A follow up to our earlier fanshot and tweets
Gordon Edes of Yahoo! Sports hit us with the latest on the Rays trying to get the Texas Rangers as the third team in order to satisify the Cleveland Indians thirst for young arms in a potential Cliff Lee deal.
• Tampa Bay has been aggressive in its pursuit of Cliff Lee(notes). The Rays are trying to involve the Texas Rangers as a third team in the deal, with the Indians getting top Rays pitching prospect Wade Davis(notes) and at least one young arm from the Rangers. The Rays also almost certainly will move Andy Sonnanstine(notes), perhaps to a team looking for bullpen help. The Rays also have shown considerable interest in Toronto reliever Jason Frasor, as has Detroit.
You'll also notice that Edes speculates the Rays will deal Andy Sonnanstine before the deadline and that the Rays are showing interest in Jason Frasor, who looked good today against the Rays. I'm not sure what we would get back for Sonny right now, but it probably wouldnt be much. As for Frasor and his 2.51 FIP in 09, I surely wouldn't mind seeing him inserted into the Rays bullpen.
But back to the Lee/Texas/Tampa Bay possibility. The Rangers have a handful of young arms that could be used in a potential trade, but what would they get in return?
• The Rangers, meanwhile, have shown some interest in Tampa Bay’s Scott Kazmir(notes), but apparently not if it would cost them left-hander Derek Holland(notes). The Rangers’ need for another pitcher became more acute after the news that left-hander Matt Harrison(notes) needs shoulder surgery and is out for the season. The Dodgers may also make a run at Kazmir.
I've always pegged Texas as a possible destination for Kazmir. It makes too much sense. He's a Texas native, they have been looking for starting pitching since...forever it seems and Kaz has pitched well in their ballpark albeit small sample size (2.52 ERA, 25 K's in 25 IP). From the information above, I'm guessing something like Kazmir to Texas for a young arm, presumably not Derek Holland, that arm and Wade Davis plus probably two more players to Cleveland for Cliff Lee or so that's how it would seem.
And the saga continues...