Infield Chatter takes a weekly, in-depth look at rumors and trends that will affect your Fantasy strategy.

Earlier this week, Johnny Damon reminded the Boston Globe he no longer owns a house in the area. Damon, who now rents, has been surrounded by trade rumors since last season. The latest published reports have him as part of a mega-deal that would bring Carlos Beltran to Boston.

Damon, who began his career in Kansas City, would be sent to Seattle with the erratic Byung-Hyun Kim. The Royals would land Freddy Garcia, who has been surrounded by trade speculation recently, and Beltran would end up replacing Damon in Boston.

This is not the first time that Damon's name has been mentioned in such a deal. In fact, a similar scenario involving the three teams made the rounds last year. Damon's Fantasy value would not take a notable jump if he is traded to Seattle. He might see a slight decrease in runs scored, but wouldn't take a major drop overall.

The trade would benefit Kim more, who is now in the minor leagues. Kim, who has also been rumored to be the subject of talks with the A's, is now sitting on many reserve or free-agent lists. With the Mariners, he could get a chance to replace the disappointing Gil Meche in the rotation. Kim has always been inconsistent, but he can still be very useful.

Garcia has pitched well this year, yet he has been one of the biggest victims of Seattle's offensive outage. Garcia has won just one game despite a 2.34 ERA. He has already had no-decisions in three games that he allowed no or one earned runs. Garcia would land in Kansas City, but the Royals are hitting .260, one point below Seattle. So a move to the Royals would not necessarily guarantee more wins, even though Kansas City has scored 13 more runs than Seattle.

There have already been major rumblings that Garcia could be dealt to the Yankees, who are in desperate need to fill a starting spot that has become a source of tireless frustration. For now, Jose Contreras is back in the rotation, yet he often has looked like he should be pitching batting practice instead of in games.

Garcia has already said he would "love" to be traded to the Yankees if a deal is made, causing a rush of controversy back in Seattle. His Fantasy owners would absolutely love such a move as well. Garcia is a free agent at the end of the season, and the Mariners are currently trying to decide whether to sign him or trade him.

Garcia's camp has indicated he would not be willing to negotiate during the season, increasing the odds he will be traded. The Mariners have a dire need to pump life into a sagging offense, and Damon can give them the spark they need. The Red Sox would probably like nothing more than to add another elite player to help them beat out the Yankees, and acquiring Beltran would appease many fans who are still sore over the Alex Rodriguez fiasco.

The three-way trade makes sense for all of the teams involved, and would rekindle Kim's Fantasy appeal. If it doesn't come to fruition, though, a Garcia move to the Yankees would thrill some Fantasy owners and possibly demand another counter-move from the Red Sox.

Drowning Pirate

Before the season, many experts and onlookers were predicting a breakout year for Pirates outfielder Tike Redman. He played well last season after being called up in the second half, and impressed owners with his extra-base potential and aggressive approach as a base-stealer.

This season, however, has not even neared the All-Star break and Redman has apparently lost his grip on the starting center-field job. Redman did not start in two straight games over the weekend. Manager Lloyd McClendon told reporters he wanted Redman to spend more time with hitting coach Gerald Perry.

While Redman was sitting Sunday, the sometimes-amazing Rob Mackowiak hit a pair of home runs. Mackowiak has excited owners in the past before disappointing them with long cold spells. Mackowiak, however, has been known to produce runs in bunches when he is hot, and could keep Redman on the bench more.

Not being able to keep a spot in the thin Pittsburgh lineup is grounds for being released from a Fantasy roster. You can already label Redman a bust. He has frustrated his owners with a clear inability to steal bases anywhere near the level expected, and he has been hitting like he belongs in the minors. Unless you play in a keeper league, don't hesitate to release Redman, and ride Mackowiak until he predictably fizzles.

Scott Engel is the 2003 champion of the Krause Publications Experts League.