Moving or Staying Put?

Arizona ace Randy Johnson is available, his ability to dominate a postseason series creating the loudest buzz on baseball’s trade market.

Pittsburgh right-hander Kris Benson can be had for prospects, and a number of solid position players, including Arizona’s Luis Gonzalez and Steve Finley and Montreal’s Orlando Cabrera, are there for the taking.

The Angels eye this potential feast of talent like a guy in a buffet line who just consumed Thanksgiving dinner. They’re stuffed, and they can’t take another bite.

“I don’t feel like we need to do anything,” pitcher Jarrod Washburn said, assessing the Angels as the July 31 trade deadline approaches. “I don’t feel we have any holes that can’t be filled by guys here doing their jobs.”

Echoed Angel closer Troy Percival: “We did what we’ve never done, load up in the off-season. We have the players here to win; we just have to do it. I saw what we won with in 2002, and we have the horses to do that now.”

Well, at least the Angels aren’t setting themselves up for disappointment, as they did in 1998, when they clamored for midseason help and then-general manager Bill Bavasi whiffed.

Oakland has reached the playoffs four consecutive years, thanks in part to the midseason maneuverings of General Manager Billy Beane, who added Jose Guillen in the summer of 2003, Ray Durham and Ricardo Rincon in 2002, Jermaine Dye in 2001 and Jim Mecir in 2000.

A bold midseason move often can make the difference between the playoffs or a trip home in early October, and if there is one criticism of Angel GM Bill Stoneman, it is that he has been unable to put together an impact trade-deadline deal.

In 2000, his first year as GM, the Angels were in contention in July. Stoneman’s only move was to trade pitching bust Kent Bottenfield for Philadelphia outfielder Ron Gant, who hit .232 in 34 games, and the Angels finished 9 1/2 games behind.

In contention in July 2001, Stoneman stood pat, and the Angels faded badly in September. In 2002, Stoneman’s only move was to acquire outfielder Alex Ochoa, a key late-inning defensive replacement for Tim Salmon -- but not much more -- during the Angels’ World Series run.

The Angels were within striking distance in 2003, but a flurry of injuries hurt them in July, and Stoneman’s only move -- sending disgruntled reliever Scott Schoeneweis to the White Sox for prospects -- was made with the future, not the present, in mind.

“Just because there’s a deadline, it doesn’t mean you have to do something,” Stoneman said. “You have to be patient. As soon as you’re impatient and start forcing issues, you’ll end up getting less than you give up.”

Oakland’s Beane has a different approach. He said earlier this month that he loves this time of year because making a trade can “give the whole club a psychological boost.”

Beane moved swiftly to address a bullpen problem this season, trading for Houston closer Octavio Dotel on June 24, and said he would “like to do something else to give us a lift.”

Stoneman has been more reluctant to part with prospects, refusing to “mortgage our future” for a potential rent-a-player, and if that diminishes him compared to Beane in the eyes of fans and the media, so be it.

The retooled Angels, bolstered by the winter additions of outfielders Vladimir Guerrero and Guillen and pitcher Kelvim Escobar, are in the thick of the playoff hunt, trailing first-place Texas by 2 1/2 games and Oakland by a half-game as they resume play after the All-Star break against Boston tonight.

They closed the first half with a 5-1 trip through Chicago and Toronto, emerging from a five-week funk in which they underachieved on offense and pitched inconsistently. They are finally sound -- with the exception of third baseman Troy Glaus -- after suffering numerous injuries in April, May and June.

Bartolo Colon showed signs of emerging from his ugly two-month slump with a quality start and win over Toronto on Friday. Escobar, Washburn and John Lackey have been superb for several weeks, and the bullpen, with the return of the injured Percival and Brendan Donnelly, looked dominant last week.

The offense, bolstered by the June return of Garret Anderson, no longer relies too much on Guerrero and Guillen, as the Angels blend timely hits with good situational hitting and aggressive baserunning.

“Our challenge is going to be in-house, to be more consistent with the things we’ve struggled with,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “For our offense to go south for 30-40 games ... we’re deep enough that you won’t see that kind of drop-off for that long. I don’t think we need to add anything. Our talent level is just now emerging.”

The Angels are one of the few organizations who have the prospects -- catcher Jeff Mathis, third baseman Dallas McPherson, first baseman Casey Kotchman and pitcher Ervin Santana, among them -- to satisfy what Arizona might ask for Johnson, but unless the price is reasonable, another July probably will pass without Stoneman completing a major deal.

“We have some really talented minor leaguers,” Stoneman said. “They’re our future, and we’re in this business for the long haul.... The only way we’ll do something is if it helps the organization.”

The A’s, meanwhile, are looking for a second baseman, though with third baseman Eric Chavez returning, super utility player Mark McLemore could move to second. They’d also like to add another bat, and they’re looking to trade underachieving reliever Arthur Rhodes.

The surprising Rangers, who lost Alex Rodriguez last winter but lead the AL in runs and home runs, need a starting pitcher, a middle-of-the-order bat and bullpen help, though reliever Jeff Nelson and right fielder Brian Jordan could help if they return from injuries soon.

Texas is interested in Finley, Arizona outfielder Danny Bautista and Colorado outfielder Jeromy Burnitz, and they could pursue former Ranger reliever Ugueth Urbina, who is in Detroit.

Then again, the Rangers, with an All-Star infield that includes third baseman Hank Blalock, second baseman Alfonso Soriano and shortstop Michael Young, might not want to mess with a good thing.

“We’re in first place with this team,” Blalock said, “and I don’t see why we can’t stay there.”

The Rangers have built team chemistry with a series of improbable comeback victories, fueling a feeling they’re never out of a game.

“It’s Mr. Toad’s magical wild ride,” Texas Manager Buck Showalter said. “It’s always fun to see what the boys have in store for us that day. They never cease to amaze me.”