Rumor Mill Roundup: July 28

With the trade deadline right around the corner, our MLB editor brings you the top five rumors every day until July 31.

- The Blue Jays are back above the .500 mark and might not even be willing to deal right-handed pitcher A.J. Burnett at this point, but if they decide to move him, the Cardinals remain the most likely destination. Burnett, an Arkansas native, grew up rooting for St. Louis and Tony La Russa's club could use a pitching upgrade, particularly following Milwaukee's acquisition of CC Sabathia and Chicago's acquisition of Rich Harden.


For now, GM John Mozeliak appears resolved to wait and see what the rehabbing Adam Wainwright and Chris Carpenter can provide and pursue relief help. Still, it's hard not to wonder about Burnett, particularly as the Cardinals muse about converting Wainwright back to relief for the remainder of the season. Wouldn't St. Louis look a lot tougher to beat if on Aug. 1 Burnett was in the rotation and Wainwright was closing out games as he did when the Cardinals won the World Series in 2006?

- Other than the Rockies, the Braves have been the toughest team to figure out over the last few weeks as they vacillate between punting the season and going for it in the NL East. Even as they move closer and closer to dumping Mark Teixeira, the team has apparently been working on a deal for Pittsburgh's Jason Bay, which was only nixed when Pirates' ownership stepped into the fray. Bay has long been thought to be the Bucs' best trade chip, but that's made the price tag too steep for many clubs. Still, Atlanta was close to dealing a package of four prospects, including Brent Lillibridge and Brandon Jones, for the left fielder. For a team like the Braves, with little hope of contending this year, that might seem strange, but Atlanta expects to be back in the hunt in 2009 and Bay is already under contract for next season.

- Despite how unlikely it is that Manny Ramirez will be moved before the deadline, the slugger's unhappiness has made rumors a daily staple. The Red Sox are believed to have talked to a handful of National League clubs about Ramirez. The Mets are one of those clubs, but there are conflicting reports out of New York about their interest. GM Omar Minaya has long been enchanted by Ramirez's bat, but his recent transgressions might have soured that interest, and the Mets could probably only offer a package enticing enough to get someone like Raul Ibanez anyway. The Phillies are the other team that has been prominently connected with Ramirez, but as Phil Hagen of the Philadelphia Daily News points out, any potential deal would either have to include Pat Burrell or require either Burrell or Ramirez to play right field (yikes). The Red Sox would probably love to replace Ramirez with someone like Burrell, but that should tell Philadelphia all it needs to know.

And for those wondering if Ramirez would really accept just any old trade Boston put together, the Providence Journal's Sean McAdam says the left fielder would go anywhere as long as he got a guarantee that his 2009 option wouldn't be picked up.

- The Yankees and Mariners are in a holding pattern on a trade that would send left-hander Jarrod Washburn from Seattle to New York. Just as with the team's 2006 acquisition of Bobby Abreu, New York views Washburn as strictly a salary dump, and expects the M's to eventually send the pitcher to the Big Apple for marginal prospects and payroll relief. However, Seattle might have more leverage than New York thinks, points out Geoff Baker. The team could likely sneak Washburn through waivers after July 31, meaning they have a much longer window to deal the hurler.

- The Tigers will not be adding shortstop Jack Wilson at the deadline. The Dodgers, without Rafael Furcal after a blistering start to the season and currently playing Angel Berroa at short most days, remain the favorite to land Wilson from Pittsburgh.