Multimillion Dollar Summer 'Rental'

The MLB non-waiver trade deadline is Saturday, so you'll be hearing a lot of talk in the next 48 hours about teams "renting" a player--grabbing a stud for the 2010 stretch drive, only to have him walk when his contract is up at the end of the season, whereupon he goes to the Yankees in a six-year, $175 million deal.

C.C. Sabathia was a rental for the Brewers two years ago. He helped them get to the playoffs, but they didn't last long once they got there.

This year's prime rental--that gabled manse on Georgica Pond in Sagaponack--is Cliff Lee. The Rangers of course grabbed Lee a few weeks ago from the Mariners, but seem to have little hope of retaining him for 2011.

Prior to the trade, several publications desscribed Lee as a seasonal acquisition.

Wrote the NY Post in a headline:

Mets willing to 'rent' Lee from Mariners

Wrote ProspectsInsider.com:

The Twins organization has a new revenue stream in Target Field, but I still can't see them offering Ramos and another of their top prospects or young players for a rental such as Lee...

With Lee in a Rangers uni, Cubs hurler Ted Lilly is suddenly among the most attractive "rentals" on the market, said MLBFantasyProspects.com recently.

After Roy Oswalt and Dan Haren, Lilly is the most desirable “rent a starter’’ available on the market...

Haren of course shipped out to the Angels, and the Phillies may just be sizing Oswalt for a uniform today.

The rental market is not limited to pitchers. Since the Angels lost Kendry Morales to a broken leg during a home run celebration (not to be confused with the Marlins losing Chris Coghlan to a buggered MCL in a pie-in-the-face incident), the Halos may--or may not--be looking to "rent" a first baseman for August, September and, presumably, the playoffs.

Posits MLBTradeRumors.com:

The Angels are still looking for offensive help, tweets ESPN's Jayson Stark, but one team he spoke to says they're not going to rent a first baseman for two months. This runs counter to Ken Rosenthal's July 10th report that the Halos are "looking only at rentals" at first base since Kendry Morales will be back in 2011.

Way down on the lower end of the food chain, the most infamous of summer rentals--the Jersey Shore crew--has its season premier on MTV tonight.

[image: babble.com]