So as Nico has hinted at in an earlier post about Blanton and why it appears he has not held the value in the market as BB considers him to have.  But what should his value be in the market?  And remove the notion that you do not want him to be traded and consider what would parameters would make a successful trade for both sides.  What I am going to discuss starts with the premise that the A's should get a highly-rated SS in the deal.

So, in that regard here are the only teams rumored to be interested in Blanton (as far as I have seen):

Dodgers
Mets
Mariners

So as Nico has hinted at in an earlier post about Blanton and why it appears he has not held the value in the market as BB considers him to have.  But what should his value be in the market?  And remove the notion that you do not want him to be traded and consider what would parameters would make a successful trade for both sides.  What I am going to discuss starts with the premise that the A's should get a highly-rated SS in the deal.

So, in that regard here are the only teams rumored to be interested in Blanton (as far as I have seen):

Dodgers
Mets
Mariners

Conventional trade theory says that you don't trade inside the division... I don't think that has to be followed, but the deal would have to include Carlos Triunfel and I would think that the only other high prospect pitcher who is ~2 years away is Chris Tillman and if the Mariners would accept that deal (which I doubt they would), then that would be acceptable for the A's and I would imagine the A's would want three prospects, but with those two you wouldn't get anyone of else, but to get a career minor leaguer... something that shouldn't go understated, but nonetheless nothing most fans care about.

So, there was the earlier rumor of Carlos Gomez, Aaron Heilman, and Kevin Mulvey for Blanton from the Mets, but quite honestly imo, that is not a great deal for the A's now that they have a lot of OF in tow now and Gomez would be the biggest piece in that deal.  The Mets may want to be involved in a deal for Blanton, but they just don't have the pieces that make sense for both sides.  Other than Gomez and Fernando Martinez, they largely only have pitching prospects.  It is not a good fit for the A's.

It has been said that the Dodgers and Blanton are not a good fit anymore because they have the following in their SP rotation at the moment:

Penny, Lowe, Billingsley, Schmidt, Kuroda, and Loaiza

(and that doesn't include Kuo who, if healthy, could still crack that rotation if someone else is unhealthy).

I'm not sure that the Dodgers would want to trade Hu with Furcal only under contract through 2008.  That seems to me that Hu won't be available as Hu will be much cheaper and maybe not that much worse, if at all than Furcal.

Any deal for Hu should include a pitcher and another IF who could be available and with Blake Dewitt that gets that although with Travis Denker being traded as the PTBNL in the Giants-Sweeney deal, they don't have another 2B within 2 years of the majors in their pipeline, but maybe Colletti doesn't think about that...  And James McDonald is like the Dodgers 3rd or 4th (or maybe 5th by some) best rated P prospect, yet still had phenomenal numbers last year and could be ready by 2009 as well.

As far as other SS to consider that you have not mentioned and I would because I would want to get a potential SS and 2B and another P in a deal for Blanton, while considering a team who could use a SP and wants to contend... and imo, the Rockies fit that mold:

Chris Nelson from the Rox would be a player that the BB should consider.  There are two reasons why he should be available:  Troy Tulowitzki and Hector Gomez (the other Rox SS prospect).  Nelson was in High A last year and flashed power potential and good speed:

289/356/503
19 HR, 42 2B, 7 3B, 27 SB (84% SB%)

BB could also consider in a deal for him (in order of highest value):  Greg Reynolds (SP in AA), Ian Stewart (3B in AAA), Brandon Hynick (SP in High A), Daniel Mayora (2B in Low A), Eric Young, Jr (2B in High A), and Bruce Billings (SP in SS).

I say Stewart because the Rox are trying him out at 2B this off-season and he obviously can play 3B.  I say Reynolds even though he was injured this year because he is highly rated.  I consider Hynick even though he is more of a control pitcher because he had really good High A California League numbers and seems to project nicely in Oakland.  Then, I just threw in some 2B from their system and a short-season prospect who was awesome in SS and only a 30th rd pick.

I personally would try to get Nelson, Hynick and Stewart if Stewart looks like he can play 2B adequately and if he cannot, then I would try to get Nelson, Hynick, Young Jr., and another low-level prospect like Billings, if not he.

Out of all of these deals, I would think that a trade with the Rockies makes the most sense for both teams, followed by the Mariners, Mets, and Dodgers.