We're not one to get all huffy about rumors on the internet. After all, rumors are only as true as the audience is willing to accept, and most of the time, people are pretty skeptical of stuff that just goes flying about with little attribution. In fact, we're typically more concerned with big, ESPN types spreading stuff that isn't true (cough, Chris Mortensen, cough), because people are more willing to assume that if ESPN says it, it's true. Not so with random rumor sites.
Which brings us to this deliciously hilarious -- and completely wrong, we hope -- Carlos Quenton trade rumor on the almost-always specious Bleacher Report. The proposed trade? Get a load of this:
"What I dug up/have been told is that the M’s are working on a trade that would rid themselves of either Jarrod Washburn, Miguel Batista, or even Carlos Silva to an AL Central team. But Brandon Morrow and either Wladimir Balentien or Jeff Clement—or both—might have to be part of the trade, at least as far as I can gather. Returning would be a young corner outfielder with solid defensive skills and one strong offensive season under his belt, and minor league prospects—at least one pitcher."
That info is originally from ProspectInsider.com. The Bleacher Report story then extrapolates that to mean that Carlos Quentin could be heading to the Mariners. OK then.
There are numerous reasons why this doesn't make any semblance of sense, not least of which is that when you have a really cheap, really good young player like Quentin, the last thing you do is trade him. And if you do decide to trade him, you better get incredible value back. A $9.5 million pitcher like Jarrod Washburn, or Miguel Batista -- that's not even close. When you add in the other players mentioned in the trade, including Clayton Richard, which, again, is never going to happen.
Rumors are fun. We love rumors. We also love dismantling the most ridiculous of them. This one doesn't even need that treament, really. It came dead on arrival. (Still though: fun.)
