I'll conclude my series on possible July 31 major league deadline trade targets with a look at the Western Divisions.
Texas Rangers
Most of the Rangers 2007 free agents have to stay healthy and, given their track record, that's an open question. Eric Gagne and Brad Wilkerson both could be pretty decent pick ups at the deadline, but that's assuming health, which is a big if with both of these guys. Kenny Lofton is another player who could move and wind up slotting in as a starter or a platoon guy for a contender. Sammy Sosa also signed a one-year deal. The way he's hitting he might also have some value, though he's playing for peanuts so the Rangers won't have much incentive to deal him for nothing.
Like the Twins, the Rangers also have an intriguing situation with a 2008 free agent. Obviously he won't be quite as coveted as Johan Santana, but Mark Teixeira would be quite a prize if someone could grab him at the deadline. Scott Boras represents Teixeira, so I think there's actually a change Tex could move this year.
Colorado Rockies
There are a lot of potential free agents here, but all of them are very low impact. Jeremy Affeldt and Tom Martin are lefthanded, and there aren't many lefthanded free agents to be, so they might actually be traded. Other pitchers are Josh Fogg, Latroy Hawkins and recently acquired Jorge Julio. The hitting side is pretty bare...Steve Finley, anyone? Brian Fuentes and Aaron Cook are 2008 free agents, but I suspect they'll stay.
Seattle Mariners
The Mariners are 4 1/2 games out of first as I write this, so this is more of a guess than anything else. Ichiro Suzuki is another one of those names that would create huge headlines if he moved. I have a hard time picturing the Mariners moving Ichiro, free agent or not. He's such a draw in Seattle and even fans in Japan buy plenty of Ichiro merchandise. Jose Guillen and Chris Reitsma are the other pieces that could move in a deal. 2008 free agents who could move are Ben Broussard, Raul Ibanez and Richie Sexson. Broussard could get moved regardless of his contract status. Ibanez is underpriced in this market (due $5.5M in 2007 and 2008), and isn't ancient at 35. I think he's a player who won't age well, but that won't necessarily stop someone from making a run at him.
Sexson would be harder to move unless the Mariners ate some of the $14M remaining on his contract next year and the balanced of the $14M he's owed this year. His current performance is terrible, though, and even though he's always been a second-half player (800 OPS pre-All-Star; 937 OPS post-All Star) his putrid numbers so far have to be sending up some red flags. I could see Sexson supplanting Mientkiewicz in New York if the Yanks decide to suck it up like they did with Abreu last year if the Yanks got desperate.
Arizona Diamondbacks
Like the Mariners, the Diamondbacks are in the race (2 games out), but might not be ready yet to mortage the future to play for this year. If they do slump, I could see them bailing out. They only have four 2007 free agents, but three of them (Eric Byrnes, Tony Clark and Livan Hernandez) could help out a contender. Clark would be a pinch hitter, but Byrnes could start elsewhere and Livan, despite his awful peripherals, would probably be viewed as "gutty" by some contender.
Randy Johnson would be the long shot 2008 free agent to be dealt here. His new contract language is confusing, but it appears that he still has a full no-trade clause, and I suspect that Johnson doesn't want to go back East again. The Yankees obviously would be out as a suitor, and that wouldn't leave many teams I believe Johnson would play for.
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