Pirates Trade Rumors: Bucs Have Talent To Land David Price

As Pirates trade rumors swirl, David Price is the biggest name, and the biggest trade that might never be made.  The Rays are stacking up wins and trading David Price might upset their massive fan base. But the Rays scouts still are doing their due diligence.  The Rays have scouts attend games all the time, well maybe except in California where they just fired most of them, but around the trade deadline it always raises eyebrows.  Especially when a man in the know regarding the Bucs Double A affiliate tweets that the Rays had scouts at the game at Altoona last night.

Perhaps they were checking out the Tigers system right?

The price for David Price is going to be high and should a move be made the Bucs minor league system would be hit hard.  But perhaps the new market inefficiency is overvalued prospects like we wrote yesterday.  

The Altoona Curve has had a rough season, but last night they showed up as they played in front of the scouts from the Rays.  Looking at the box score– several Pirates minor leaguers didn’t disappoint.  Check out some of the tweets from the game including another solid start from right hander Adrian Sampson who is having a breakout season for the Curve. Sampson is garnering a great deal of interest from sellers, but we aren’t certain how the Rays feel about one of the top statistical leaders in the Eastern League.  Last night, the 6’3″ Sampson showed his hittable side as he gave up nine hits, he also was able to string a stretch of retiring nine straight Erie Seawolves.

Everyone knows the story of Stetson Allie.  The odds of Allie getting a promotion seem highly unlikely until he learns to hit the breaking ball, but I was impressed with his defense at first and his power is something everyone knows about.  Allie hit his 15th bomb of the season last night and drove in Alen Hanson for the go ahead run.  Maybe the Rays could fix him?

Keon Broxton has had a solid season and picked a good time to go deep.

The bottom line is this.  We doubt the Rays are going to move David Price, who was teammates with Pedro Alvarez at Vanderbilt, as they continue to play well and rack up wins.

Jul 25, 2014; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher David Price (14) reacts after a strike out to end the top of the eighth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

But to think a combination of any of the players mentioned in Curve tweets will get it done would shock me.  We think the Rays are thinking Josh Bell and Tyler Glasnow, but are curious if Huntington is balking at the thought of sending Glasnow to Tampa.    Bell had one hit in the game, walked and scored a run.  The switch hitter is batting .217 during his time in Double-A.  The Pirates are keeping Glasnow in Bradenton for an extended period as he works on his change up and command while eating up high-A ball hitters.    It seems unlikely for Huntington to give up so much talent for so little of Price, because signing the southpaw long term seems impossible.

Nonetheless, David Price would be a serious weapon for the Bucs and if Neal Huntington wanted to, he could make it happen.  If only the Rays would stop winning.

If you’re not burnt out on Pirates trade rumors click here for our take.