Getting rid of a top pitcher during the season is not a good way to boost your chances of making the playoffs, and I highly doubt Z would do that. And we can't trade him in the off season since he's a free agent.
So Fister or Vargas are the only current starters who might be traded. They would bring back A LOT, and I'm sure Z will see what he can get for them as he should.
We also have a some interesting minor leaguers who are expendable, like Alex Liddi, who could be added to a deal to get an even better player.
However, I don't think that trading away pitchers is something this org needs to do. Everyone seems to think that the M's are overflowing with starting pitchers and has to get rid of some, but I don't think that is the case. Right now we only 5 quality starters who are Major league ready (the five guys currently in the rotation). If one of the gets hurt, which should be expected since pitchers are so unreliable, we'll be forced to use a scrub like French.
The situation isn't much better for the beginning of next season since the only other guy who might (MIGHT) be ready help out is James Paxton. That leaves only 6 starters if Bedard is re-signed (which he should). That still leaves us thin (although better than the vast majority of teams who struggle to find 4 quality starters) and so the team should not be aggressive in trading away pitchers until some of those young guys actually get to Triple-A and produce.
As for our offense, I think people are still letting the impression formed from the start of the season affect how they look at this team going forward. This team is already dramatically different than just two months ago and so it should be better going forward. Further, there is a lot of good talent that should improve by the time next year comes. Take a look at the Opening Day lineup the M's trotted out:
Ichiro
Chone Figgins (terrible)
Milton Bradley (terrible)
Jack Cust (bleh)
Justin Smoak
Miguel Olivo
Ryan Langerhans (junk)
Brendan Ryan
Jack Wilson (terrible)
That's a really weak lineup that was miserably unproductive. But take a look what the team could do next year even if they don't make any trades and only add one free agent who can easily fit in the current budget:
Ichiro RF
Dustin Ackley 2nd
Justin Smoak 1st
Prince Fielder DH
Franklin Gutierrez/Greg Halman CF
Carlos Peguero/Mike Carp LF
Adam Kennedy 3rd
Miguel Olivo C
Brendan Ryan SS
That's a dramatically younger lineup that should be far more productive. If you combine that with an elite pitching staff, you should have 90 wins in the bag.
- Cool Papa Bell
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