A few days remaining until the trade deadline. Here are the rumors from Saturday.
**Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com reports that the trade buzz surrounding Shane Victorino has picked up. Salisbury names the Pirates, Reds, Dodgers, and Giants as teams who are interested and who are currently scouting Victorino.
**Jayson Stark of ESPN.com notes that the Pirates are portraying themselves as a team that is content with Starling Marte, and that might not deal for a bat. Stark quotes one executive who says to “watch out for the Pirates and Phillies”. That definitely adds to the Shane Victorino rumors, although Stark mentions Hunter Pence as a possibility for the Pirates. Stark notes that the Phillies have scouted the Pirates’ system extensively.
**Stark also reports that the Pirates are losing enthusiasm for Chase Headley. He notes that they’d have to move one of Headley or Alvarez to first base if a deal was done in July. That wouldn’t be good timing in the middle of a playoff race, especially since neither has played first base. I’d add that Headley has played left-field, and the Pirates need a corner outfielder, although Headley’s defense has been poor in left-field.
**Jim Bowden reports that the Padres are leaning towards not dealing Headley unless the market changes considerably between now and the deadline.
**The San Diego Padres have a scout following the West Virginia Power closely through the trade deadline, John Dreker of Pirates Prospects has learned.
