Mets looking for outfielders and relievers

The suddenly N.L. East-leading Mets are apparently hoping that Ryan Church can still come back and help the team this season and provide less pressure for GM Omar Minaya to add a bat before next week's non-waiver trading deadline. Word is the team isn't so interested in Pittsburgh's Xavier Nady anymore and would rather have Seattle's Raul Ibanez or the Indians' Casey Blake. Meanwhile, the team is keeping pace with the rest of the league, showing interest in Colorado closer Brian Fuentes and Pittsburgh reliever Damaso Marte. (New York Newsday)

Yanks brass say no to Bonds, yes to plenty of others

All the big-name execs of the New York Yankees got together Thursday and got down to brass tacks: Who do they want to go after and who do they don't want to go after before Thursday afternoon's trading deadline? No. 1 name on the latter list: Barry Bonds. As for the former, the team wants another starter (Seattle's Jarrod Washburn, who apparently has a no-trade clause that includes the Yanks, but he could waive it if the Bronx Bombers extend his contract); Cincinnati's Bronson Arroyo, the Rangers' Vicente Padilla, and Toronto's A.J. Burnett) as well as a lefty reliever (the much-coveted Brian Fuentes of Colorado, the Pirates' Damaso Marte or John Grabow, and the Braves' Will Ohman). The Yanks could try and get another outfielder as well, with Pittsburgh's Jason Bay and Xavier Nady topping that list. (New York Daily News)

O's want shortstop for closer Sherrill

One of the good things the Baltimore Orioles got when it traded Erik Bedard to Seattle was reliever George Sherrill. Now the closer is on the trading block and the O's reportedly want a shortstop in exchange. The Brewers are interested in Sherrill but only if the O's change what their asking for. To paraphrase Flannery O'Connor, a good shortstop is hard to find. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Uribe-Cora deal falls apart

The Red Sox were apparently getting close to making a deal with the Chicago White Sox for Juan Uribe that would have sent Alex Cora to Chicago's South Side, but now it looks like the team is backpedaling and planning to stick with Cora as the backup to Jed Lowrie – at least until Julio Lugo returns to the lineup. Boston did talk to the Nationals about reliever Jon Rauch before he was traded to Arizona but the team wanted Lowrie and Michael Bowden. (Boston Globe)

Fifteen teams scouting A.J. Burnett

Toronto Blue Jays starter A.J. Burnett is a popular guy. Half the league is apparently coveting him. Fifteen teams supposedly sent scouts to watch him Wednesday night when he went up against the Orioles. Burnett, by the way, has a no-trade clause that allows him to name 15 teams he would go to. The Cardinals are apparently on the list. (St. Louis Post Dispatch)

Team-by-team rumors from Rotoworld.com      AL Angels A's Blue Jays Indians Mariners Orioles Rangers Rays Red Sox Royals Tigers Twins White Sox Yankees NL Astros Braves Brewers Cardinals Cubs Diamondbacks Dodgers Giants Marlins Mets Nationals Padres Phillies Pirates Reds Rockies

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