If you thought the MLB hot stove would temporarily switch to the off position for the holidays, think again.
After all, some teams still have needs to be met, and the number of days until pitchers and catchers report to spring training is dwindling. It should come as no surprise, then, that there has been speculation around the league regarding potential trade targets.
With that in mind, here is a look at some of the latest trade rumors and whispers from the diamond.
Orioles and Padres Talking Outfield
The San Diego Padres have excess outfielders after their dramatic overhaul this offseason, and the Baltimore Orioles have some holes to fill. This is a match made in trade heaven.
Eduardo A. Encina of The Baltimore Sun suggested as much:
According to sources, dialogue continues between the Orioles and the San Diego Padres, who have a surplus of outfielders after acquiring Matt Kemp, Wil Myers and Justin Upton this month.
The Padres need to move some outfielders, and left-handed hitters Seth Smith and Will Venable are drawing the most interest from the Orioles.
The Orioles watched both Nelson Cruz and Nick Markakis leave and now need some outfielders to fill the void. They could also use a left-handed batter to balance the lineup, and both Seth Smith and Will Venable hit from that side.
Venable hit only .224 on the season with eight home runs and 33 RBI, but seven of those long balls came against right-handed pitching, and his on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS) was a full 125 points higher against righties. As for Smith, he hit all 12 of his homers against right-handers and boasted a .814 OPS, compared to a .744 OPS against southpaws.
There may be some concerns with starting either player on a day-to-day basis considering the vast differences in splits and the fact that the Orioles will face a number of lefties next season, but Encina noted that Baltimore is not opposed to a platoon situation in the outfield.
A.J. Cole
Pete Kerzel of MASNSports.com passed along a rumor and a quote from a scout regarding the future of pitching prospect A.J. Cole:
One scout told me in the lobby of the Manchester Grand Hyatt that his team had been trying to pry Cole away from the Nationals since general manager Mike Rizzo reacquired him from the A's in a three-team trade in January 2013.
"No dice," the scout told me. "They ain't letting him go. They're that high on him."
Baseball Prospectus recently ranked Cole as the No. 2 prospect in the Nationals organization, so it is no wonder other teams have at least inquired about his availability.
Cole is only 22 years old and finished the 2014 season with a 13-3 record and a 3.61 ERA in 25 starts in Double-A Harrisburg and Triple-A Syracuse. He was even more impressive in Syracuse (7-0 in 11 starts), which is encouraging for those hoping to see him in the majors sooner rather than later.
Kerzel noted that Cole may have to beat out the likes of Xavier Cedeno, Matt Grace, Heath Bell and Blake Treinen if he hopes to make Washington’s bullpen this season, so fans may have to keep track of Cole’s performances in the minors for the immediate future.
Regardless of whether the Nationals feature Cole as part of the major league team at the start of the season, it is clear they have big plans for him in the future. It would take a Godfather-style, too-good-to-refuse offer to pry him from Washington.
Luis Avilan
Mark Bowman of MLB.com noted that the Atlanta Braves may look to trade Luis Avilan in the near future to create room for A.J. Pierzynski:
Avilan was a critical part of Atlanta’s bullpen during the 2013 season, but his production fell off in 2014. He finished with a 1.52 ERA and a sparkling 0.954 WHIP in 2013, but those numbers jumped to a 4.57 ERA and a 1.569 WHIP last season.
There is still plenty of value in a 25-year-old southpaw who has proved himself at the major league level. That 2.56 career ERA will look enticing to some teams, and the Braves only need to find one trading partner.
What they get back in return for what would essentially be a roster dump to create space for another signing remains to be seen.
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