Denver Post: Shealy prob. traded today

Troy E. Renck and Patrick Saunders describe the situation for their young slugger:

Kansas City and Pittsburgh continue to pursue Shealy, and he remains on the back burner for Baltimore and the New York Yankees, increasing the likelihood he will be traded before today's 2 p.m. nonwaiver deadline.

Evidence of Shealy's rising value came during the past two days. The Royals offered left-handed reliever Jeremy Affeldt and a minor-league prospect, and the Pirates became open to trading left-handed reliever John Grabow and an additional player, with center fielder Nate McLouth a possibility. . . .

The Rockies have turned down Affeldt for Shealy straight up. The Rockies want multiple players and have to be satisfied with each to move Shealy, with one scout saying the Rockies are afraid he could turn into their Travis Hafner.

Nate Silver's PECOTA card for Ryan Shealy lists these players as comparable: Derrek Lee, Deron Johnson, Butch Huskey, Richie Sexson, Josh Phelps, Travis Hafner, John Ellis, Joe Adcock, Bucky Jacobsen, Gus Triandos, and, further down the list, Carlos Lee and Sid Bream and Craig Wilson. Shealy's "similarity index" to this list is 56, indicating a "very common typology." In other words, he looks like "just another" Richie Sexson. If Littlefield wants another Jason Bay on the plus side of his trading ledger, Shealy's a smart gamble. Not a sure thing, of course, but a smart gamble.

The addition of McLouth's name to the trade-rumor pool grows that group to something like nine or ten men from the current 25-man roster.