The Rumor Roundup

We've apparently started sticking our nose where it doesn't belong again (remember trying to be the third team between the Reds and Mariners in the Griffey sweepstakes?), this time between the Orioles and Marlins, as per ESPN.com's Rumor Mill (yeah, Insider only, but now even Gammons is Insider, ESPN is trying harder and harder to get your money). Anyways, apparently last night a deal surfaced where we send Redman to Florida while the Orioles send Hayden Penn, Jorge Julio, and Larry Bigbie to the Marlins. AJ Burnett, AAA outfielder Eric Reed, and Daryle Ward head to Baltimore, while we get Mike Lowell. Lowell is in the first year of a 3 year, $25 million contract. He's only hitting .232 with 37 ribbies right now. I know I advocated trading both Redman and Ward, but I also advocate the use of common sense, and I'm not sure if blowing all of our extra cash left over from dealing our overrated, overpriced catcher on an overrated, over priced third baseman who's already 31 years old is very smart. Of course I'd expect we'd get some cash thrown in as well, which could make this a little better.

Scrolling further down on the ESPN mill, they list a bunch of potential suitors for Kip Wells, including the Cardinals, D-Backs, D-Rays, Tigers, Blue Jays, and Phillies. Honestly, he's been so bad lately everytime we let him pitch his value goes down a little. I say we see how Snell does tonight and if he pitches well, send Kip packing immediately if anyone is still interested.

Last night on the CBS Sportsline Rumor Mill a Mesa to the D-Backs blurb popped up, but it's gone already. That probably makes sense as Arizona doesn't fit Mesa's specifications (they're not anywhere near the East Coast) and he probably wouldn't pitch for them.

The Lawton rumors have dried up, so it looks like we missed the window on that one and we'll be shipping Lawton off for very little or packaging him in with Kip Wells or Mark Redman just to get him out of town. And of course none of these rumors matter if Littlefield insists on playing the entire game of Trading Deadline Poker with his hand face up on the table like he did last year with Benson.