Trades Rumored, Trades Made

Ryan Dempster and Anibal Sanchez were both traded today. What they have in common are that they're rental players and got a top prospect in return for nine weeks of service, which doesn't bode well for Pittsburgh's chances of landing a big name. The FO has made it plain that it isn't going to play a mortgage-the-future game. They seem to have moved on from the Upton chase, so we'll see in the next week if they have a different blockbuster in the works, add some serviceable pieces (perhaps from Indy), or something in between.

• Tom Singer of MLB.com wrote that the "Pirates may look in again on Houston's Wandy Rodriguez, who's been on market since winter. Prefer to add a lefty." He added "The Pirates are so into a lefty, beyond Wandy Rodriguez, they're also talking Francisco Liriano and, as we heard long ago, Paul Maholm."
• Rob Biertempfel of the Tribune Review posted that there is a "decent pool of pitchers on the trade market and Pirates might wade in. They have mild interest in Joe Blanton; Phils have scouted AA Altoona."
• Troy Renck of the Denver Post says the Bucs have "mild interest" in IF Mario Scutaro.
• Well, the old trade market is beginning to fall into place. Ryan Dempster is supposed to go to the Braves for Top 50 prospect RHP Randall Delgado, 22, who is having a bumpy ride (4-9, 4.42) in his rookie season.
  
• The Tigers just traded for RHP Anibal Sanchez and former Tiger 2B Omar Infante of the Fish (told ya the Bucs drove Miami into seller mode) for 21 year old RHP Jacob Turner, Motown's #1 pick in 2009 and top ranked prospect going into 2012, along with minor leaguers C Rob Brantly, 23, their #7 prospect, and 22 year old, 6'8" AA-LHP Brian Flynn. They also exchanged competitive lottery pick positions. Wonder if the Bucs are kicking Josh Johnson's tires yet?
  
• Jack Curry of YES (Yankees Entertainment and Sports) tweeted that "The Yankees have acquired (Seattle's) Ichiro Suzuki for RHPs DJ Mitchell and Danny Fahrquhar." Icharo ain't what he used to be (.261 BA), and the return ain't much, either - Farhquhar isn't even on the 40 man roster and was DFA'ed by Oakland in June. The Yankees also got cash in the deal, like they need it. Nice, low risk deal for the Bronx Bombers; the new Yankee Stadium could get Icharo's bat cracking again after a lifetime at Safeco.