According to Ken Rosenthal, Matt Treanor may be on the trading block or not.
The Pirates, talking about shortstop Jack Wilson with several clubs, are trying to acquire catcher Matt Treanor from the Marlins, then spin both players to the Tigers, according to one major-league source.
But that possibility, first reported by Bucco Blog, was dismissed by another source as "inaccurate" and having "no foundation."
The Pirates want appropriate value for Wilson, not financial relief. Wilson, who turns 32 on Dec. 29, will earn $7.25 million next season plus an $8.4 million club option or $600,000 buyout for 2010.
The Tigers, seeking a shortstop to replace departing free agent Edgar Renteria, have long had interest in Wilson. Treanor, 32, could help fill their catching void, but almost certainly in a backup role.
Then there is this from the Detroit Free Press.
Nearly 16 months after the Tigers came close to acquiring him at the 2007 trade deadline, the team is interested in obtaining shortstop Jack Wilson from the Pittsburgh
Pirates , an industry official confirmed to the Free Press on Friday.----
The Tigers are looking for at least one catcher this off-season.
Catching prospect Dusty Ryan, one candidate to make the Opening Day roster, is batting .111 with Ponce of the Puerto Rican Winter League.
If Dusty Ryan can't hit better than .111, it would lead one to believe they are looking for a starting catcher. Something gives me the idea that Ryan is a better hitter than he has shown in the Winter League.
Now, of course, I could go lookup his stats, but frankly, I don't care.
If this rumor has any merit, it would mean the Marlins are going to get something in return from the Pirates, what that would be is in some doubt. It would probably be a player since the Pirates don't seem to have any cash. Or at least that is my impression. But if we do get a player from the Pirates, I hope it is an infielder, preferably a second baseman. You never can get enough of those. How many do we have now? About 10?
Should Treanor end up in Detroit it would only be fitting -- it seems all Marlins play for the Tigers at some point in their careers.
All of that said, I agree with our friend Ian of Bless You Boys -- who knows what is going on.