Generally when you are a buyer you are more apt to keep hush hush. Sellers like to be loud and voiceterous. Just a hunch...
I don't see why the Padres wouldn't be interested in Villar. He is better than anything they have. He wouldn't headline a big deal, but he'd be more valuable to them than he is to us.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">astros a possibility for chapman, too. houston is looking at more back-end pen help.</p>— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) <a href="https://twitter.com/JonHeymanCBS/status/627130106406957056">July 31, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Looks like everybody leaking the Astros now as leverage... since they're the only buyers who have now made TWO big trades (and the Blue Jays have nobody left).
This could be the case. However, I truly believe Luhnow is sending out feelers everywhere and then will pounce on something he likes in a couple of hours. We need a backend RP.
Nolan Fontana is out there Joe Sclafani has played SS and always produced offensively Not many teams have good SS prospects they are willing to let go of. The Cubs want to deal Castro, who is struggling and with a contract he isn't living up to. Texas has the same thing going on with Andrus. Maybe the Cubs would part with one of their other young SS, but so far they are saying no.
Whatever Luhnow will get now (if he gets anything) likely isn't coming up at the "last second" (like these tweets would have you believe). They were working on the Kazmir and Gomez deals for weeks. "feelers" or interest on any of these guys were likely sent out awhile ago... now its about finalizing a deal. Based on the past Astros deals (not just these, but the Cosart deal as well), very little gets leaked before something gets agreed upon.
I know it isn't fair to judge it in hindsight, but boy does it sting to see who the Angels picked up after we selected Mier...
There are a lot of teams that regret who they picked in the first round that year: http://www.mymlbdraft.com/2009/
Rosenthal tends to be more accurate... but he also is more careful to verify stuff, so he usually is not that far ahead on the news.
The buccos among contending teams are the only ones with as may moderately high prospects (basically high enough to be attractive trades, not great enough that they are untouchable) as the Astros. I'm not sure they are willing to spend much for a likely coin flip game against the defending champs.
