The Colorado Rockies are tied with the Chicago Cubs for the worst record in Major League Baseball (31-51) as of July 6, and even if that changes slightly the playoffs are beyond a pipe dream for Colorado. For that reason, veterans like Jason Giambi and Marco Scutaro know they have to be prepared to change teams before the MLB non-waiver trade deadline on July 31. Troy Renck of The Denver Post asked Giambi and Scutaro about the possibility of being traded, and both men offered predictably professional answers about loving Colorado but being prepared for anything.
Perhaps more interestingly, Renck lists Giambi, Scutaro and Jeremy Guthrie as the veterans most likely to be dealt. He thinks Giambi could be traded for "a marginal prospect, then return over the winter" as a free agent and added the Detroit Tigers, Pittsburgh Pirates and Texas Rangers could be interested in Scutaro as a super utility player. He also had this to say about Guthrie:
It's hard, however, to see a scenario where the Rockies keep [Guthrie]. Even if it's just salary relief - he's owed roughly $4 million - Guthrie could be moved, though Juan Nicasio's setback and Jhoulys Chacin's injury cloud things just a bit as the Rockies still need to fill out a rotation.
Toronto had interest a few weeks ago, but has cooled. Guthrie could become a consolation prize for the teams that don't land high-priced trade targets Cole Hamels, Matt Garza, Ryan Dempster or Wandy Rodriguez.
Can the Rockies turn this sour season into a few solid additions for the future? With the trade deadline rapidly approaching, the answers will come soon.
For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation Denver. For more in-depth coverage, visit Rockies blog Purple Row. Head over to Baseball Nation and MLB Daily Dish for more news and notes from around the league.