Nine Unassisted: V-Mart on block, Halladay hiding, Milledge up
Let's go all baseball/all rumors today. If you're looking for spins on yesterday's deals, Mr. Pianowski has you covered here, here and here. If instead you're looking for an Octodog, here you go.
• Now that Cliff Lee(notes) is in Philly and the Tribe appears to be playing for 2011, league officials reportedly "expect" Victor Martinez(notes) to be dealt. It's not clear how many teams are bidding against the Red Sox, though. V-Mart isn't outrageously expensive ($7M in '10), but, as Let's Go Tribe puts it, "with the team poised for a significant financial loss and free agency additions out of the question," Cleveland is likely to shed salary wherever they can. Kelly Shoppach(notes) figures to benefit short-term from a Martinez deal, but 23-year-old Carlos Santana is the future. He's hitting .275/.396/.536 at Double-A with 19 home runs. [Cleveland Plain Dealer]
• One more Cleveland note: Trevor Crowe(notes) gets the call to replace Ben Francisco(notes). Crowe hasn't distinguished himself at the major league level just yet (.169 AVG), but he's batting .297 at Triple-A with 14 stolen bases. Matt LaPorta(notes) remains in the minors; he's looking like a September call-up. [MLB.com]
• How will Roy Halladay(notes) spend the hours before the trade deadline? "I’m going to lock myself in the room and hide," he says, per Tim Brown. The Dodgers reportedly aren't interested in parting with the five or six top prospects that the Jays are asking for in a Halladay deal. [Heyman]
• Outfielder Lastings Milledge(notes) will finally join the Bucs, and he's immediately in play in mixed formats. Delightfully, Milledge will make his Pittsburgh debut against the Nats on Friday. [Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]
• The Cubs are apparently considering platoon partners for Milton Bradley(notes), which is silly for a variety of reasons. The Sun-Times reports that Mark Teahen(notes) and Jeremy Hermida(notes) are on the radar. Root for a Hermida deal, not because it helps the Cubs, but because it could lead to a Cameron Maybin(notes) recall. [Chicago Sun-Times]
• Don't interpret the Hermida news as an indication that the Fish are sellers, however. They claim not to be. The Marlins are rumored to be in on Heath Bell(notes), and the Pads are apparently looking for pitching in return. [Rosenthal]
• The Tigers are strangely quiet. Too quiet, given their position in the standings and their various needs. "We have absolutely nothing going on to my knowledge," says Jim Leyland. [MLive.com]
• The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel's Tom Haudricourt suggests that a Jarrod Washburn(notes) deal has been ruled out, but recall Geoff Baker's comment yesterday about the M's lefty: "No chance now that he sticks with Seattle beyond the deadline." [Twitter]
• OK, this one last thing isn't a trade rumor, but it's kind of a nutty story stirred up by Peter Gammons: Would MLB actually take the 2012 All-Star Game away from Kansas City? [KC Star, h/t Circling the Bases]
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