WAIVER trades made after today’s 4 p.m. deadline can be blocked by general managers not wanting to be yelled at by their bosses for not getting the player who ended up dealt to the competition. So there is a measure of urgency to the annual trading deadline.
With deadlines come trade discussions, and branching off those are rumors. The Hot Stove League is for the winter. This summer has been hotter than any stove, so welcome to the Hotter Than A Stove League.
The Red Sox, Mets and Braves all are vying for the services of Expos outfielder Cliff Floyd, who has been in a funk since being traded north of the border by the Marlins.
Each city appeals to Floyd to varying degrees. He loves New York and everything about it, even manager Bobby Valentine. The men long ago patched up differences stemming from his original exclusion from the National League All-Star roster in 2001. Floyd’s a bright-lights guy all the way.
Floyd likes Boston in part because he is close with hitting coach Tommy Harper, who taught him how to become a better hitter when they were together in Floyd’s first stay with the Expos.
Floyd would fit smoothly into the Braves’ clubhouse mix and he would enjoy joining Gary Sheffield for another World Series run, but playing in Atlanta doesn’t appeal to him as much as playing in New York.
The Braves have been working on a three-way trade involving Oakland in making a late run at Floyd, a deal Floyd could scotch if he chooses. In his contract, Floyd names Oakland as a franchise to which he can’t be traded without his consent. Even though Oakland would turn around and immediately deal Floyd to Atlanta, Floyd could block Oakland from playing the middle man.
If it’s my fingers on the purse strings of the Mets’ budget, I put a temporary no-trade clause in Steve Phillips’ contract and exempt only one player from that clause: Floyd.
He’s the lone remaining name on the market exciting enough to stir up the roster.
The Red Sox shaped up as the leaders to land the former Fish as of 24 hours before the trading deadline. They were discussing a package for Floyd that included right-hander Rolando Arrojo, hot second base prospect Freddy Sanchez and a third name as yet undetermined.
Expos general manager Omar Minaya, blasted for dealing reliever Scott Strickland to his former team for Bruce Chen, then turning around and dealing Chen for a pitcher not as proven as Strickland, is believed to be reluctant to deal with the Mets, based on fool-me-once-shame-on-you, fool-me-twice-shame-on-me logic.
Minaya is high on Timo Perez, though as of yesterday not high enough to want to acquire him straight up for Floyd. The problem in trying to acquire Floyd without parting with the key prospects they must keep, the Mets can’t put together as attractive an offer for Floyd as can the Red Sox. The Expos can’t have Jose Reyes, period.
Giants right-hander Livan Hernandez and Royals righty Paul Byrd also could be had, though they aren’t difference-makers now and into the future the way Floyd is.
The Giants, scared sick about next year’s payroll inflation, want to wipe the $3.6 million Hernandez has coming off the books. Their eagerness to part with El Duque’s half-brother, even if it means dealing him to a wild-card competitor, has the Mets asking themselves this logical question: If the Giants are so eager to get rid of him, why should we be eager to trade for him?
The Mets aren’t eager to get him, though if they do anything before the trading deadline, there is a better chance it will be a trade for Hernandez than for any other big name.
Byrd, on pace to win 20 games despite pitching for a lousy team and bringing marginal stuff to the mound every fifth night, would be an upgrade over Jeff D’Amico at the back of the Mets’ rotation, just not enough of an upgrade to justify parting with serious prospects. Byrd was awful in June and because his location must be so precise to succeed, he’s forever a threat to go into long slumps.
The Royals have insisted on getting a quality second base prospect for Byrd and were told no thank you by the Red Sox, who need a big-time player in return if Sanchez is going to be included in the deal.
The Yankees? Hey, Boss, it looks as if Floyd will end up with the Red Sox, Braves or Mets, unless, of course, you want to take him off the market. Just kidding, George.