General managers talk all the time, and a lot of names are exchanged. That doesn't necessarily mean that someone is on the mythical "trading block." It just means that a conscientious GM is willing to listen to any and all offers. That's what GMs do.
There are occasions where a team is actively trying to move a player.
Such is the case with Pedro Alvarez. The Pirates don't want him on their team in 2016. He is a formidable power threat who contributes little else. He can't play defensively at either first or third, he strikes out too much, he's allergic to the cleanup spot, and he winds up hitting somewhere around .240.
Alvarez hit 27 home runs last season in 491 plate appearances, 437 at bats. Because 22 of those home runs were with the bases empty, his 27 home runs generated 33 runs.
Those are all valid reasons to trade him, and valid reasons why no team will likely offer much for him. Alvarez is just a year away from free agency. Is there an American League team desperate for a short-term DH? Call the Pirates, ASAP.
There are other players the Pirates are willing to trade, including closer Mark Melancon.
That would be a painful separation, based on Melancon's near-automatic work as a closer last season. But Neal Huntington has to make things fit under the budget he's given, and Melancon is creeping close to $10 million. Huntington has long had the belief that closers have a short shelf life, that they're not that difficult to replace, and that a team shouldn't spend a disproportionate part of its total payroll on that position.
This could be the test of those theories.
The difference here is Melancon should draw some significant interest if he's made available. Maybe the Pirates' first base solution could come from dealing Melancon when his value is at its highest. Maybe the new closer could come in a deal.
The Pirates wisely identified Melancon as a possible closer and traded Joel Hanrahan for him. Hanrahan blew his elbow out (he had his second Tommy John surgery in the spring), and Melancon has done an outstanding job for the Pirates.
No doubt some groundwork was set for trades at last week's general manager meetings in Florida. Things will pick up again when the Winter Meetings open in early December. Things could happen before then, too.
More than ever, being a general manager in MLB is a 24-hour job with very few days off.
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--REPAIRS NEEDED
If Mike Johnston and his staff can't fix the power play, it's doubtful they'll finish the season with the Penguins.
Special teams are a big part of the game and a power play that can load Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang should be potent.
The Penguins have a winning record, but that speaks mostly to the quality of the goaltending they've gotten so far.
Getting the power play to kick into high gear would go a long way to securing Johnston's job, at least through the end of the season.
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--NAME GAME
The Detroit Lions recently promoted their quarterbacks coach to offensive coordinator.
The man's name is Jim Bob Cooter.
Even though it sounds like a character out of Dan Jenkins' classic 1970s football novel "Semi Tough," that's really his name.
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--REPEAT PERFORMANCE
Not sure what the record is for the most weeks being listed on an NFL team's injury report, but Ryan Shazier might be closing in on it.
Shazier is a good player, but he has to figure out a way to stay in the lineup.
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