You Can't Always Get What you Want

But if you're a baseball GM at the annual winter meetings, and you try really hard, you might get what you need
By BOB ELLIOTT

There are 2,881 rooms at Nashville's sprawling Gaylord Opryland Hotel. And by the end of the winter meetings there will be almost enough names tossed around in trade talks, varied combinations, possible free-agency destinations and players mentioned in lobby chatter to fill each and every room. And some rumours actually will come to fruition.

But 'tis the season ... among the 100s of holiday trees and 1,000s of poinsettias, the annual baseball winter meetings will get done. Each team arrives undefeated going into 2008. Each has its own list of areas where they are trying to tweak and improve in order to reach the post-season. For there haven't been any perfect teams since oh, say, the 1927 New York Yankees.

In recent years, the meetings have been dominated by free-agent signings (Alex Rodriguez, Mike Hampton, Kevin Brown), but each team this week will make an effort to get better the old-school way - by trading.

Few could match Jack McKeon, when he ran the San Diego Padres in the 1980s. He set up a table in the lobby with an "open for business, we'll trade." Or St. Louis Cardinals' Whitey Herzog, who on back-to-back days acquired Hall of Fame relievers Rollie Fingers and Bruce Sutter in 1980. Following is a rundown of the wants, needs and who is available for of each team.

AMERICAN LEAGUE

BALTIMORE ORIOLES

Needs: Power hitting OF-1B, more pitching and a SS if Miguel Tejada is dealt.

Wants: They want to extend LHP Erik Bedard. If they can't, they'd deal him.

Available: Andy MacPhail is trying to rebuild, so Tejada might go. C Ramon Hernandez, DH Aubrey Huff, OF Jay Payton, OF Melvin Mora and OF Jay Gibbons could also be moved.

BOSTON RED SOX

Needs: A starter, righty setup man, a backup catcher to share duties with Jason Varitek, and a backup corner infielder.

Wants: They may get into the ace chase for either LHP Johan Santana or RHP Danny Haren.

Available: Will deal OF Coco Crisp. Might part with a young stud, Jon Lester or Clay Buchholz, in a big deal.

NEW YORK YANKEES

Needs: No. 1 starter, bullpen help.

Wants: Will talk with Twins and A's about Santana and Haren. Want Luis Vizcaino back, and have discussed free agents Jeremy Affeldt and Trever Miller.

Available: Might be willing to give up RHPs Philip Hughes and Ian Kennedy under the new regime. Or OF Melky Cabrera, LF Johnny Damon, RP Ross Ohlendorf.

TAMPA BAY RAYS

Needs: Another catcher. Even after signing Troy Percival for two years, the bullpen needs help (6.16 ERA highest in 50 years).

Wants: Nine OFs on 40-man roster, seven with big-league experience, allowed them to move Delmon Young for RHP Matt Garza and SS Jason Bartlett.

Available: Still could move Elijah Dukes, Rocco Baldelli or Jonny Gomes. INF Josh Wilson or Ben Zobrist.

TORONTO BLUE JAYS

Needs: Help behind the plate.

Wants: Free agent Matt Clement. They'll try to move RHP Josh Towers and maybe OF Reed Johnson. Have added INF Marco Scutaro.

Available: A.J. Burnett is reasonably priced in this market and a year away from opting out. It could be a one-year deal for a team adding Burnett or it could be a three-year deal at his option. If Burnett goes 15-8 and realizes his potential he'll hit the open market. If he goes 4-11 with more injures he'll stay put.

CHICAGO WHITE SOX

Needs: Improvements at short, centre and left field.

Wants: They upgraded at short with Orlando Cabrera but still need free agent CF Aaron Rowand.

Available: SS Uribe who must go, with Cabrera's arrival. Even with Jon Garland gone they could move a starter. Mark Buehrle and Javier Vazquez are untouchable but not Jose Contreras. John Danks and Gavin Floyd are in the rotation. Knuckleballer Charlie Haeger and lefty Heath Phillips, triple-A International League pitcher of the year could move. Surplus at 3B in Joe Crede and Josh Fields.

CLEVELAND INDIANS

Needs: After landing Japanese RP Masahide Kobayashi to set up Joe Borowski, biggest need is a run-producing corner OF bat.

Wants: Names of OFs Jason Bay and Carl Crawford have been mentioned.

Available: 3B Andy Marte, once a bright prospect, is out of options. LHP Cliff Lee, an 18-game winner two years ago, regressed to triple-A Buffalo. OF David Dellucci has two years, $7.5 million remaining. One of OFs Ben Francisco, Shin-Soo Choo and Franklin Gutierrez. LHPs Jeremy Sowers and Aaron Laffey are duplicates, one could be moved.

DETROIT TIGERS

Needs: Now that Kenny Rogers has returned, the rotation is set. They need to replace Joel Zumaya, out half the year after shoulder surgery. Upgrades

behind the plate and backup middle INFs.

Wants: Free-agent RP LaTroy Hawkins.

Available: Cameron Maybin and/or Andrew Miller. Have some decent arms and OFs in the high minors.

KANSAS CITY ROYALS

Needs: An impact bat, back-of-the-rotation starter.

Wants: After missing out on Torii Hunter (Angels) they are chasing Jose Guillen. If Guillen goes elsewhere they'll deal for a hitter. Willing to take a run at those coming off injuries: Kris Benson, Jason Jennings and Clement.

Available: Either OF David DeJesus or Joey Gathright, DeJesus for a proven commodity, Gathright for a legit prospect. Teams are calling about RHP Zack

Greinke and RP Jimmy Gobble.

MINNESOTA TWINS

Needs: A third baseman, centre fielder and DH.

Wants: Partially solved their search for offensive punch by dealing Matt

Garza and SS Jason Bartlett to Tampa Bay for Young, who will play left.

Available: Santana.

ANAHEIM ANGELS

Needs: Middle of order hitter to go with Vlad Guerrero. Angels ranked fourth in the AL in runs scored despite being 12th in homers and ninth in slugging.

Wants: Miguel Cabrera and Tejada are the most likely targets this winter with 3B the easiest place to drop in a new bat.

Available: Addition of Jon Garland gives them six solid starters (alongside John Lackey, Kelvin Escobar, Jared Weaver, Ervin Santana and Joe Saunders). Two young starting catchers (Mike Napoli and Jeff Mathis). Blue chippers in INF Brandon Wood, RHP Nick Adenhart and OF Terry Evans

OAKLAND A'S

Needs: Right-handed hitting slugger, prospects and plenty of them.

Wants: It all depends on whether GM Billy Beane rebuilds.

Available: If he rebuilds then Haren, Joe Blanton and RP Huston Street will be available. 1B Dan Johnson.

SEATTLE MARINERS

Needs: They need two starters, a setup man. An OF if free agent Guillen leaves, or if Richie Sexson is dealt, as Raul Ibanez would move to first.

Wants: Japanese pitcher Hiroki Kuroda,

Available: 1B Sexson and M's may eat his salary. Ben Broussard is expendable, 2B Jose Lopez, an all-star in 2006. Prospects OF Adam Jones, C Jeff Clement, RP Brandon Morrow would go in a blockbuster (Santana).

TEXAS RANGERS

Needs: Outfield and an ace are primary targets.

Wants: Santana. They're scrambling, with Hunter out of the mix. If they go free-agent route: Mike Cameron. Via trade: Have talked with Boston (Crisp), Mets (any of the their young OFs) and Royals (Gathright). Japanese import Kosuke Fukudome an option.

Available: Young catching (Gerald Laird or Jarrod Saltalamacchia), SS Joaquin Arias.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

ATLANTA BRAVES

Needs: A replacement for CF Andruw Jones lefty RP, backup INF.

Wants: Acquired CF Josh Anderson from Houston as insurance and have minor-leaguer Jordan Schafer but are still in the market for a proven veteran.

Available: LF Willie Harris is expendable and a starter, if Mike Hampton is ready, but they won't know for sure until March. If he is, they'd have John Smoltz, Tim Hudson, Tom Glavine and Hampton, plus Chuck James, Jeff Bennett, Jo-Jo Reyes and Jair Jurriens (acquired in Renteria deal from Detroit).

FLORIDA MARLINS

Needs: A catcher, a CF, an affordable starter. The first two could be via trade.

Wants: Will listen to offers on LHP Dontrelle Willis but do not have to deal him.

Available: 3B Cabrera. It finally appears they'll move their young slugger and want three major leaguers in return.

NEW YORK METS

Needs: An ace.

Wants: Will try to deal for Santana or Haren, and setup help in the bullpen.

Available: Young stud OF talent -- Lastings Milledge, Carlos Gomez, Fernando Martinez. Twins scout Joe McIlvaine, loves Milledge and was at Shea late in the year. They'd include an arm as well. RHPs Kevin Mulvey or Philip Humber.

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES

Needs: Pitching, probably through free agency and 3B help.

Wants: They did make a run at 3B Mike Lowell.

Available: Not a lot after sending OF Michael Bourn, 3B Mike Costanzo and RHP Geoff Geary to Houston for RP Brad Lidge which allows Brett Myers to return to the rotation.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS

Needs: Help in centre and at short.

Wants: Like a lot of GMs Jim Bowden still is attracted to his old team -- any former Red.

Available: RP Jon Rauch, who had 85-plus appearances and 85-plus innings the past two seasons. RP Chad Cordero, who has converted 66 of 79 opportunities the previous two seasons.

CHICAGO CUBS

Needs: Left-handed hitters, especially those that can play right or centre, another starter.

Wants: CF Fukudome, left-handed bench help, a No. 2 starter in Hiroki Kuroda.

Available: RHP Ryan Dempster, now that Kerry Wood and Bobby Howry will share closer duties. OF Matt Murton, RP Will Ohman, SS Ronny Cedeno and a starter:Either Jason Marquis or Sean Marshall.

CINCINNATI REDS

Needs: Pitching, pitching and more pitching. They need two starters of the No. 3 and No. 4 category.

Wants: Closer solved by adding Francisco Cordero.

Available: OFs Josh Hamilton, Ryan Freel and Norris Hopper, with Jay Bruce ready to take over CF. 3B Edwin Encarnacion

HOUSTON ASTROS

Needs: No. 2. starter, determine if they have an in-house closer, if not a closer.

Wants: An upgrade at 2B and a SS.

Available: OF Luke Scott. Young arms at Round Rock.

MILWAUKEE BREWERS

Needs: Somebody to play left, after letting free agent Geoff Jenkins go, and relief help.

Wants: Since they lost Cordero and Scott Linebrink to free agency, they need bullpen help.

Available: A starter from the group of Chris Capuano, Dave Bush and Claudio Vargas.

PITTSBURGH PIRATES

Needs: Young starting pitching depth and a power bat, particularly to play third.

Wants: Talk that LF Jason Bay can be had, but they'd need a lot back to give him up despite his 2007 season.

Available: RHP Matt Morris, economically priced RPs Damaso Marte, John Grabow and Salomon Torres.

ST. LOUIS CARDINALS

Needs: Two starting pitchers. A right-handed bat, even if Scott Rolen goes.

Wants: Landing free-agent SSs Jack Wilson and Cesar Izturis, or retaining David Eckstein.

Available: Disgruntled 3B Rolen, due $36 million for next three years and coming off left shoulder surgery, so that's not likely. RHPs Anthony Reyes and Brad Thompson and LF Chris Duncan.

ARIZONA DIAMOND BACKS

Needs: A starting pitcher via trade.

Wants: Royals RHP Brian Bannister, and free-agent Mark Sweeney to replace free agent Tony Clark, who may give a home-town discount.

Available: One of RFs Carlos Quentin, Carlos Gonzalez, Gerardo Parra. A corner INF -- 1B Conor Jackson, 3B Mark Reynolds, 1B Chad Tracy.

COLORADO ROCKIES

Needs: Middle part of the bullpen, veteran candidates for fifth starter's spot.

Wants: Re-signing C Yorvit Torrealba after his three-year deal with Mets fell through, filled a need.

Available: RP Brian Fuentes, INF Jeff Baker, CF Cory Sullivan.

LOS ANGELES DODGERS

Needs: Starting pitching, a 3B and a C.

Wants: Bedard. They'll move Juan Pierre to left.

Available: Lots of young talent. Most teams want some combination of RHP Chad Billingsley, 1B James Loney, 3B Andy LaRoche, OF Matt Kemp and prospects Clayton Kershaw and James McDonald.

SAN DIEGO PADRES

Needs: Looking for a CF, a corner OF, stop-gap 2B and a No. 4 or No. 5 starters with upside, plus RPs.

Wants: GM Kevin Towers does not have a lot to offer, but that hasn't stopped him from making good deals in the past.

Available: If 3B prospect Chase Headley can't play LF, they might trade him or 3B Kevin Kouzmanoff, but they may want to see if Headley is adequate in LF, in triple-A.

SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS

Needs: A run-producer or two, specifically at 3B, 1B or OF. A middle RP.

Wants: Cabrera.

Available: Looking to deal from their surplus of arms (Matt Cain, Tim Lincecum, Jonathan Sanchez Noah Lowry) for a younger bat. C Bengie Molina (two years left at $12 million) might be available, but a catcher would be needed in return.