Here's a story that will heat up later this week when Kansas City comes to town: Royals reliever Joakim Soria is being coveted by the Yankees. Who wouldn't want the 26-year-old All-Star who has averaged 37 saves in four seasons with the Royals?

The Yankees would gladly dump uneven Joba Chamberlain and make Soria their eighth inning bridge to Mariano Rivera, even if a great baseball brains such as Steve Phillips insists that closers do not find success reverting to such a role. 

If all of this sounds way too easy to pull off, you are correct. Royals GM Dayton Moore has said he isn't trading core players such as Soria. But at 39-52 what is he waiting for?

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