According to a report on OaklandAthletics.com, Matt Holliday may not be the only member of the Oakland A's moving before the July 31deadline. Mychael Urban said that he expects the A's to begin fielding calls for shortstop Orlando Cabrera and infielder Adam Kennedy.
It was kind of set up in a Q & A format, here is a snapshot:
With the Trade Deadline about a month away and the A's clearly non-contenders, which A's do you figure might be trade targets for other teams, and what do you think general manager Billy Beane will be looking for in return?
-- James T., Mendocino, Calif.
A name that I haven't heard much trade talk about, but one I'm expecting to be brought up more frequently as the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline approaches, is Orlando Cabrera. He's not having a great year, but you have to figure his experience and the fact that he's been through the pressure of a pennant race and the playoffs will make him attractive to legitimate contenders. Dumping him would save the A's some cash, and I've noticed that Bobby Crosby has been taking more ground balls at shortstop lately.
Adam Kennedy's experience, versatility and somewhat surprising success this season should make him the subject of a few phone calls, too. I also wouldn't be shocked if a team in need of bullpen help were willing to overlook Russ Springer's uneven season to this point and take a look at picking him up.
I believe several teams would be interested in adding either Cabrera or Kennedy. With Mark DeRosa off the market these two could be a few of the better middle infielders available. It does seem however that the Red Sox may be looking to move Julio Lugo as well, so we'll throw him in the mix to.
Both players have been part of championship caliber teams, so they certainly know what it takes to win. As we approach the late summer months, good veteran players like Cabrera and Kennedy can be very valuable.