Fourth Place Team

Lost again yesterday in Colorado. This now brings us to six games under .500 and fourth place in the Central (7.5 games out). We have the third worst record in the American League (KC and Seattle are worse) and not a lot of reason to think things are going to get turned around.

So when is it time to start shopping our players? Unless an insane deal is offered, might as well wait until after the All-Star break to see if there is any chance of a run by the team. Players like Blake, Carroll, and Dellucci will have some value as bench players (shouldn’t be starting for anyone) and there is probably a bullpen arm or two that is expendable. But we all know who the big prize of the trading season will be. I’m sure Tribe management already know if they have any chance of signing C.C. and if he is heavily shopped in the next month we will likely know as well.

Paul Hoynes in a piece for the Plain Dealer put together a likely list of trade partners.

Yankees: They just lost Chien-Ming Wang to a foot injury. They're desperate for a No.1 starter and have young pitching to trade. Then again, the Yankees just might wait until the off-season and overwhelm Sabathia with so much money he can't say no.

That way they keep their prospects and get Sabathia as well. But they might miss the postseason.

Phillies: The NL East leaders believe they're one starter short of going to the World Series. Charlie Manuel was Sabathia's first big-league manager, but the Phillies don't know if they have enough to get Sabathia. One bargaining chip could be outfielder Shane Victorino.

Would GM Pat Gillick try to deliver a World Series to the Phillies in what reportedly is his last year on the job?

Cubs: How far would the Cubs go to break their 100-year World Series championship drought? Lou Piniella would probably make a deal for Sabathia today.

Red Sox: The Red Sox, like the Yankees, wouldn't give up their young pitchers for Johan Santana last winter. They'd probably stick their toe in these negotiations, but would wait until the off-season to make a real run at Sabathia.

Tampa Bay: The Rays are finally a winner and they have prospects to deal. What about renting Sabathia for the stretch drive to try and overtake Boston in the AL East or win the wild card?

Angels: The Angels have plenty of pitching, but Sabathia would make them better. Sabathia is a West Coast guy and the Angels might have a better chance of keeping him as well.

To me C.C. doesn’t make a lot of sense for the Rays or Angels. Both have the pieces to trade for C.C. but it wouldn’t seem the extreme need is there to give up valuable prospects. Phillies could very much use Sabathia but id Shane Victorino is the key piece, why would we want that? Is he an upgrade over Ben Francisco or Shin-Shoo Choo? Unless it becomes a three way deal and Victorino gets ship elsewhere, it doesn’t make a lot of sense. The Red Sox have the resources to be involved with any star player and would get involved just to drive the price up for the Yankees. However, if Dice-K is fine they don’t have a pressing need for C.C. with Lester and Masterson pitching well and Buchholz available in the minors. Cubs and Yankees do have the need for C.C (especially if Zambrano’s injury is bad). Yankees obviously are not going to be giving us Cano or Chamberlain, but how about Hughes and Austin Jackson? Can we get Rich Hill from the Cubs?