One of the more interesting things I've been noticing recently is that the disparity in club finances is leading to significant difficulty in potential trade situations. Take for instance pitcher Brad Radke. The Twins are one of the two or three poorest baseball franchises these days, and with Radke's contract being up at the end of the coming season the Twins have been trying to sign him to a long term deal. Radke is one of the best pitchers in the AL, and his contract demands have been modest. Alas the Twins have either been unwilling or unable to meet his expectations.
Negotiations are ongoing, but inevitably trade speculation has emerged.
Here's were things get amusing. The Mets would likely love to have Radke. He'd be a fine addition to their staff and would put them that much closer to being able to beat the the Braves. Throw in a healthy Jim Edmonds and you have a pretty good team. The problem is that the Mets don't have much in the way of quality prospects or cheap players kicking around, and given the Twins financial situation, these are the only sorts of players the Twins are interested in.