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Buster Olney tweeted on Saturday morning that Seattle continues to look for “big bat potential” in exchange for Cliff Lee.

He listed two potentially available prospects who fit the bill: Cincinnati’s Yonder Alonso and Texas’ Justin Smoak. 

The Mariners have made it known that they are seeking bats in return for the top-tier southpaw. They have been linked to several top catching prospects, including Minnesota’s Wilson Ramos and the New York Yankees’ Jesus Montero.

The Mariners may have now widened their scope, however, now aiming for a potential impact bat at any position. 

Texas’ Trade Priorities

Last week, the Texas Rangers acquired Gold Glove catcher Bengie Molina from the San Francisco Giants. In doing so, the Rangers revealed an interesting pattern in organizational priorities.

In exchange for Molina, the Rangers sent pitchers Chris Ray and a “player to be named later.” After further negotiations, Michael Main was named as that player.

Main was the 24th overall selection in the 2007 MLB Draft and, prior to the 2010 season, he was rated the 21st best prospect in the Rangers’ farm system.

Yet the Rangers included Main because, in the deal, the Giants agreed to eat a portion of Bengie Molina’s salary.

In this trade, the Rangers made it clear that they are not willing to absorb salary through trades. Instead, the Rangers simply included a better prospect , to induce the Giants to pay their departing player’s salary. 

This pattern could bode well for the Seattle Mariners if the Rangers and Mariners become trading partners.

How This Affects the Mariners

In a normal trade, Cliff Lee has a set value that the Mariners are seeking to acquire. If the Mariners are willing to absorb a portion of salary in the trade, however, they may be able to get a higher-rated prospect than they planned; maybe even Justin Smoak.

The Texas Rangers have two high-profile first-base prospects in Justin Smoak and Chris Davis, aged 23 and 24, respectively.

Davis began 2010 as the Rangers’ starting first baseman, but slumped out of the gate and was demoted three weeks into the season.

Through two months, Smoak has shown promising power (8 HR), but problems elsewhere (.208 AVG).

The status quo finds the Texas Rangers with two potential power bats vying for the same position on a Major League Roster.

One of these two could turn into a designated hitter, but with Vladimir Guerrero’s current production (.334/18/70), that position might not be available for a few years.

The Seattle Mariners are seeking to acquire a potential power bat.

The Texas Rangers have both Justin Smoak and Chris Davis under their control.

In the Bengie Molina trade, the Rangers have made it clear that they would rather depart with a higher-rated prospect than acquire an incoming player’s salary. 

The Seattle Mariners would most likely be willing to eat a portion of Cliff Lee’s salary to acquire a higher-caliber power bat.

If the Rangers decide to make a play for Cliff Lee, the Mariners could acquire a high-potential power bat in return, such as Justin Smoak or Chris Davis.

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In the final game of June, the Mariners came out swinging against Javier Vasquez and the New York Yankees. Putting up seven runs for the second consecutive games against the Yankees, and finishing out the month with a 14-13 record. Including wins in seven out of the last 10.

Over those 10 games, The Mariners have averaged 4.3 runs per game. Thanks in large part to rookie Michael Saunders, who has cracked four home runs, and driven in 10 over that span, and a resurgent Chone Figgins who has stolen 10 bases, and helped the Mariners create runs.

With Cliff Lee being the best pitcher in the American League, Felix looking like his dominant self again, and the reacquisition of slugging first baseman Russell Branyan, things are beginning to look up for the once struggling Mariners.

I’m here to warn you, however: do not expect that magic from the 1995 season to show itself again 15 years later.

I would love nothing more than to see the Mariners, the team I love, make another historic run at the postseason. But sadly the pit the Mariners dug for themselves with that awful May will, in the end, keep them from making that surge toward glory.

Despite the fact that the Mariners have shown great improvement over the last two weeks, Cliff Lee is still as good as gone. While this sucks for the fan, it would be more damaging in the long run for them to hold on to the former Cy Young winner just to finish out the season as a .500 club.

With Lee, the Mariners have a chip that will allow them to bring in guys who can help the club next year.

If they keep Lee, they still don’t make the playoffs, they’ll get two draft picks when he goes and signs with another club—and he will sign with another club—and the team ends up worse off than when they started just to finish off a disappointing season as an average ball club.

I know playing the rest of the season with Felix, Lee, and a healthy Eric Bedard in the rotation is an exciting scenario, and there is always that eternal hope that lives in the fans mind that says, with a little luck, they can pull this off, but we also have to think about the future.

I’m glad to see the team I love playing better ball, but I fear it’s just too little, too late.

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Erik Bedard is on his way back from labrum surgery. He has shown encouraging signs after his stint in the Arizona Rookie League, most recently last Saturday throwing 68 pitches and hitting 93 mph on the radar gun.

On Thursday, Bedard will kick off July with a Triple-A start in Tacoma, Wash., and could start for the Mariners on July 6th against the Kansas City Royals.

The biggest news in this chain of events is that Bedard’s apparent happiness. He’s as healthy and as happy as he has been in a long time. Remember his first two years in Seattle where it seemed he never cracked a smile?

The injuries and the pressure of performing up to expectations based on what Seattle gave up to acquire the left handed pitcher mounted up and sapped the life out of Bedard in his first stint with Seattle.

However, he was absolutely golden when he was healthy last year, so Seattle surprised many by signing him to a contract in the off-season with an option year for 2011.

If Bedard can stay healthy and happy, he could be a huge addition to the M’s for the rest of this year and next season.

He may find himself on the trading block if he performs well in the 4-6 starts he could get before the July 31st trade deadline. Lefty pitching is a valuable commodity these days and the Mariners already are dangling Cliff Lee in front of several teams.

Lee’s departure would mean the Mariners could rely on a healthy Bedard slipping into the rotation and keeping the pitching staff afloat. Somebody has to take the rotation spot vacated by Lee. Mariner fans dread the idea of Ian Snell coming back up from the minors to fill Lee’s spikes.

The timing of Bedard’s health seems perfect.

A rotation of Felix Hernandez, Erik Bedard, Jason Vargas, Doug Fister, and Ryan Rowland-Smith is still pretty solid. Without Bedard, the starting rotation would be very pedestrian outside of Felix Hernandez.

Baseball in the Emerald City is pretty much on life support for 2010 and the Mariners should be looking at what the team will look like next year.

Trading Lee for prospects will help replenish the farm system and could add a piece or two to the 2011 roster. A one-two combo of Hernandez and Bedard at the top of the rotation would be a nice start to making the M’s more competitive as well.

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The Yankees closed out the Interleague slate with their best victory of the year, mounting a dramatic four-run comeback in the ninth against the Dodgers on Sunday, before winning the game on MVP candidate Robinson Cano’s two-run homer in the 10th.

New York took two out of three from Los Angeles to finish 11-7 versus the National League. The first-place Bombers (47-28) now welcome in the last-place Mariners (31-44) for a three-game set this week at Yankee Stadium.

The problem for Seattle this year has been hitting. They rank last in baseball in home runs and hits, while placing 27th with a .239 batting average. On the other hand, pitching has been a strength. The Mariners rank eighth with a 3.90 ERA and send two of their best to the hill in the first two games against the Yankees.

Tuesday, June 29 — Phil Hughes (10-1, 3.17) vs. Cliff Lee (6-3, 2.39)

When Hughes was skipped in his last turn in the rotation, it set up quite a pitching matchup for the series opener. The right-hander has won his last five starts, but was held out last week in an effort to keep his innings down during his first full season in the rotation.

The 24-year-old is 1-0 with a 2.00 ERA in four appearances (one start) against the Mariners. Seattle’s roster hits just .182 (4-for-22) off him, led by Josh Wilson, who is 2-for-4. Russell Branyan, who was recently reacquired by the M’s, has homered off Hughes, but Casey Kotchman, Jose Lopez and Chone Figgins are a combined 0-for-11.

Lee is being considered a hot commodity as the Trade Deadline approaches and the Yankees were once rumored to be a possible suitor, although I’m not sure why New York, which already has three probable All-Stars in its rotation, would need another hurler.

But someone is going to land a Cy Young candidate if the left-hander gets moved, as he has thrown three complete games in his last four starts to position himself atop the American League standings in that category (4), along with ERA and WHIP (0.91).

Lee is 4-4 with a 5.02 ERA in nine regular-season starts against the Bombers, but went 2-0 versus them in the World Series last year, including a masterful Game 1 performance, during which he allowed only one unearned run and struck out 10.

Derek Jeter hits Lee well (11-for-27, .407), as does Mark Teixeira (9-for-23, .391), while lefty Cano (4-for-18, .222) is about the only Yankee who does not.

Wednesday, June 30 — Javier Vazquez (6-6, 5.16) vs. Felix Hernandez (5-5, 3.28)

Vazquez turned in his worst outing in a month against the D-backs last Wednesday, surrendering four runs over five innings. I wouldn’t be surprised if this trend continued now that the Interleague part of the year has finished. The right-hander, who dominated the National League in 2009, went 2-1 with a 2.88 ERA against the NL this season, but is just 4-5 with a 6.30 versus the superior AL. Then again, he may get a reprieve against the light-hitting Mariners.

Vazquez is 4-2 with a 4.35 ERA in six starts against the M’s. Franklin Gutierrez is 4-for-12 (.333) with a homer off him, while Kotchman is 3-for-8 (.375) and Branyan is 3-for-6 (.500) with a remarkable three homers.

Milton Bradley, however, is just 3-for-18 (.167) and Lopez is 2-for-14 (.143).

King Felix tossed his second consecutive complete game his last time out and now leads the league with 112 2/3 innings pitched, while ranking fourth in strikeouts (105).

Hernandez is 2-3 with a 4.59 ERA in five starts against the Yankees, including 1-1 with a 4.97 in the Bronx.

Five Bombers hit better than .300 off the right-hander. Teixeira is 11-for-36 (.306) with three blasts, Curtis Granderson is 9-for-25 (.360), but has 10 strikeouts, Jeter is 5-for-15 (.333), Cano is 5-for-13 (.385) and Jorge Posada is 3-for-5 (.600).

Thursday, July 1 — CC Sabathia (9-3, 3.49) vs. Ryan Rowland-Smith (1-7, 6.18)

If there’s going to be one blowout in this series, this figures to be it. Sabathia probably wishes there were 31 days in June because after a rocky May, he was outstanding last month, going 5-0 with a 2.19 ERA.

The big lefty is 6-4 with a 2.97 in 14 starts versus Seattle. Ichiro Suzuki has battered him around, however, collecting 19 hits in 48 at-bats (.396). Figgins is 5-for-16 (.313), Bradley is 4-for-11 (.364) and Gutierrez is 4-for-9 (.444).

But Lopez (.125), Jack Wilson (.123) and Josh Wilson (.167) each just have two hits in double-digit at-bats against Sabathia.

Rowland-Smith is just holding a spot for the injured Erik Bedard at this point. He allowed five runs and two homers in 5 1/3 innings against the Brewers on Friday.

The left-hander has no record and a 5.29 ERA in six appearances (two starts) versus the Yanks and has allowed five runs in 3 2/3 innings of relief in the Bronx.

But maybe all of the guys Rowland-Smith has had trouble with are gone. New York’s roster hits just .189 off him and Teixeira is 2-for-11 (.182).

Follow me on Twitter at JordanHarrison .

Jordan Schwartz is one of Bleacher Report’s New York Yankees and College Basketball Featured Columnists. His book Memoirs of the Unaccomplished Man is available at amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, and authorhouse.com.

Jordan can be reached at jordanschwartz2003@yahoo.com

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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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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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There are only five teams in Major League Baseball with a worse record than the Seattle Mariners.

The M’s are 14 games behind the red-hot Texas Rangers in the division standings. They’re 13 games off the pace for the Wild Card.

The Seattle Mariners should be sellers at the trade deadline, right? Well, they just gave up two minor-league prospects to the Cleveland Indians for 34-year old Russell Branyan whom they declined to sign over the off-season.

Yes, we’re all trying to digest this one: An aging power hitter with a .233 career batting average who has had injury issues the last few years is what Seattle needs during this disappointing season?

Russell hit 31 homers for the Mariners last year and they wouldn’t even reward him with a contract because of injury concerns with a herniated disc that cut his 2009 season short.

Matter of fact, Branyan wasn’t getting interest from any teams and didn’t get a deal from the Indians until Feb. 20 this year. He started the year on the DL with a neck injury.

Now, the Mariners are giving up prospects to take on the free-agent contract he signed with Cleveland. Branyan does have 10 homers this season, which is three more than Seattle’s Milton Bradley, who hit his team-leading seventh home run last night.

General Manager Jack Zduriencik won’t admit the Mariners are done for the year, but does believe winning some games the rest of the year is important to developing the young guys on the team.

“If you look at our team, as we move forward, just about every player who is here now will be here again next year,” he said. “We’re committed to the development of our players and that goal, that objective has never changed for us.

“But part of that development process is also winning games. We want our players to be able to experience winning games this year. And we’re trying to do what we can to give them what they need to get there.”

Since the Mariners’ offseason acquisitions have had abysmal outcomes, Seattle fans have been wondering what the team will do to right the ship for next year.

There are only seven games before the official halfway point of the season, and it seemed apparent the M’s would be finding a buyer for Cliff Lee and maybe unloading a couple of other players for prospects.

This move seems to dictate the Mariners are going to roll the dice and see what happens. Trader Jack is now becoming Gamblin’ Jack.

Zduriencik got a lot of credit for the moves the Mariners made and now he is getting some flak about how the new players have performed. Chone Figgins and Milton Bradley have been horrible. Ian Snell is in Triple-A.

Meanwhile, Carlos Silva has revived his career in Chicago and Brandon Morrow just pitched his fifth consecutive quality start.

Jack’s ego has taken a hit and he wants to prove this team capable of winning. If he can pull that off, he will be even more revered in Seattle.

If he can’t pull it off, he will have cost the Mariners a chance to gain valuable prospects from the trade of Cliff Lee as well as the prospects given up for Branyan and possibly another offensive piece coming soon.

Cliff Lee is a free agent at the end of the year, and though he is probably the most sought after and valuable trade option this year, teams aren’t ready to give up a bunch of top-level loot for a rental player.

The Mariners will still get compensatory draft picks for Lee if he signs elsewhere as a free agent in the off-season, so maybe Zduriencik believes it wise to keep Lee in the lineup for the year and see what happens if the Mariners can score a few more runs by adding some offense.

Maybe Jack’s idea is to right the ship for this year!

Seattle has a strong pitching rotation with Cliff Lee, Felix Hernandez, and Jason Vargas. They got Doug Fister back from the DL last night and Erik Bedard is due back, barring any setbacks, sometime in July. The Mariners rank ninth in the Majors in team ERA.

They are fifth in quality starts and third in complete games. They are only going to get better from this point going forward.

Adding Branyan is a good way to get some power in the lineup, but their offense is beyond pathetic, ranking 29th in runs scored, 29th in hits, 27th in batting average, and dead last (30th) in home runs.

Branyan is not going to correct those numbers by himself, so Gamblin’ Jack will need to get another bat in the lineup.

Rumors of players potentially becoming trade options before the deadline include Matt Kemp, Prince Fielder, and Lance Berkman.

None of them seem to make sense now that Branyan has been acquired and all of them would require several prospects and, in Kemp’s situation, Major League-ready starting pitchers.

It was rumored that Seattle was looking for a catcher in any deal with Cliff Lee. Could Zduriencik pull off a trade with Pittsburgh (they have trading history) for Moses Lake, Wash., product Ryan Doumit?

Doumit would bring a veteran presence and a bat with some pop in it. He is a three-hole type hitter and along with Branyan, would revamp the middle of the Seattle batting order at a reasonable cost.

Doumit has also had some issues with Pittsburgh management that has landed him in the doghouse in the past. He is signed through 2011 with club options for 2012 and 2013.

Would a lineup of Ichiro (RF), Figgins (2B), Doumit (C), Branyan (1B/DH), Franklin Gutierrez (CF), Mike Sweeney (1B/DH), Milton Bradley (LF/DH), Jose Lopez (3B), and Jack Wilson (SS) be enough?

The Mariners have won seven of their last nine games, including a six-game winning streak, but they lost a half game in the standings to the Texas Rangers.

Texas is on pace for 98 wins. The Mariners would have to go 67-21 the rest of the way to win 98 games. Can they win 76% of their remaining games? It is unlikely, so they would need both the Rangers and Angels to stumble along the way.

Gamblin’ Jack may be looking for the right piece of the puzzle to get his team back in the race, but at his point it seems too late in the game.

If not, Branyan is simply a morale booster to help build some confidence that Jack hopes will carry over to next season.

Giving up two prospects for a 34-year old morale booster seems too costly, so look for the Mariners and Gamblin’ Jack to make another move very soon.

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Russell Branyan was just dealt for two high upside prospects, and from a team out of the playoff chase and nearly as bad as Cleveland? Yeah, right…

The Cleveland Indians have somehow managed to deal Russell Branyan to the Seattle Mariners for two prospects that seem to have some upside.

The Indians acquired outfielder Ezequiel Carrera and SS Juan Diaz today from the Mariners, in exchange for Branyan and either cash, or a player to be named later.

Carrera has hit .268 this season, with 24 runs, six doubles, two triples and 18 RBI. He’s also stolen nine bases in 14 attempts. He doesn’t strike out much (32 times in 64 games, and has a decent OBP.

Carrera was signed in April 2005 by the Mets as an undrafted free agent. After four solid seasons in the low minors for the Mets, he was dealt to Seattle in the J.J. Putz deal. In 91 games with the AA West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx, he led the league with a .337 average, while stealing 27 bases.

He played most of his games at centerfield, but also saw time in left as well. He’s not a bad get, when you consider Cleveland only gave up Branyan to get him.

I’m not sure where he fits in the grand scheme of things, but I’d take a case of beer for Branyan. Carrera will likely join Columbus as soon as possible.

The real get may turn out to be Juan Diaz, a 6’3″ shortstop playing for the High Desert Mavericks, the Mariners Advanced A team in the California League.

Over the past two seasons, he’s broken out a bit with raw skills. He’s currently batting .295, with seven homers and 41 RBI in only seven games.

Not only that, but he’s got eight stolen bases in 10 attempts. He doesn’t walk much, but his OBP is .345, so he does find a way to get on base. Last season, splitting his time in rookie ball and High Desert, he hit .317, with five homers and 30 RBI.

Obviously, this kid has some untapped potential. At 6’3″ and only 170 pounds, he’s likely going to fill out, which absolutely will improve his power.

He does have a ways to go defensively, but his offensive potential is clear. He’ll start the season off with High A Kinston.

So, is it me, or does this deal smell an awful lot like the Shin-Soo Choo or Asdrubal Cabrera deal? What are the Mariners freaking thinking?

They don’t have a chance in hell of doing anything this year, and are mulling a potential deal for Cliff Lee, who they just dealt for this year. They are 14 games back and 12 games under .500.

What was Seattle thinking? Give up two prospects for Branyan? Really? That’s almost as bad (or worst) as dealing Cabrera for Eduardo Perez or Choo for Ben Broussard. Could you imagine that deal at once?

Eddie Perez, Ben Broussard, and Russell Branyan for Choo, Asdrubal Cabrera, Juan Diaz and Ezequiel Carrera. If both those kids are busts, you make that trade 10 times over. I’m not a Shapiro fan by any stretch, but well done.

Yes, the Cleveland Indians may very well be the worst team in baseball when it’s all said and done, but Seattle may have lost their minds.

At least we can go to bed at night knowing that the Indians can steal a prospect or two every couple of years from the Mariners. Yeah, I know, Franklin Gutierrez. Don’t remind me…

Maybe this was Seattle’s way of saying thanks…

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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, 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)

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