Carlos Lee rejects the deal to the Dodgers.

Deal # 1 - Phillies Thome to Orioles for prospects Simon and Lino.

Deal # 2 - Phillies Qualls to Yankees for PTBNL or cash.

From MLBTradeRumors....

"The Pirates lead this summer's group of all-in buyers, writes Buster Olney of ESPN.com. Olney writes that the Brewers' model of 2008 seems perfect for the Pirates to follow and in some ways, they're in a better position to trade because of the amount of pitching talent in their pipeline."

So according to Olney, we're no longer following the Twins model, we're on to the Brewers model.

Hope not. Their farm system rankings have been much worse than ours and are pretty bad in general.

The Marlins acquire Lee from the Astros for Dominguez and Rasmussen.

They could send us Bautista, then he wouldnt have to worry about the Jays.

Works for me. - I like the way you think.

Any word on whether the Marlins are one of the clubs Lee can reject a trade to?

Is this a done deal?

It's a done deal. Houston picking up all of his pro rated salary.

Thanks Chico.

Deal # 1 - Phillies Thome to Orioles for prospects Simon and Lino.

Deal # 2 - Phillies Qualls to Yankees for PTBNL or cash.

Deal # 3 - Astros Lee to Marlins for prospects Dominguez and Rasmussen.

Wonder if this makes Gaby Sanchez available? - Looks like he is working things out well enough in AAA.

First off, where's Youkilis?

Secondly, Gaby Sanchez is worse than Barmes at the plate, this year. I'm sure he's available, but who'd want him? Even at his best, he's a .260 hitter, with less than 20 HRs/year power. He's a right-handed Garrett Jones.

The Brewers system is bad because they gutted the system in deals for CC Sabathia, Marcum and Greinke. I'll give them credit for being aggressive, but now they have to pay the price for coming up short. They have nothing in the system and the team is loaded with holes. They will have to trade off some guys to start the rebuild. Greinke is number 1 to go.

I agree forget Sanchez...we should go for Logan Morrison. I have to admit I have wanted the Pirates to look into him in the past. Why not do a deal with Gorkys (they need a CF bad) and a AAA pitcher and maybe a A position guy. Morrison could play RF the rest of the year and we always could move him to 1st in the future. I just wouldn't put him at 1st now with the McGahee/Jones platoon looking rather nice.

Sure, Morrison would be a nice guy to add. I highly doubt he's available, though. First off, the Marlins still think they're in the Wild Card race. They'll keep adding, not subtracting. And secondly, they wouldn't want to give up on a 24 year old cost-controlled OF/1B, no matter where they were in the race.

I purposefully left Youk off the trade deadline list for two reasons, right or wrong....one, he was dealt to the White Sox on June 24th (Not during the month of July), and two because I did not consider him a "trade deadline" deal. Splitting hairs I know, but I looked at that trade as a normal baseball deal where the Red Sox had a rookie emerge, take a veterans job, and the veteran became expendable. - Really had nothing to do with the Red Sox buying or selling in preparation for a playoff race or giving up on the season. - But, if it will make you feel better Goose, by all means I will be happy to add that deal to the list. - I don't have strong feelings on the matter.

As far as Sanchez is concerned, I don't think he is as bad as you are purporting. He was an all star last season. He had two fairly solid seasons in 2010 and 2011 and to your point he began this year horribly. But since being sent to AAA he is hitting .310 / .494 OBP / .976 OPS.

He is still only 28, relatively inexpensive, can be under club control until 2016, has had success in the majors, and seems to have found his stroke again in AAA. And unlike your pal Garrett Jones, Sanchez has hit effectively enough against both RH and LH pitching to the point he has been an everyday players vs. a platoon player like Jones.

Deal # 1 - Red Sox Youkilis to the White Sox for Lillibridge and Stewart.

Deal # 2 - Phillies Thome to Orioles for prospects Simon and Lino.

Deal # 3 - Phillies Qualls to Yankees for PTBNL or cash.

Deal # 4 - Astros Lee to Marlins for prospects Dominguez and Rasmussen.

Happy Goose?

I'd still take Gaby Sanchez if available at a good price.

""Happy Goose?""

Yes. Thank you. I wouldn't care if Youkilis wasn't kicking butt on the South Side, and keeping Chicago atop the ALCD. If Youkilis keeps playing like he's been since the trade, that will be the trade of the year.

""I'd still take Gaby Sanchez if available at a good price.""

It would need to be a really good price. The guy would be a downgrade for the current Pirates team. Although, if Huntington could get him for a song, stick him in Indy, and put him in the running for the 2013 1B man's job, I wouldn't be against it.

The last 30 days have really muddied the waters in terms of needs.

Previously we desperately needed corner infielders. Pedro continues to look good, and the Jones/McGehee patoon at first is looking good. Do we even need upgrades at those positions now?

At this point, I'd state our immediate needs to be a shortstop, and I will be the first to say there is probably none available. And maybe a corner outfielder, if you agree that Marte needs more seasoning in AAA (not going to rehash that argument here). Otherwise you could just call up Marte and be done with it.

I'm almost inclined to say lets let it ride and see what happens.

Ken Rosenthal wrote a long diatribe about how the Pirates should go all in a-la Milwaukee acquiring Sabathia. I just can't see NH giving up anything of value for 12 starts of Greinke. With no draft pick compensation theres no upside to acquiring the guy. Cole and taillon are and always have been untouchable. In my mind I'm adding Starling Marte to that untouchable group, we have too much time invested in him, and he's too close to payng dividends, for us to deal him for a rent a player. Plus it looks like he figured out AAA and could be a game changing player.

Milwaukee made a nice run. They made the playoffs twice. They've been a winning team for about 5 years straight. But now thats its over, they A) didn't win or make a world series, B) have no farm system to speak of, and C) having a major league roster which is not good enough to win today, and limited options from a payroll perspective to add to it.

"Wonder if this makes Gaby Sanchez available? - Looks like he is working things out well enough in AAA."

Oh my.

"He was an all star last season. "

So was Kevin Correia.

I would look in to Sanchez as a buy low reclemation project, not as the answer this year.