Random Idea: Trade Hochevar?

After reading some postgame stuff about today's win, I read some comment about our pitching depth. Not sure who it was by, but it got me to thinking about Hochevar being in AAA. We can obviously most likely cancel this discussion if Kyle Davies is only a borderline #4 pitcher, but for the rest of this, we're going to assume Davies is going to be a legit #3 or better.

We have an incredible 1-2 punch, add in the Davies assumption and we have a 1-2-3 that is in the top third of all baseball, and most likely better. If Ponson can be just a fringe 4/serviceable 5, we have a little more depth to work with.

Our current pitching depth leads me to considering trading Hochevar now. I am not advocating it, just exploring potential options. I fully understand that pitching depth can go at any moment and that our pitching won't be THIS good, but I think it would be at least something to look into. This might especially enticing if we are in the thick of a playoff race and a bat could put us over the top.

We need hitting, badly. We need someone that can get on base with regularity. We need someone with power. Getting proven guys with insane costs won't work for our club. We need to utilize some of our trade chips to try and acquire some elite hitting talent before it gets a proven tag. Pitching is the currency of baseball after all. All we've burned so far have been fungible relievers, which can easily be replaced by investing millions into. Hochevar just HAS to be sitting there burning a hole in Dayton's pocket.

What I would explore would be trying to trade Hochevar for a MLB ready hitting prospect or one with a little bit of experience. Hochevar had a decent season with the peripherals, enough so to inspire confidence in his future, so I don't believe he has lost a ton of value, but he isn't going to be valued like a #1 pick anymore.

I like his potential, but I don't love it.  I think he has definite value to clubs because he has #2 starter ceiling and most likely #4 floor.

Who would we trade him for though?

-Max Ramirez would be a great bat at C and i've heard defensive concerns are overblown.
-Chase Headley or Kyle Blanks. It's hard to evaluate prospects that hit half the time in PETCO, but you have to like the power potential to go along with an OBP that projects to be slightly above average. Blanks would alleviate a future logjam at 1st for them. He isn't an OF.
-Reid Brignac- may not be a superstar, but a young SS with some power would be excellent. Would be hampered by Rays depth at pitching. Maybe we could swing a 3 way.
-Austin Jackson could be another target if the Yanks sweetened the pot with Ian Kennedy. At least i'd never have to read another Ian Kennedy for other teams top prospect garbage trade proposal.


Anyways, these are just a few. I'll toss in more, maybe other people have ideas of what we could snag.

Like I said, if Davies is not for real then all bets are off, but it seems like it would be worth just putting some feelers out to see what the market is like for Hochevar.