Brewers Trade Rumors: (Too Early) Zack Greinke, Randy Wolf, and K-Rod Talk

The MLB trade deadline is not until July 31, but, unless a miraculous turnaround comes over their dolorous play, the Brewers are

beginning to look like “sellers” as the date approaches. As we have seen with Milwaukee in their two playoff campaigns of 2008 and 2011, front offices convinced their team has a shot at October are willing to dish out prospects for veteran pitching, of which the Brewers have a lot to offer.

The Randy Wolf rumors have not yet surfaced, but it would almost make too much sense for the Brewers to trade Wolf. The veteran lefty  has a team option for 2013 worth $10 million, an awfully high price to pay for a pitcher with a 5.06 era and 4.82 xFIP. Wolf will be gone next year regardless and his veteran presence and postseason experience could easily lure a team to loan the 35-year-old for two months. With Mike Fiers, Tyler Thornburg, Jed Bradley, Taylor Jungmann, and Wily Peralta all in waiting for the starting rotation, there is no need to use up $10 million on a middle of the rotation guy.

Possible suitors: Baltimore, Cleveland (AL), Detroit, Boston

In all honesty, I pray that Doug Melvin and Mark Attanassio do whatever is needed (well…almost whatever is needed) to keep Zack Greinke in Milwaukee. The 2009 Cy Young winner is set to become a free-agent this off-season and all the “trade him or keep him?” talk would require an entire separate column and 1,250 more words. So I’ll put it at this: if Melvin does not feel that the Brewers can resign Greinke, they could get a load of prospects from one of the contenders. Even if the Brewers trade him, it does not mean he can’t resign with Milwaukee. Under new CBA rules, a Type A free agent can be traded away and signed without any penalty to the team. Greinke has said he loves Milwaukee and Miller Park, so he might be open to returning.

Possible suitors: Atlanta, Boston, New York (AL), Chicago (AL), Texas

RtB Senior Writer Lou Olsen has started the #TradeKRodTonight movement on The Twitter to trade reliever Francisco Rodriguez and it only makes sense. Sure, the Brewers won’t get a top-class prospect, but they could furnish a good package from another team. He  will become a free agent at season’s end and Brewers fans wouldn’t mind seeing his 0-4 record, 4.34 era, and 1.517 WHIP be shipped to another city. Contenders are seemingly always looking for relief help and K-Rod could be for another team in 2012 what he was the for the Brewers in 2011.

Possible suitors: New York (NL) (Call me crazy but their bullpen has a league-worst 5.48 era), Philadelphia, New York (AL), Detroit, Los Angeles (NL), Washington