If not Teixeira, what about Holliday? The Angels are on the Braves' list of possible Teixeira trading partners, but Angels owner Arte Moreno told The Los Angeles Times over the weekend that he's not interested in a rental player.
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"I don't see anyone that can come in here for two months and hand me a World Series trophy," Moreno said.
OK, then what about someone who would come in for a year and two months? In other words, how about
The Rockies consider the Angels enough of a possibility for Holliday that they're dispatching a scout to follow Triple-A Salt Lake this week. The Angels also could have interest in Rockies third baseman Garrett Atkins and closer Brian Fuentes.
The only thing is, the Rockies still aren't completely sure they want to trade Holliday. Like the Braves, they're on the verge of contention, just seven games out in the awful NL West. The Rockies swept Pittsburgh over the weekend, and their remaining July schedule (home against the Dodgers, then a trip to Cincinnati and Pittsburgh) is weak enough that they might get closer to first place before the deadline.
In fact, one Rockies person speculated Sunday that not only will the Rockies hold on to Holliday (who can't be a free agent until after next year), but that they won't trade Atkins or Fuentes, either.
"I've got a feeling we don't trade anyone," the official said. "I hope we don't."
Fuentes remains a hot name, but the Rockies say they still haven't received one offer even worth considering. The Phillies have been the most persistent team, but the Rockies say they would want every bit as much for Fuentes as the A's got for Joe Blanton (in fact, the Rockies were interested in some of the exact same players who the Phils traded for Blanton).
The Tigers and Brewers also talked to Colorado about Fuentes, but those conversations were said to have been brief. The Rays, who have been rumored as a Fuentes destination, have yet to talk to the Rockies about him.
The Dodgers get desperate: The Dodgers have been searching everywhere for a shortstop, and with Takashi Saito out for six weeks or more, they could use a closer, too. You'd like to think that at least their rotation is set, but then you hear that they're starting Jason Johnson on Tuesday in Colorado.
Johnson hasn't started a big-league game since Aug. 18, 2006. He hasn't won a big-league game since May 28, 2006. He spent last year in Japan, where he was sent to the minor leagues. He's been with six teams in the last four years, and hasn't made many friends with any of them.
The Rays get better: Tampa Bay won a series from Toronto over the weekend, bouncing back from its pre-break stumble. Other good news for the Rays: Closer Troy Percival's return from the disabled list.
The next question is whether the Rays will be active before the non-waiver deadline. While the expectation has been that they will -- and that they have the prospects to do it -- there were some suggestions over the weekend that the Rays will rely more on help from within.
The Rays have been so encouraged by the progress of outfielder Rocco Baldelli that they say they might not have to trade for a right-handed bat. Baldelli is playing at Double-A Montgomery, and Rays senior vice president Gerry Hunsicker is heading there to watch him this week.
Montgomery also features David Price, the top pick in the 2007 draft, who was very impressive this spring. The word at Tropicana Field is that Price might join the Rays within the next few weeks.
