This article is part of our In Some Depth series.
So which players are going to be on the move this year? Who could be in line for more playing time with roles becoming vacant?
I am not currently, nor have I previously, been a general manager for a major league club. Hence, I can not describe with any intimate detail the thought process that goes into selling players on a sliding team. However, I can safely assume a player with fewer years of club control will generally be more tradable than a guy who is signed to be in town for the next decade. Losing clubs may be increasingly less desirous to hold onto expiring contracts in the wake of a new collective bargaining agreement that will be less generous with compensatory selections in the subsequent Amateur draft. Then again, more teams may be in self-denial about their postseason chances if they are within sniffing distance of the second Wild Card slot toward the end of July.
So for this exercise, I picked out the ten clubs with the worst winning percentages and then identified players whose contracts will expire after the 2012 or 2013 season (not including options). I then picked a few players who could chance into extra playing time if their clubs do wind up being sellers.
Teams are listed from "best" to worst, and their players are grouped into those whose contracts will expire after the 2012 season and those who will no longer be under club control in November of 2013. After each player's
So which players are going to be on the move this year? Who could be in line for more playing time with roles becoming vacant?
I am not currently, nor have I previously, been a general manager for a major league club. Hence, I can not describe with any intimate detail the thought process that goes into selling players on a sliding team. However, I can safely assume a player with fewer years of club control will generally be more tradable than a guy who is signed to be in town for the next decade. Losing clubs may be increasingly less desirous to hold onto expiring contracts in the wake of a new collective bargaining agreement that will be less generous with compensatory selections in the subsequent Amateur draft. Then again, more teams may be in self-denial about their postseason chances if they are within sniffing distance of the second Wild Card slot toward the end of July.
So for this exercise, I picked out the ten clubs with the worst winning percentages and then identified players whose contracts will expire after the 2012 or 2013 season (not including options). I then picked a few players who could chance into extra playing time if their clubs do wind up being sellers.
Teams are listed from "best" to worst, and their players are grouped into those whose contracts will expire after the 2012 season and those who will no longer be under club control in November of 2013. After each player's name, I listed a few guys who could receive playing time, or enjoy extra job security, in the wake of a potential trade. Players with an asterisk (*) enjoy some sort of no-trade protection.
All salary info found on Cot's Baseball Contracts over at Baseball Prospectus.
Oakland A's (.475)
Expiring in 2012:
Brandon Inge (Eric Sogard, Josh Donaldson, Brandon Hicks)
Brian Fuentes (Jerry Blevins, Ryan Cook, Grant Balfour)
Grant Balfour (Jerry Blevins, Ryan Cook, Brian Fuentes)
Bartolo Colon (A.J. Griffin, Brad Peacock, Graham Godfrey, Tyson Ross, Travis Banwart)
Jonny Gomes (Colin Cowgill, Kila Ka'aihue, Seth Smith, Michael Taylor, Grant Green)
Brandon McCarthy (A.J. Griffin, Brad Peacock, Graham Godfrey, Tyson Ross, Travis Banwart)
Expiring in 2013:
Coco Crisp (Colin Cowgill, Seth Smith, Michael Taylor, Grant Green)
Kurt Suzuki (Derek Norris)
Kansas City Royals (.455)
Expiring in 2012:
Jonathan Broxton (Aaron Crow, Greg Holland, Jose Mijares)
Yuniesky Betancourt (Chris Getz, Irving Falu, Johnny Giavotella)
Expiring in 2013:
Jeff Francoeur (Mitch Maier, Jason Bourgeois, Will Myers, Derrick Robinson)
Bruce Chen (Jake Odorizzi, Mike Montgomery, Vin Mazzoro)
Brewers (.462)
Expiring in 2012:
Zach Greinke (Michael Fiers, Marco Estrada, Wily Peralta, Mark Rogers, Tyler Thornburg)
Randy Wolf (Michael Fiers, Marco Estrada, Wily Peralta, Mark Rogers, Tyler Thornburg)
Francisco Rodriguez
Shaun Marcum (Michael Fiers, Marco Estrada, Wily Peralta, Mark Rogers, Tyler Thornburg)
Cesar Izturis (Cody Ransom, Edwin Maysonet, Jeff Bianchi)
Livan Hernandez
Expiring in 2013:
Corey Hart (Travis Ishikawa, Taylor Green, Sean Halton)
Carlos Gomez (Nyjer Morgan, Logan Schafer, Corey Patterson)
Phillies (.444)
Expiring in 2012:
Cole Hamels (Scott Elarton, Tyler Cloyd, Tom Cochran, Pat Misch, Kyle Kendrick)
Joe Blanton (Scott Elarton, Tyler Cloyd, Tom Cochran, Pat Misch, Kyle Kendrick)
Shane Victorino* (John Mayberry, Jason Pridie, Dominic Brown)
Placido Polanco (Mike Fontenot, Ty Wigginton, Michael Martinez, Hector Luna)
Ty Wigginton (John Mayberry, Hector Luna, Laynce Nix)
Carlos Ruiz (Brian Schneider, Erik Kratz)
Juan Pierre (John Mayberry, Jason Pridie, Dominic Brown)
Expiring in 2013:
Roy Halladay*(Scott Elarton, Tyler Cloyd, Tom Cochran, Pat Misch, Kyle Kendrick)
Chase Utley*(Michael Martinez, Pete Orr, Mike Fontenot)
Hunter Pence (John Mayberry, Jason Pridie, Dominic Brown)
Laynce Nix
Minnesota Twins (.423)
Expiring in 2012:
Carl Pavano*, Francisco Liriano (Liam Hendricks, Cole De Vries)
Matt Capps (Glen Perkins, Jared Burton)
Expiring in 2013:
Justin Morneau (Chris Parmelee)
Jamey Carroll (Alexi Casilla, Tsuyoshi Nishioka)
Nick Blackburn
Alexi Casilla (Jamey Carroll, Tsuyoshi Nishioka)
Seattle Mariners (.420)
Expiring in 2012:
Ichiro Suzuki* (Chone Figgins, Casper Wells, Michael Saunders, Trayvon Robinson, Carlos Peguero)
Brandon League
Miguel Olivo (John Jaso, Miguel Montero, Adam Moore)
Kevin Millwood (Blake Beavan, Danny Hultzen, Erasomo Ramirez)
Expiring in 2013:
Chone Figgins (Casper Wells, Mike Carp, Carlos Peguero)
Franklin Gutierrez (Casper Wells, Michael Saunders, Trayvon Robinson, Carlos Peguero)
Jason VargasBlake Beavan, Danny Hultzen, Erasomo Ramirez)
Brendan Ryan (Muneori Kawasaki, Luis Rodriguez)
Astros (.405)
Expiring in 2012:
Carlos Lee* (Brett Wallace, Matt Downs)
Brett Myers (Brandon Lyon, Fernando Rodriguez, Wesley Wright)
Brandon Lyon
Chris Snyder (Jason Castro, Landon Powell)
Expiring in 2013:
Wandy Rodriguez (Jordan Lyles, Dallas Keuchel)
Colorado Rockies (.385)
Expiring in 2012:
Marco Scutaro (Chris Nelson, Jon Herrera)
Jason Giambi (Tyler Colvin)
Jeff Francis (Jeremy Guthrie, Jhoulys Chacin, Alex White, Tyler Chatwood, Guillermo Moscoso, Edwar Cabrera)
Jeremy Guthrie
Expiring in 2013:
Todd Helton (Tyler Colvin, Michael Cuddyer, Jason Giambi)
Rafael Betancourt (Matt Belisle)
Ramon Hernandez (Wilin Rosario)
Matt Belisle
San Diego Padres (.375)
Expiring in 2012:
Huston Street (Dale Thayer, Luke Gregorson, Joe Thatcher)
Carlos Quentin (Jesus Guzman, Mark Kotsay, , Chris Denorfia)
Jason Bartlett (Everth Cabrera, Alexi Amarista)
Jason Marquis (Ross Ohlendorf, Kip Wells, Casey Kelly, Matt Palmer, Eric Stults)
Mark Kotsay
Expiring in 2013:
Edinson Volquez (Ross Ohlendorf, Kip Wells, Casey Kelly, Matt Palmer, Eric Stults)
Dustin Moseley
Chris Denorfia (Will Venable, Jesus Guzman, Mark Kotsay)
Cubs (.372)
Expiring in 2012:
Ryan Dempster (Travis Wood, Casey Coleman, Randy Wells, Chris Volstad)
Paul Maholm (Travis Wood, Casey Coleman, Randy Wells, Chris Volstad)
Jeff Baker
Reed Johnson
Shawn Camp
Expiring in 2013:
Carlos Marmol (James Russell)
Matt Garza (Travis Wood, Casey Coleman, Randy Wells, Chris Volstad)
Geovany Soto (Steve Clevenger, Wellington Castillo)
David DeJesus (Tony Campana, Joe Mather, Reed Johnson)
