Interesting article in the Denver Post from Patrick Saunders. Essentially Clint Hurdle's singing more praises of the other Clint, but it sounds more like a showcase for potential suitors than a tacit endorsement of Barmes future with the Rox. To note:
"...if nothing else comes from this season..?" Doesn't that seem to you like saying "If he hasn't shown he's got a place here..." Anyway, it seems to me that the Rockies are using the Post and the official site to tout some trade bait with a couple of these recent articles. The trouble is that there might not be many takers. The Cubs clearly could use some infield help, they come to mind, but I don't know of too many other teams that Barmes would pass as an upgrade for. There is a small caveat with that, however, as a couple of teams, Atlanta and San Francisco for instance, are riding aging shortstops that might not have many seasons left in the tank.
At the more positive end of the stick, many teams should rightly see Barmes as an upgrade to their bench depth, and with Josh Wilson and Omar Quintanilla the Rockies have a couple of fairly decent (should Q ever figure out how to make the leap to MLB pitchers, that is) bench fills of their own just a level below until Jonathan Herrera and Chris Nelson arrive. Barmes' status should prove to be the subject of intense speculation through the winter until it finally resolves. My guess is that unless he gets moved by the end of the December GM Winter Meetings, he won't get moved at all until deadline time next season.