Cashman, Epstein, the Rays’ Andrew Friedman and Rangers’ Jon Daniels are among the GMs who explore just about every deal imaginable; you can connect them to virtually any available player and rarely be wrong.
Alex Anthopoulos, join the club.
Anthopoulos, the Blue Jays’ GM, has inquired on Padres closer Heath Bell, according to major-league sources. He is in on Rockies right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez, according to several reports. And he even is pursuing Astros lefty Wandy Rodriguez, sources say.
Rodriguez seems cost-prohibitive – his $13 million club option for 2014 becomes a player option if he is traded, increasing his remaining obligation to nearly $40 million. The Yankees and other clubs also worry about how his performance would translate to the American League.
Reasonable concerns, but what if the Jays or another club could persuade the Astros to pay enough of Rodriguez’s salary to make him, say, a $7 million pitcher? The Astros likely would be willing to make such a deal, knowing it would land them better prospects.
Anthopoulos still might balk, but if nothing else he is exploring his options.
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/MLB-trade-deadline-gms-and-teams-to-watch-072611
