This is a pitching rumor I can get behind — Tom Haudricourt is saying that the Brewers have had discussions with the Tampa Bay Rays about Matt Garza.
Like Shaun Marcum, Garza has generally been a very good #2 type in the AL East. And like Marcum, this is his second arbitration-eligible winter. Garza is a Super Two, though, so he won’t be a free agent until after the 2013 season. I don’t know if you can find a better guy for the Brewers to target than Garza.
Of course, that also makes him a player of interest to quite a few other teams, and a valuable trade chip for the Rays. They’re a smart organization that won’t let him go without getting something significant in return. Despite the fact that the Brewers made it clear that they’re not looking to move Lorenzo Cain, Phil Rogers of the Chicago Tribune says Cain is a player the Rays would want to target.
I really like Lo. I like that he got worried when he saw his name in trade rumors because he likes it in Milwaukee so much. But if that’s all it takes to get three years of Matt Garza, sign me up (of course, it’s extremely unlikely that would be the case). As much as I like Cain, he’s still a guy who’s more likely to be a solid regular than a star. Put Garza in the National League and I think he could be a frontline starter. Just like in the Lawrie-Marcum deal, both teams would be dealing from a strength here.
It makes a lot of sense, but if the Rays play their hand right, they could end up getting a lot more than Cain. The Rangers are apparently interested in Garza if they can’t get Cliff Lee or Zack Greinke. I’m sure they wouldn’t be the only losers of the Lee and Greinke races to be interested if the Rays officially put Garza on the market.
For once, this is a rumor I hope has legs.
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