Tuesday, July 26, 2005

Redman to the Marlins?

According to today's Stark Market (Insider only, like just about anything else useful on ESPN.com these days, sorry) the Marlins view Mark Redman as a good return for Burnett if they send Burnett to the ChiSox and don't get a veteran pitcher in return. Of course the same blurb mentions that Dave Littlefield may or may not be asking for "Florida's most untouchable prospect, Jeremy Hermida, PLUS its most advanced pitching prospect, Scott Olsen." Does this remind anyone of the rumor that the Phillies offered us Ryan Howard for Benson last year, only to have Littlefield demand Chase Utley as well? Of course, Littlefield responds with, "Don't believe everything you hear or read," which can mean whatever you interpret it to mean, but it IS good advice at this point of the year, so the Hermida AND Olsen rumor may be bunk (just like the one about asking for Howard and Utley might have been, it's hard to say with these things), but there's no denying at this point Littlefield asked for Hermida (that's everywhere, ESPN rumor mill, Stark Market, Perrotto, and I think Sportsline rumor mill, but that's down at the moment and I can't double check).

Anyways, that leaves the realistic possiblities (as per the same Perrotto article) from the Marlins as Olsen alone (1-1 with a 3.98 ERA in 4 starts with the Marlins this year) Yorman Bazardo, Josh Johnson (both AA Carolina), and Jeff Allison (the "I almost OD'd and died on OxyContin" guy from Sports Illustrated about a year or so back). Perrotto also seems to think it's also possible the Marlins trade Burnett to the White Sox and get one of their top AA outfield prospects (Ryan Sweeney or Chris Young) then swing whoever they get to us for Redman. I don't know much about either of these guys so I won't pretend to, but that seems like the deal Littlefield would be most likely to accept because I doubt he's getting Hermida and I don't think he's after pitching.