MLB Trade Rumors: Pirates Chasing Shane Victorino?

As the 2012 MLB season reaches its midway point and the trade deadline looms closer and closer, the Philadelphia Phillies will soon be put on the spot and asked if they're going to be either sellers or buyers. Currently, the last-place Phils' look to be on the selling end of things, and one of the pieces in a trade could be the unhappy veteran Shane Victorino, says Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal.

One of those teams interested is the Pittsburgh Pirates, who are currently sit in first place in the NL Central. According to the SB Nation blog Bucs Dugout, Victorino could be a nice, cheap(er) trade option:

Victorino hasn't hit much this year, which might make him a good buy-low candidate, especially since he has a $9.5 million salary that the Pirates can volunteer to pay in order to offset the cost to them in prospects.

Also add that Victorino doesn't seem to be happy in Philly anymore. On Sunday, before the Phillies game against the Atlanta Braves this tidbit of information came from Rob Parent of the Delaware County Daily Times:

Looks like Victorino is ticked and that's why he's scratched. Walked into clubhouse, soon saw he was No. 7 in lineup, walked out wordlessly.

— Rob Parent (@ReluctantSE) July 8, 2012

To discuss what the Phillies should do at the MLB Trade Deadline, make sure to check out the SB Nation blog The Good Phight. Meanwhile, SB Nation's Baseball Nation has all the MLB goods.