(* Trade Rumor Offerings To Chew On For Fun, Even Yuks)

[NOTE: This is sort of pointless for LSB'ers, since you already know all of this stuff if you're spending time here, but anyway...]

Not to be confused with Cincinnati-Louisville Shuttle occupant Todd Coffey, the TROT COFFEY is a mailing list-only update (with the exception of this one) on what the media has unearthed as we approach next week’s conventional trade deadline:

• The Yankees have expressed interest in Gerald Laird (Fox Sports, Newark Star-Ledger)
• The Yankees have not expressed interest in Gerald Laird (ESPN)
• The Giants, Twins, and Dodgers are interested in Hank Blalock, but Texas won’t give him away as if he were Ray Durham – we want a legitimate young pitcher (ESPN, Sports Illustrated)
• The Twins also like Casey Blake, but apparently not as much as Blalock (MLB.com)
• The Rangers aren’t shopping Vicente Padilla but realize he’s as talented as any pitcher on the market, and thus will listen to offers as long as they include at least one young starter ready to step in; the Yankees and Tigers have shown mild, preliminary interest (ESPN)
• There’s extensive interest around the league in Eddie Guardado and Jamey Wright but they’re unavailable (ESPN)
• If the Braves and Rangers did discuss Mike Gonzalez for an outfielder, talks went nowhere because Atlanta would only consider such a deal if it were for Josh Hamilton (MLB.com, via Baseball Prospectus)
• Texas is among at least 10 teams expected to send a representative to watch Freddy Garcia audition for work (MLB.com)
• Toronto is quietly checking around to see what it could get for the less-than-happy Roy Halladay (Newark Star-Ledger)
• Halladay isn’t available (ESPN)

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Jamey