FanHouse Jose Castillo

Major League Mongering will look at players rumored to be on the move between now and the July 31st pseudo-trade-deadline.

This isn't too surprising, but once again the Pirates could end up being a one-stop shop for any contender looking to stock up for the stretch run. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported today that the following three players are available:

Jack Wilson to the Blue Jays. This was one we actually broached yesterday, but apparently this deal is dead in the water until the Pirates lower their demands. Who were they looking for in return? Troy Glaus. Can't blame you for trying, Dave Littlefield, but all-glove, no-hit shortstops (and expensive ones at that) rarely bring that much in return.

Saloman Torres to the Red Sox. The Pirates' main objective in any deal will likely be to improve their offense, so the Post-Gazette suggests the Bucs would go after Wily Mo Pena, who just so happens to be on the block, as well. Pena has enough potential that the Sox might be nervous pawning him off for a reliever with a 5.12 ERA, but Torres is better than he's pitched this year, and besides, the Sox can't exactly afford to be too picky considering Pena is hitting just .202-4-12 in 129 at-bats. This is one deal I could definitely see happening.

Jose Castillo to the Mets. Considering Jose Valentin is expected to miss the rest of the season with a fractured leg, this is possible but unlikely. For one, Castillo is hitting just .238, almost one hundred points below Ruben Gotay, the heir apparent at second base for the Mets.

Let's say you are Jose Castillo. Last year, you were the Pirates's starting second baseman. From June 1st through the end of the season last year, you batted .224/.267/.324 as an every day player (stats gathered by David Pinto's invaluable Day by Day Database at Baseball Musings). You played some very poor second base, in fact you were probably the worst fielding second baseman in baseball last year. Not surprisingly, you lost your job this spring. So what do you do? Do you step your play up in the field to try and win your job back? No, Castillo's batting .188/.221/.219 in 33 PAs this year. Instead, you just demand a trade.

Castillo, the team's everyday second baseman for three years before becoming a spare part this season, has informed management through agent Scott Pucino that, if he is not going to see regular duty, he would prefer to be sent elsewhere, two sources intimately familiar with the matter confirmed.

Neither of the sources was Castillo, who has quietly maintained all season that he has no issue with the Pirates other than wishing to play more often.

Now perhaps I'm being too harsh, but who in their right mind would want a player like Jose Castillo in a trade? His bat has been so bad that he can't even crack the Pirates' starting lineup, and the Pirates have one of the worst offenses in the league. I mean they're just flat out bad. He was a good gloveman early in his career, but in recent years he hasn't even been that. Maybe he'll be traded to someone that needs a second baseman... in AAA.