Milwaukee pitcher Zack Greinke could be switching uniforms as the non-waiver trade deadline quickly approaches on July 31. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast, File)
MILWAUKEE -- Doug Melvin has never been afraid of pulling the trigger on a big deal in advance of the trade deadline.
In 2008, with the chance of snapping a 26-year postseason drought as incentive, the general manager made one of the biggest trades in Milwaukee Brewers' history when he acquired pitcher CC Sabathia on July 7.
Last year, he caught almost everybody off guard when he came home from the All-Star Game with relief pitcher Francisco Rodriguez.
But this year with his team teetering on the brink of falling out of contention, Melvin is biding his time with the July 31 non-waiver deadline less than two weeks away.
"If you go by the Internet, you'd think there's going to be tons of trades," Melvin said Wednesday, July 18. "If you go by my phone, there won't be any.
"You look back most years, it comes down to the end. We were the only team that jumped out early in '08 and last year at the All-Star Game we caught people off guard. "
This year, the only way Melvin will surprise anyone is if he doesn't make a deal. Most of the trade speculation swirling around the team involves free agent-to-be pitcher Zack Greinke, but other names that have come up in rumors include third baseman Aramis Ramirez, Rodriguez and veteran left-hander Randy Wolf.
Right-hander Shaun Marcum -- who like Greinke, Rodriguez and Wolf will become a free agent after the season -- might also be available later if he recovers from the elbow tightness that has sidelined him for
the past month.But to hear Melvin, he's still open to the notion of adding players for the stretch.
"There's still a lot of baseball to be played," Melvin said. "One bad week can turn things upside down. One good week change things."
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