Suitors line up for Sox slugger, but price remains high

	Jermaine Dye, who was in a hitting slump through the first half of the season, has heated up since coming out of the break. AP
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• Updates on Teixeira, Willis
• Solution for Yankees' first-base woes
• Cubs reach on Kendall deal
• More news and notes

What does it say about the trade market that the best player who may be dealt is a .229 hitter?

For one, it says the market may not be all it's been cracked up to be. For another, this isn't just any run-of-the-mill .229 hitter.

Jermaine Dye was the World Series MVP in 2005 and one of the most productive hitters in baseball in '06, when he hit 44 home runs. Since the start of last season, in fact, he has hit as many home runs as any outfielder except Adam Dunn, who has hit 65 and is also on the trading block (though Dunn isn't the all-around player that Dye is).

According to an executive with an American League team, there are two hurdles to a once-promising trade market: 1) Nearly every GM thinks his team is in the playoff hunt (and many are); and 2) Several GMs fear the repercussions of a bad trade, from public ridicule to a pink slip.

I would add a third reason, and that's that the teams at the bottom of the standings have very little starting pitching, and they aren't about to surrender the few starters they do have.

The Mets -- offensive disappointments since losing Moises Alou to injury -- have shown interest in Dye, and the power-starved Dodgers and Padres have been scouting him as well. The Dodgers are interested in starting pitching since Randy Wolf suffered a shoulder injury, and Padres GM Kevin Towers has mentioned interest in a starter, as well (though San Diego's pitching is as good as anyone's).

Two executives complained the White Sox are asking too much for Dye, with one saying they are relying on his name rather than his performance. The likely scenario now has the White Sox waiting until closer to the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline.

Dye probably needs need to put together two solid weeks of productive and healthy play (he had been hampered by a bad quad), and he may be on his way. Since the break Dye is 10 for 27 with four multi-hit games and four home runs, and he has raised his average from .214.

According to the Chicago papers, Dye has been caught sulking over his situation in recent days (he's apparently not happy the club extended pitchers Mark Buehrle and Javier Vazquez but not him), and Williams told the Chicago papers he has spoken to Dye about that a few times this season. "He frustrated, and I have news for him: We're all a little frustrated around here right now," Williams was quoted as saying.

Williams pulled a surprise when he got Buehrle signed to a $56 million, four-year contract (though Buehrle only received no-trade protection through the '08 season, giving the club a 20-month window after that in which they'd be able to deal him before his 10-and-5 veto right kicks in).

In any case, there are no current contract talks with Dye, who previously invoked the name "Carlos Lee" (the ex-Sox slugger who got $16 million a year as a free agent last winter) in negotiations. Dye's agent Bob Bry declined comment. But whether Dye goes to the Mets, Dodgers, Padres or someone else, it appears his days are numbered on the South Side.