for every 100 of those pitches above what an average catcher would get.”

Had he accepted the Cubs’ offer, Martin would have been an enormous upgrade over Welington Castillo as the team’s everyday backstop, presumably relegating Castillo to a backup role. It also would have put reserve catcher John Baker’s future with the club in jeopardy.

In 2014, Cubs’ catchers ranked 22nd among all 30 teams with a .672 OPS, 24th with an 85 wRC+ and 19th with a 6.6 fWAR.

Specifically, the 27-year-old Castillo regressed offensively and finished the season with a disappointing .237/.296/.389 batting line in 417 plate appearances, though he did hit a career-high 13 home runs. On the other side of the ball, Castillo ranked as the 97th-best pitch-framer in the game last season, according to Baseball Prospectus, as he cost Cubs pitchers 77.4 strikes and 10 runs.

With that in mind, it’s easy to see why the Cubs were all over Martin this offseason.

But just because they failed to sign the top free-agent catcher on the market doesn’t mean the team is done searching for an upgrade.

One player on the Cubs’ radar is Diamondbacks catcher Miguel Montero, reports Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic, and the two teams have already spoken about the possibility of a deal.

Piecoro notes the Cubs recently pried Henry Blanco—who joined Arizona’s coaching staff last season after retiring as a player—away from the Diamondbacks to serve as the quality assurance coach under Joe Maddon, while ESPN.com’s Buster Olney wonders whether Blanco’s presence will “create any traction” for Chicago’s interest in Montero.

MLB.com’s Anthony Castrovince had the following to say about Montero, whom he listed as the 10th-best trade candidate this offseason:

The fears here are twofold, though: Montero makes a lot of money (another $40 million over the next three seasons) and he’s caught a lot of games. The wear and tear of the job seemed to get the best of him in 2013, when he had a .662 OPS. He did bounce back a bit in the doubles department this past season, so his slash line was a more respectable .243/.329/.370 (a solid line for a catcher), but there is no telling if he’ll cross the .800 OPS threshold again.

The D-backs don’t have an obvious backup plan in place should they move Montero, but this could be a way for them to free up some cash and land some pitching, although Montero‘s offensive downturn and hefty contract don’t help his value.

If the Cubs were to trade for the 31-year-old Montero, they’d likely be on the hook for a majority of the $40 million remaining on his contract over the next three seasons, via Cot’s Baseball Contracts.

The Cubs might also explore trading for a younger catcher who’s a potential extension candidate, such as Jason Castro of the Houston Astros, though that’s merely my own speculation.

The Astros have made Castro available this offseason after acquiring Hank Conger earlier this month. General manager Jeff Luhnow previously told Evan Drellich of the Houston Chronicle that the team is at least “50-50 on dealing away a catcher.”

Drellich also notes that Houston’s asking price for the 28-year-old catcher is steep even though the team hasn’t explored a long-term extension.  

If the Cubs can’t strike a practical deal with the Diamondbacks or Astros—or another viable trade candidate that enters the mix—then it might make sense to stick with Welington Castillo for the 2015 season.

Should the Cubs can make it through next season with Castillo as their primary catcher, chances are he’ll be a more valuable trade chip—that is, if you believe his 2014 numbers suggest room for improvement.

Plus, next year’s free-agent class will feature another elite catcher in Matt Wieters, who will presumably be targeted by most large-market teams provided he doesn’t sign an extension with the Orioles.

That being said, Epstein and Hoyer surely have an idea of the projected market for catchers moving forward, which is why they were willing to offer Martin, a catcher on the wrong side of 30, a four-year deal.

The Cubs may have missed out this time around, but it’s clear that adding an impact catcher to the equation, whether it be signing a free agent or executing a trade, remains one of their top priorities.

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The signings of Pablo Sandoval and Hanley Ramirez by the Boston Red Sox have rightfully dominated the discourse around MLB for the past two days.

For as incredible as the saga detailed by CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman is, however, there’s been plenty of movement on the trade front.

Here are four MLB trade scenarios based on actual need and published rumors from the last week. Each of them is a blockbuster in its own right.

As a standard note, the following proposals are nothing more than postulation. The point here is to build a trade based on someone else’s written or spoken word.

They are balanced deals that are fair for each team, taking into consideration each MLB franchise’s strengths and weaknesses. They are also independent of one another. That is to say that each trade presented here is a singular move and does not take into account any of the other proposals put forward.

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The first month of the MLB offseason is the most crucial because it generally establishes which teams are going to be players and which teams are going to sit most of the winter out.

We’ve now come to roughly the one-month mark, and many teams have already indicated the roles they’ll play in the coming weeks. The rumors have swirled since before the World Series ended, but they’ve now picked up with no more baseball to play. The focus is solely on free agency and the trade market.

There seem to be daily updates on the top names on the market. In order to keep up with some of the more pertinent rumors, read up on some of the latest buzz below.

Miguel Montero

The free-agent catching market is essentially depleted following Toronto’s signing of Russell Martin. That makes players like Miguel Montero very valuable.

That said, Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic reports that there hasn’t been much traction in talks with the Arizona Diamondbacks backstop: “According to a source, talks regarding Montero have not picked up significantly in the days following the Toronto Blue Jays’ signing of catcher Russell Martin. Among the teams the Diamondbacks have spoken to about Montero are the Chicago Cubs, the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Chicago White Sox.”

The White Sox are a particularly interesting fit for Montero. The team has been aggressive this offseason, signing Zach Duke and Adam LaRoche already. They’ve also been linked to Pablo Sandoval, per CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman. It appears as if they’re done being cellar-dwellers.

Tyler Flowers, the team’s primary catcher in 2014, hit 15 homers in his first go-around as an everyday backstop, but he slashed just .241/.297/.396.

Montero was better at .243/.329/.370, but his first-half numbers are what really kept his yearly marks respectable. He posted an OPS of just .596 after the All-Star break.

Regardless, Montero‘s veteran know-how and history of success at the plate make him a good fit in Chicago.

Arizona must be realistic in what it asks for. He’s still owed $40 million over the next three years and is coming off a miserable half at the plate. The desperation teams have for catching help should drive his interest up, however.

Yasmany Tomas

A handful of teams are interested in Cuban slugger Yasmany Tomas. The outfielder has already drawn plenty of serious interest, as Peter Gammons tweeted:

But what has teams going crazy over the next possible Cuban phenom? Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports writes that his power is something special:

And seeing as nothing excites executives more today than a power hitter, they want to believe that Tomas hit a home run during a workout in the Dominican Republic that went so far over a fence it smashed into a ladder on which a fence-painting man stood. Just like they want to believe he really did hammer a home run into a faraway laundry facility at the Philadelphia Phillies’ complex. Or that he really did park a home run over the scoreboard at Estadio Quisqueya, also in the Dominican Republic, or hit another from one team’s facility into another team’s that sits catty-corner, or that he hit a ball 550 feet. That last one is probably not true. Probably.

That kind of power is hard to come by, especially in a game in which right-handed power bats are at a minimum.

The Seattle Mariners seem like a logical landing spot given their strong presence in the left-handed batter’s box. There isn’t much pop from the other side of the plate, though.

Adding Tomas to the lineup would be huge for Seattle. He’s not a guarantee, but we all witnessed how Jose Abreu produced in his rookie campaign. The two players have similar power. That’s making teams excited about the newest Cuban defector.

It goes without saying that a surprise team in the mix for Tomas is the San Diego Padres. Not known for spending big money in free agency, the Friars are perhaps finally looking to add some power to spacious Petco Park. If there’s anybody on the market who can hit it out anywhere in that park, it’s Tomas.

At this point, any number of teams—even ones not listed by Gammons—could emerge and land arguably the top young hitter on the market.

David Robertson

The Houston Astros made great strides in 2014, but the one thing they lacked was some oomph coming out of the bullpen. Ken Davidoff of the New York Post reports that they’re apparently looking into the issue: “The Astros have communicated with [David] Robertson’s agent Scott Leventhal to express their interest in the Yankees’ closer, an industry source said.”

Easily the top closer on the market, David Robertson is seeking a big contract. Brian Cashman, the general manager tasked with deciding if he wants to re-sign his closer from 2014, spoke about whether or not Robertson is deserving of a lucrative deal, per ESPN’s Andrew Marchand:

Clearly, as a free agent, he is going to maximize his value, period, whatever that turns out to be, but I wouldn’t characterize it other than the fact to say he is helluva pitcher that did it in the toughest environment after the greatest player of all-time and he did it with ease. I would suspect that would command top dollar.

Robertson actually pitched to his highest ERA (3.08) since 2010 (3.82) last season, but he did save 39-of-44 and strike out 96 in 64.1 innings. That makes him worth the money.

Houston would make headlines by signing Robertson, as it would represent the first significant signing for the Astros in some time. If nothing else, it would show that the organization thinks it is close to contention and that a few smart signings in key areas could push them into the playoff hunt.

Seeing as the Astros will likely play in many close games given their so-so starting staff and decent offense, having a closer capable of shutting the door is crucial. Robertson is the best available, making him a fit.

Follow Kenny DeJohn on Twitter: @kennydejohn

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The 2014 MLB offseason has been underway for several weeks, meaning it’s about that time when we’ll start to see some major dominoes fall.

Some big pieces have already fallen. Russell Martin has gone north of the border to the Toronto Blue Jays. Adam LaRoche is headed to the South Side of Chicago to suit up for the White Sox. Billy Butler left the American League champion Kansas City Royals to play for the team they beat in the Wild Card Game, the Oakland Athletics.

We’ve seen some major bats change locations in the first month of free agency, but what about the available bats on the trade market? Free agency will eventually run out of valuable sluggers, and teams will look elsewhere for solutions to their offensive woes.

Below are the latest rumors surrounding a few available bats.

Justin Upton

Justin Upton, a free agent after the upcoming season, is no stranger to trade rumors. While with the Arizona Diamondbacks, the outfielder was the focus of more speculation than most young stars. His name has popped up yet again, via Joel Sherman of the New York Post.

“The Braves are very much shopping Justin Upton and are requesting a higher return than they received earlier this week when they dealt their other corner outfielder, Jason Heyward,” Sherman wrote.

Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal confirmed the rumor, noting a potential fit for the 27-year-old:

The Texas Rangers could use some more power, especially of the right-handed variety. Power from that side of the plate has been hard to come by in recent years, and his 29 home runs in 2014 serve as an example of how prolific his power truly is.

The only right-handed hitter who had more home runs in the National League last season was Giancarlo Stanton, who hit 37 bombs and got paid handsomely as a result.

Given Sherman’s report, it will be interesting to see which prospects the Rangers will have to part with to bring Upton aboard. If the Braves want more value than Shelby Miller and Tyrell Jenkins, they’ll have to start talks with Joey Gallo. The names of pitchers Luis Ortiz and Yohander Mendez will probably also be brought up.

While Gallo is a left-handed bat (not exactly hard to come by today), he is going to be a truly special talent. He hit 42 homers in the minors this season, and his bat is so valuable that Jon Daniels is already trying to fast-track him to the bigs, according to Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News.

“Versatility is a plus,” Daniels said. “It gives both the club and the player options. Joey’s a good athlete and, while we don’t doubt he can play third, this is an easy way to give him additional paths to the big leagues, when the time comes that he’s ready and we have a need.”

Right-handed power may be hard to come by, but you don’t give up on a guy who just mashed 42 big flies in the minors for someone like Upton. The Rangers should make him off-limits.

Brandon Moss

Brandon Moss was a second-half disappointment for the A’s, hitting just .173/.310/.274 in 58 games after the All-Star break. He played primarily outfield and first base for Oakland.

Now that the A’s have Ike Davis in the fold, Moss and a few other lefty bats on the team could be on their way out of Oakland, according to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle:

With the winter meetings starting in two weeks, having Davis on the roster as a stopgap means that the A’s more easily can explore deals for any of their left-handed hitters who DH, play first or in the outfield, including Brandon Moss, Josh Reddick and John Jaso. … According to two sources, the A’s are getting calls about their left-handed hitters.

Moss is an interesting trade candidate. It’s hard to fall in love with a player who posted an OPS of .584 in the second half of the season, but he also mashed 21 homers in the first 89 games.

It wouldn’t be easy to platoon him either. He’s a lefty bat who hit significantly better against southpaws than he did against righties in 2014 (.268 compared to .228).

Trading Reddick or Jaso would be the far better move for Oakland, especially Reddick. Following his breakout season in 2012, he hasn’t found the same success.

Reddick could also bring a surprising amount in a trade because of his defense. He won a Gold Glove in 2012. If the A’s are focused on trading a lefty bat, it should be him.

Matt Joyce

Matt Joyce, 30, has been a valuable member of the Tampa Bay Rays for the past six seasons. His best season came in 2011, when he mashed 19 homers and made the All-Star team.

But Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times wrote about how more was always expected of the Tampa Bay native: “He never became the impact player he and the Rays hoped he would be, either—depending on your view—not getting or not earning the chance to start against left-handers.”

Joyce is perhaps the purest example of a platoon player in the game today. He hit .263/.365/.393 with eight homers in 384 at-bats against righties this year but just .147/.143/.265 in 34 at-bats against lefties.

He doesn’t just struggle against southpaws—the Rays don’t even give him a chance.

Given the fact that his salary will rise through arbitration this year, Tampa Bay could look to move him. Fox Sports’ Jon Morosi tweeted that the organization has already let teams know he’s for sale:

Joyce would be a quality addition to any team at the right price. He is only useful against righties, but most of the league is comprised of such pitchers.

Whichever team acquires him must have a capable hitter against lefties in place, though. A manager could be put in a difficult position when the opposition brings in a lefty specialist to take on Joyce. Either he leaves him in to strike out or replaces him with a far inferior player.

He’ll likely be moved given the way the Rays do business with rising contracts, but it’ll be interesting to see where he lands.

Follow Kenny DeJohn on Twitter: @kennydejohn

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The hot-stove season has already provided plenty of heat. Some high-profile free agents have already agreed to deals, while other big names have been moved in trades. It’s already shaping up to be one of the most interesting offseasons in recent memory, and we haven’t even hit the winter meetings.

Right now, most of what is going to come out will be talk. It’s when general managers and agents are able to sit down face to face that the action will intensify. Despite the likely wait for outsiders to see where their favorite team is heading, there’s a lot to digest. 

Some teams will put feelers out, not really wanting to move a player, hoping to get blown away by an offer that they would be insane not to take. Others will reach a stage of desperation, either because they see an opening to pounce on in the division or someone is fighting for his job. 

Whatever the rationale behind starting rumors, it provides plenty of fodder for discussion. Here’s a look at the hottest trade buzz floating around the web. 

Justin Upton Worth A King’s Ransom?

The Atlanta Braves appear to be focusing on their long-term future after trading Jason Heyward, who will be a free agent after 2015, to the St. Louis Cardinals. As a result, it would make sense for Justin Upton to be the next player the team moves. 

Like Heyward, Upton is under contract for only one more year. Upton is more expensive, carrying a price tag of $14.25 million compared to a $7.8 million salary for Heyward, per Baseball-Reference. It would be reasonable to expect a similar, perhaps slightly smaller, return for Upton in that case. 

However, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, that isn’t what Atlanta is thinking. He’s reporting that the Braves are expecting to net a bigger return for the 27-year-old Upton than they got for Heyward:

The Braves are very much shopping Justin Upton and are requesting a higher return than they received earlier this week when they dealt their other corner outfielder, Jason Heyward.

…

Nevertheless, the Braves think Upton has greater value in the trade market because his overall offense — particularly his power — is superior. Upton hit 29 homers and Heyward 11. And Upton brings righty power, which is in particularly short demand.

There’s the dilemma teams looking to acquire Upton have to wrestle with. It’s no secret offensive numbers have been in decline, so a player who hit .270/.342/.491 with 29 homers in 2014 would have great value on the open market. 

That’s not how the trade market works, especially since teams continue to put a greater value on cost controlling young talent instead of overpaying for a player on the verge of free agency. 

It also doesn’t help that, according to ESPN’s Jayson Stark, the Braves may not be as inclined to deal Upton as they were Heyward:

Clubs that have spoken with the Braves say that while Atlanta dangled both Heyward and Upton at the GM meetings earlier this month, it appeared more motivated to deal Heyward.

One strong possibility is that, internally, the Braves ranked their three most marketable position players — Heyward, Justin Upton and Evan Gattis — in order of easiness to move (and replace) and eventually elevated Heyward to the top of that list.

Stark also notes that the Braves seem to be stuck in a spot where they still want to compete now and build the future. Upton certainly fits into the immediate need for help, especially with an offense that finished 29th in runs and slugging percentage last season.

In other words, this whole scenario sounds like the Braves are dangling Upton as a carrot, and anyone who presents a huge offer they would be insane to turn down will get him. It’s just going to be hard to find someone willing to make that offer. 

Jay Bruce Could Be Victim of Reds’ Payroll

According to Cot’s Baseball Contracts, the Cincinnati Reds’ 2014 payroll was the highest in franchise history at $114.1 million. That’s a lot of money to spend on a team that went 76-86 and finished 12 games out of a playoff spot in the National League. 

Expenses aren’t going to come down much with the current roster, especially with Joey Votto entering the second year of his 10-year, $225 million contract, Brandon Phillips getting paid big money through 2017, Homer Bailey in the second year of his contract and Mat Latos entering his final year of arbitration. 

With Votto and Phillips having limited trade value as a result of injuries and declining performance last year, and Bailey not getting traded after signing his big extension last year, one viable option for the Reds to cut costs is trading Jay Bruce. 

According to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, while it’s possible the Reds could consider trading one of their soon-to-be free-agent starters, the team has had talks about moving Bruce:

The Reds also have engaged in preliminary discussions on deals involving two-time All-Star right fielder Jay Bruce, according to major-league sources. Though club officials say the team is merely listening on players rather than shopping them, a trade of Bruce for more cost-effective talent would be a major step toward retooling with a lower payroll in 2015.

Rosenthal‘s report also says that the Reds aren’t “committed” to decreasing their payroll next season but could upgrade a few positions with the hopes of contending in 2015. He lists San Diego as a team the Reds have spoken with about Bruce. 

Bruce is another player the Reds have under control beyond next season, guaranteed through 2016 with a team option for 2017. The money is reasonable at $24.5 million total through 2016 and the option year at $13 million, per Baseball-Reference. 

Now would be the perfect time for a team in search of offense to inquire about Bruce, who is just 27 years old and coming off a disappointing .217/.281/.373 with 18 home runs. He hit at least 30 homers every year from 2011-13 and had never hit under 21 prior to 2014. 

There is a tangible reason attributed to Bruce’s struggles last year. Rosenthal noted that general manager Walt Jocketty and manager Bryan Price have said the outfielder’s problems “resulted partly from his hurried return from knee surgery.”

With a full offseason to get back in top shape, Bruce is an ideal bounce-back candidate who can upgrade any offense. The Reds are in a good spot where they don’t have to decide right now. They can start the year hoping to contend. If it doesn’t happen, they can deal Bruce at the trade deadline or next offseason to get a strong return. 

Miguel Montero Not Generating Buzz

The big catching domino fell when Russell Martin pulled off a surprise by signing with the Toronto Blue Jays, so teams looking for an upgrade at the position will be forced to turn to lesser free-agent alternatives or the trade market. 

One of those trade alternatives could be Arizona’s Miguel Montero, though Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic is reporting there hasn’t been an extensive volume of calls from teams looking to acquire the 31-year-old since Martin signed:

The Diamondbacks continue to have dialogue with other clubs on a variety of players, including catcher Miguel Montero. However, according to a source, talks regarding Montero have not picked up significantly in the days following the Toronto Blue Jays’ signing of catcher Russell Martin. Among the teams the Diamondbacks have spoken to about Montero are the Chicago Cubs, the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Chicago White Sox.

It’s not a surprise that Montero‘s stock would be down to the point that teams are reluctant to part with prospects to acquire him. He’s reached an age where his skills are likely to be in decline, particularly on offense.

The veteran has hit just .237/.324/.358 over the last two years with the lowest wins above replacement total during that span among catchers with at least 1,000 plate appearances, via FanGraphs.

Montero‘s defense has also been dropping the last two years, as his caught-stealing percentage has gone from 42 percent in 2012 to 29 percent last year, per Baseball-Reference. Considering he’s got a $40 million price tag over the next three years, you can understand why Arizona’s options appear limited. 

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