MLB Trade Deadline

With the MLB Trade Deadline less than a week away, I decided it would be a better use of my time to take a break from writing about NHL free agency and re-focus my efforts on baseball.

*Statistics come from mlb.com, baseball-reference.com, fangraphs.com, espn.com, and spotrac.com

AL East

Current Standings (As of 7/31)

Team	Wins	Losses	Div GB	WC GB	Runs For/Game	Runs Allowed/Game
TOR	59	45	---------	----------	4.96	4.14
BAL	58	45	.5	+1.5	4.72	4.50
BOS	56	46	2.0	----------	5.58	4.77
NYY	52	52	7.0	5.0	4.04	4.34
TB	42	61	16.5	14.5	3.98	4.47

Baltimore Orioles - BUY

• Perhaps the surprising leaders of the division, the Orioles have held the lead for most of the season.  They have done so by simply out-powering their opposition (the team has hit an MLB-leading 149 home runs) and playing solid defense (have committed only 50 errors as a team). Their issue has been their pitching, both starting pitching and bullpen; their starting pitchers have only achieved a quality start in 40% of starts and have lasted an average of 5.5 innings per start, so their bullpen is forced to pitch multiple innings every night.
• Needs: As stated above, the Orioles desperately need starting and relief pitching help.  They could also use help in Left Field as the combination of Hyun Soo Kim, Joey Rickard, and Nolan Reimold just isn't cutting it.
• Fits: The problem for the Orioles will be the fact that their farm system just isn't very strong. ESPN's Keith Law ranks the system as the 27th best in baseball, with only two of their prospects ranked in the top 100 overall (catcher Chance Sisco at 81 and pitcher Hunter Harvey at 100).  Because of this, the team will most likely struggle to pull off a trade of any significance at the deadline and may have to rely on either a couple lower tier trades or waiting until after August 1st to acquire talent.  
• Nick Markakis
• Jeff Francoeur

Boston Red Sox- BUY

• The Red Sox have been what a lot of experts thought they would be this year: an offensive juggernaut that struggles with pitching.  Their offense has a chance to be historically great with their younger talent like Mookie Betts, Xander Bogaerts, and Jackie Bradley Jr have all taken steps forward, while David Ortiz in his final year is on pace to break the single-season extra base hits record.  Hanley Ramirez has also rejuvenated his career with a solid bounce-back season.  Their issue has been starting pitching, which has been nearly unwatchable.  David Price, the big offseason free agent prize, has been pitching more like a number two or three in the rotation rather than the ace he should be with his $31 million contract.  After him, the rotation has been a struggle, with Rick Porcello and knuckleballer Steven Wright putting together solid seasons.  As a result of the team's pitching woes, GM Dave Dombrowski has already gone out and made a few trades to bolster their rotation and bullpen by acquiring lefty starter Drew Pomeranz and side-arm thrower Brad Ziegler for the 'pen.  Look for Dombrowski to continue the aggressiveness that has stamped his career as a GM by going all-in at the deadline.
• Needs: Rotation help (any and all), bullpen help, and possibly help in left field.  Could use help offensively at catcher, but the team seems content with the defensive upside of starting Christian Vazques in exchange for his lack of offensive skills.
• Fits: 
• The Red Sox, going into this season, had Keith Law's 10th best farm system in baseball. They gave up the system's best pitching prospect (Anderson Espinoza) in the trade for Pomeranz, but the farm system is still stacked with Yoan Moncada rated as mlb.com's 5th best prospect in baseball and Rafael Devers the 14th best.  If Dombrowski wanted to pull off a massive trade, he certainly has the prospects with all but Moncada and Andrew Benintendi as tradeable assets.  
• Jonathan Lucroy - the Red Sox, in recent days, have been linked to the Brewers' catcher Jonathan Lucroy who would provide production at the plate as well as help steady the pitching.
• Jeremy Hellickson
• Blake Wood
• Carlos Gonzalez
• Boone Logan

Toronto Blue Jays - BUY

• The Toronto Blue Jays have found themselves in a place that is nearly opposite of what many thought it would be entering the season; their starting pitching has been quite good while their offense sputtered at the start but has come to life recently.  Josh Donaldson is putting together another MVP-type season while DH/1B Edwin Encarnacion has been his regular consistent self once again.  The Jays' issue is going to be if/when they decide to move Aaron Sanchez to the bullpen to cap the number of innings he throws.  Because of that, GM Ross Atkins will be on the lookout for rotation help if it presents itself.  The Jays have also made several moves in recent days by acquiring outfielder Melvin Upton Jr for a lower end prospect and reliever Joaquin Benoit in exchange for Drew Storen.
• Needs: Rotation depth help, more bullpen help.  Most of the trades performed by the Jays will likely be lower end trades to not further hurt their 25th ranked farm system.  Any bigger trades that could arise would only be for the benefit of their future team as well as their present one, since both Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion are free agents after this season.
• Fits: 
• CC Sabathia
• Dioner Navarro as a back-up catcher to Russell Martin
• A.J. Pierzynski
• Jonathan Niese
• Jay Bruce
• Brandon Phillips
• Blake Wood
• Boone Logan

New York Yankees - SELL

• The Yankees find themselves in a position they perhaps have never found themselves in, potential sellers at the deadline.  6.5 games out of the division lead on July 27, the Yankees really aren't in a position to make a postseason push.  If the Yankees sell, they have the potential to bolster their already skilled and deep farm system by trading MLB players for future prospects.  The team has already started this process by sending Aroldis Chapman to the Cubs for their No. 1 and No. 5 prospects, plus a third prospect and an MLB-ready reliever in Adam Warren.  After starting the sell-off process, the Yankees should continue, and should determine what to do with reliever Andrew Miller who has another year left on his deal after this season.
• Trade Pieces:
• Carlos Beltran (RF/DH)- 39 year old corner outfielder/DH who is having a solid year and has a .309/.350/.554 slash line. Beltran could bring the Yankees a solid prospect or two in return.
• CC Sabathia - Sabathia has another year left on his deal that pays him another $23 million next year.  He is putting together a decent year with a 3.95 ERA  and could help provide rotation depth for a team if the Yankees are willing to eat some of his salary.
• Brian McCann (C)

Tampa Bay Rays - SELL

• The magic the Rays had in the late 2000's under Joe Maddon seems to have warn off as the Rays find themselves in last place in the division.  This season's team is struggling to score runs while also giving up too many runs.  Luckily, for the Rays, the team has several trade targets that could help them retool for the future.  
• Trade Pieces: 
• Steve Pearce - Utility player who has played numerous infield positions as well as the outfield,  Pearce is having a solid year by hitting .313 with 10 home runs and driving in 29 runs.  
• Logan Morrison (1B/LF)- Morrison could serve as another playoff rental at the first base position and can fill in in left field when needed.  Most likely would not work as a team's primary at either position but would work well as the left handed hitter in a platoon as he has also hit 10 home runs and driven 31 runs.
• The Rays' starting pitchers have all, except Blake Snell, been named in trade rumors with Chris Archer gaining the latest buzz in a possible trade to the Dodgers.  Any trade involving one of the Rays' pitchers would see the Rays obtaining a number of quality prospects in return.

AL Central

Current Standings (As of 7/31)

Team	Wins	Losses	Div GB	WC GB	Runs For/Game	Runs Allowed/Game
CLE	60	42	---------	----------	4.92	4.04
DET	57	48	4.5	0.5	4.73	4.66
CHI	51	53	10.0	6.0	3.99	4.28
KC	49	54	11.5	7.5	3.89	4.45
MIN	39	64	21.5	17.5	4.42	5.20

Cleveland Indians - BUY

• Manager Terry Francona has the Indians on a roll this year, largely through their great starting pitching.  All five of their regular starters have an ERA under 4 and at least two could be Cy Young Award finalists.  Their bullpen has been pretty decent as well but is one area where the team could be looking to upgrade.  Their starting lineup has been surprisingly solid, considering Michael Brantley has played in all of eleven games thus far.  Mike Napoli's resurgence as a dependent hitter has been a great help to the team and has help to lengthen their lineup.  If you told Indians fans at the start of the season that they would be in first place without any contribution from Brantley and with an injury-shortened season from Carlos Carrasco they would be ecstatic.  Now, with a healthy rotation and a productive lineup, the Indians need to jump on the opportunity they have and make a push towards the World Series.
• Needs: Virtually all teams pushing towards the playoffs has a need in strengthening the bullpen and the Indians are no different.  They also have a need at catcher where starter Yan Gomes has landed on the 15-day DL with an A/C joint separation.  Even when he has been healthy, Gomes has struggled to hit this year, only driving in 32 runs and batting under .200.
• Fits: 
• Jonathan Lucroy - the Indians have been linked to the Brewers' catcher Jonathan Lucroy, who would greatly help the Tribe, both defensively and at the plate.  
• The Indians acquired reliever Andrew Miller from the Yankees on Saturday for 4 prospeccts, including OF Clint Frazier and pitcher Justus Sheffield
• Derek Norris
• Nick Hundley
• Wellington Castillo

Detroit Tigers - BUY

• It's hard to figure out what to make of the Tigers, as the team is possibly outperforming their expectations, yet with their payroll they should be contending every year.  Their lineup has been hot and cold with Miguel Cabrera is producing another solid year and Victor Martinez and Ian Kinsler have both had excellent seasons at the plate.  Justin Upton, however, who the Tigers signed to a 6 year, $132 million contract as a free agent this past offseason, has struggled mightily.  Their starting rotation has been similar to their lineup with veterans Justin Verlander and Jordan Zimmermann have had good seasons while rookie Michael Fulmer has been a great surprise to the tune of a 2.50 ERA.  On the other hand, pitchers Mike Pelfrey and Anibal Sanchez have both struggled and most likely would not be in the rotation if the team had alternatives.
• Needs: Back end rotation and bullpen help; Team could also use outfield depth by trading for a utility bat or two.
• Fits: 
• Steve Pearce (Utility)- would fill in greatly at a number of positions to give days off to the Tigers' starters as the season continues
• Jeremy Hellickson
• Jeanmar Gomez
• Hisashi Iwakuma
• David Hernandez
• David Robertson
• Matt Joyce
• Blake Wood
• Boone Logan

Chicago White Sox - SELL

• The White Sox find themselves in a difficult position at the trade deadline this year; they're not so far out of the playoffs to definitely be sellers and they're not exactly close enough to buy themselves into contention.  They're lineup also isn't good enough to truly contend as it is and, at this point, they would be acquiring players just to get into the one game wild card.  It just isn't worth it for the ChiSox to sell of their future for the chance at a one game playoff. Instead, the team should sell some of the bright spots on their major league roster and acquire some young talent in return.  For instance, Chris Sale is once again having an amazing, Cy Young caliber season, Jose Quintana has put together a sub-3.00 ERA season, and Todd Frazier has added some protection for Jose Abreu in the lineup and both players are having productive seasons at the plate.
• Trade Pieces:
• Dioner Navarro (C)- would serve as a quality backup catcher to a playoff team like the Blue Jays
• Brett Lawrie (2B/3B)
• Zach Duke (LHP) - quality left-handed veteran reliever
• James Shields (RHP)- already traded once this season and has been mentioned recently in trade talks
• David Robertson - White Sox closer who currently has 24 saves and isn't a free agent until after the 2018 season
• Chris Sale - most likely a stretch but has been rumored in a possible move to the Rangers

Kansas City Royals - SELL

• Coming of back-to-back seasons where they reached the World Series and won last year, the Royals have found themselves in a struggle in 2016.  Injuries have plagued them as CF Lorenzo Cain and Mike Moustakas have all missed significant time this year and their pitching has struggled to find the same magic it had last year.  Thus far, Ian Kennedy is the only starter with an ERA under 4.50 and only the back end of their bullpen has been able to shut down the opposition.  The Royals find themselves in an interesting situation this year as they are most likely too far out of contention to try pushing for a playoff spot, but their roster is too talented and controllable to sell off a large number of players.  The best route for the team to take would be to sell off any players with expiring contracts and attempt to re-tool their farm system which has taken a hit in recent years.  Any big trade they make to sell of players will most likely attempt to include Ian Kennedy to get his contract off their books.
• Trade Pieces:
• Edinson Volquez - Volquez could provide rotation depth as well as playoff experience for any potential playoff team.  In 2016, Volquez has pitched better than his ERA suggests, as his FIP is nearly a half run lower than his ERA.
• Kendrys Morales (DH/1B)- Morales has served as the Royals DH since Billy Butler left the Royals following the 2014 season.  In 2016, he is once again providing steady run-producing abilities as he has driving in 49 in the middle of their order.  He would provide a quality bat from both sides of the plate in the middle of a lineup.
• Wade Davis - The Royals' closer has been mentioned in recent trade talks to teams including the Dodgers, Indians, Nationals, and Giants.  With a player option for 2017, Davis would not become a free agent until 2018, and would require a great deal of talent in return.  Considering what the Yankees got in exchange for a few months of Aroldis Chapman, the Royals could nearly double that return.

Minnesota Twins - SELL

• Last year the Twins finished above .500 for the first time since 2010 and caused a lot of optimism going into the 2016 season.  Last season's results, and this season's optimism, both appear to have been false as the Twins have slid backwards greatly and appear headed for another last place finish.  There haven't been many things that have worked for the Twins this year as their starting pitching has been horrible and Brian Dozier and Eduardo Nunez have been the only bright spots in the lineup.  The team has several young, highly-talented prospects that haven't developed as quickly as the team would have liked, but provide optimism for the future. With that, the team does not have an extensive number of roster players the team would want to trade, and the pieces they do have would only garner modest returns.
• Trade Pieces:
• Fernando Abad - Relief pitcher who has turned in a solid season this year with a 2.45 ERA in 38 appearances.  Not eligible for free agency until 2018 and is attractive to a number of teams.
• Brian Kintzler - Right-handed relief pitcher who has served as the closer for the Twins in Glen Perkins' absence and has a sub-2.00 ERA this season in 33 appearances. Also not a free agent until 2018 and is arbitration eligible this offseason. 
• Eduardo Nunez - traded to the Giants

AL West

Current Standings (As of 7/31)

Team	Wins	Losses	Div GB	WC GB	Runs For/Game	Runs Allowed/Game
TEX	61	44	---------	----------	4.76	4.70
HOU	55	49	5.5	2.0	4.54	4.07
SEA	52	50	7.5	4.0	4.71	4.39
LAA	47	57	13.5	10	4.63	4.61
OAK	47	58	14.0	10.5	4.12	4.83

Texas Rangers- BUY

• The Rangers have jumped out to a sizable lead in the division, leading the Astros by five games coming into the trade deadline.  They have done this by fielding a productive lineup while their starting pitching hasn't been the most reliable after Cole Hamels with Colby Lewis and Derek Holland currently on the 60-day DL and Yu Darvish's shoulder being a question mark.  The bullpen has been solid this season with Sam Dyson filling in as closer after Shawn Tolleson became a liability. Offensively, they have gotten contributions from nearly every position on the field except catcher and DH while shortstop-turned-center fielder Ian Desmond has turned his career around by hitting 20 home runs all on a "show-me" contract that will most certainly result in a big payday for Desmond this offseason.  Rookie outfielder Nomar Mazara has been another surprising bright spot for the team this year by driving in 41 runs already and pushing his name to the top of the rookie of the year discussion.  This has all been done while keeping two of Keith Law's top 50 prospects, 3B/OF Joey Gallo and OF Lewis Brinson, in the minors. Any trades the team desires to make can easily be done with their deep farm system that has several high end prospects that would be attractive to any team.
• Needs: Catcher remains the one position on the field where the team has struggled, with Bobby Wilson and Robinson Chirinos splitting time with neither excelling at the plate.  With DH Prince Fielder set to miss the remainder of the season, the team could also use offensive depth by acquiring a player who could fill in at DH and play a position or two in the field.  Lastly, the team would benefit by acquiring a starting pitcher or two to help Hamels and Darvish by providing stability.
• Fits: 
• Chris Sale - Sale has been linked to the Rangers in recent rumors as the Rangers are one of a couple teams with the prospects needed to make the trade happen.  If they were to acquire him, it would take at least Joey Gallo and Lewis Brinson plus another top prospect and probably one MLB-ready player.
• Jonathan Lucroy - would fill the team's need at catcher
• James Shields - if the White Sox are willing to pay some of his contract
• Kendrys Morales
• Adam Lind
• Jeremy Hellickson
• David Freese
• Matt Joyce
• Chris Carter
• Matt Garza
• Derek Norris
• Nick Hundley
• Wellington Castillo

Houston Astros- BUY

• The Astros started this season, after making the playoffs last year, slow but turned their play around in May and June so that they are only four games out of first place in the division. They have done this through above average pitching and a deep lineup that an score in a variety of ways.  Their starters have been hot and cold this season, with reigning AL Cy Young winner Dallas Keuchel regressing to a 4.57 ERA while Doug Fister and Lance McCullers have been surprisingly good.  The good news is that although the starters' ERAs have not been great, their pitching metrics suggest they have been better than the ERA.  Their lineup has gotten contributions from all over the field with Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa, and George Springer all having 60-plus RBIs on the season.  Two spots in the lineup that have not performed well: catcher Jason Castro has struggled at the plate this season, and CF Carlos Gomez has continued his downward slide from being an MVP-candidate just a few seasons ago.
• Needs: The Astros will be buyers on the pitching market, especially starters that will not require a lot in return.  I see them also in the market for some depth hitters to help spell some of their starters as the season carries on.
• Fits: 
• Steve Pearce
• Dioner Navarro
• Logan Morrison
• Edinson Volquez
• Hisashi Iwakuma
• Jeremy Hellickson
• A.J. Pierzynski
• Jonathan Niese
• Matt Joyce
• Chris Carter
• Nick Hundley
• Matt Reynolds
• Wellington Castillo

Seattle Mariners- SELL

• The Mariners came into this season with high expectations based on the depth of their lineup and the overall quality of their pitching.  For the most part, the team has even lived up these expectations with Robinson Cano having a bounce back season, Kyle Seager being consistently productive again, and Nelson Cruz already hitting 25 home runs this season.  From a pitching standpoint, the starters have been decent as a whole, but losing James Paxton, Felix Hernandez, and now Taijuan Walker to injuries has certainly hurt them.  Despite having a good season, the team is just too far back to make a realistic run at the playoffs and have already started a small sell off by sending relievers Mike Montgomery and Joaquin Benoit to the Cubs and Blue Jays, respectively.  The Mariners' core is in place, however, and any sell off of players will be minimal as to not sell the immediate future.
• Trade Pieces:
• Adam Lind (1B/DH) - Left handed power bat who would work great in a platoon situation at first base or DH.
• Hisashi Iwakuma - Right handed starting pitcher who has put together four consecutive sub-4.00 ERA seasons, before having a slight regression this year.  Can still be beneficial for a playoff team looking to bolster their rotation.

Oakland Athletics- SELL

• The Oakland A's are struggling through their second consecutive losing season, and it's easy to see why.  Their lineup is not very productive and their pitching rotation, outside of Rich Hill, has struggled to be even league average.  The team needs a serious overall of the roster, both at the MLB level and in the minors, where Keith Law ranked their farm system 18th at the start of the season.  Luckily for the A's they have a number of roster players that are marketable and would have had an additional player in Rich Hill had he been traded before suffering a blister on his throwing hand.  
• Trading Pieces:
• Billy Burns - traded to the Kansas City Royal on 7/30
• Josh Reddick - most attractive available outfielder at this year's deadline, who's having good season after missing time due to injury. Left handed bat who plays plus defense, and will be attractive for teams at not a very high price
• Marc Rzepczynski - reliever who has a 3.48 ERA in 47 appearances this year and nearly every team needs bullpen help at this time of year
• Rich Hill - despite being injured, does a team take a chance on him? He has a 2.25 ERA in 14 starts this season

Los Angeles Angels- SELL

• The Angels are bad...like really bad.  They're not competitive at the major league level, they're old, and expensive, and they have the worst minor league system in baseball.  Keith Law even went so far as to call them the worst he's ever seen, and they currently don't have any prospects in the top 100.  The team needs a complete overhaul at all levels and will have to start by trading what little pieces that are attractive to other teams.
• Trade Pieces:
• Joe Smith - rental relief pitcher who has a 3.96 ERA in 37 appearances this year
• Yunel Escobar - Infielder who is under team control through next year and is having a great year, contact wise, by batting .321
• Mike Trout - This is the rumor that has been talked about since the start of the season but most likely wouldn't happen until the offseason, if it ever does.  It's hard to imagine the Angels ever getting enough in return to make it worth their while, yet it's hard watching one of the greatest players in history waste his career on a poor team.  If the team were to trade him, it would probably be the biggest return in baseball history for any one player. We're talking at least 3 of a team's top 5 prospects, plus a major league-ready player or so.  Crazy to consider, yet fun to think about.

NL EAST

Current Standings (As of 7/30)

Team	Wins	Losses	Div GB	WC GB	Runs For/Game	Runs Allowed/Game
WAS	61	43	---------	----------	4.63	3.54
MIA	57	48	4.5	----------	4.29	4.09
NYM	53	50	7.5	3.0	3.64	3.57
PHI	48	59	14.5	10.0	3.58	4.55
ATL	37	68	24.5	20.0	3.44	4.78

Washington Nationals - BUY

• The Nationals, at the deadline, are where baseball experts thought they would be, in first place and one of the best teams in the N.L.  Their lineup has been quite good this year, with Daniel Murphy pacing the way with a .351/.390/.622 slash line and catcher Wilson Ramos has been great after having Lasik eye surgery in the offseason.  Pitching wise, the starters have spectacular except for Gio Gonzalez, and they still have star prospect Lucas Giolito waiting to come up as a regular in the rotation.  Their only issue has been at the back end of the bullpen where closer Jonathan Papelbon has not been lights out and the team attempted to remedy this situation by acquiring closer Mark Melancon from Pittsburgh on Saturday; this move should help greatly.  The team appears to be just small pieces away from being a true contender in the N.L and competing against the Cubs.  They need to take advantage of the talent they have because they could be only a couple seasons away from losing Bryce Harper to free agency while Jayson Werth and Ryan Zimmerman continue to age.
• Needs: The Nationals will only need role players, if anything, as their core is solid and productive.  The only need they really had, the back end of the bullpen, has been taken care of by acquiring Mark Melancon.
• Fits:
• Steve Pearce - would fit need as a role player who can play a lot of positions in the fit, is having a great season, and would be cheap to acquire.
• Mark Rzepczynski - after dealing reliever Felipe Rivero to the Pirates for Melancon, the Nationals are left with only two lefties out of the pen, Sammy Solis and Oliver Perez, and Perez is not having a good season.  Rzepczynski would help fill this void at low cost.
• Fernando Abad
• Yunel Escobar
• Will Smith

Miami Marlins - BUY

• The Marlins have definitely been one of baseball's best surprises this year, after finishing below .500 each of the past six seasons.  They have done so through solid starting pitching, a dominant bullpen, and consistent hitting.  Perhaps the most surprising thing about the team is that Giancarlo Stanton is only hitting .243 (worst of the starters) while veteran Ichiro Suzuki is batting .328.  The Marlins have fielded one of the best outfields in baseball as Marcell Ozuna has had his career revitalized under the tutelage of Barry Bonds.  Their starting pitching has been pretty good with Jose Fernandez leading the way and Adam Conley and Tom Koehler having solid seasons.  They recently acquired Andrew Cashner from San Diego to help with this need and traded for reliever Fernando Rodney earlier in the season to help bridge the gap to closer A.J. Ramos.  The team recently got Dee Gordon back from suspension, which is just like a trade, and he will certainly help their lineup at the top.  Any moves made at the deadline will likely be smaller ones, as their farm system is not good (ranked 29th by Keith Law before the season) and their needs are minor.  Look for them to make fringe trades for a depth hitter possibly.
• Needs: Depth hitting help
• Fits:
• Steve Pearce
• Brett Lawrie
• Dioner Navarro
• Matt Joyce

New York Mets - BUY

• While the division championship is most likely out of reach for the Mets this season, a wild card berth is a real possibility.  The Mets have been propelled to the position they are in largely by their pitching which has been stellar.  However, Matt Harvey has gone down for the year and could put the Mets in contention for a starting pitcher at the deadline; although Logan Verrett has filled in admirably in Harvey's absence.  Offensively, the team is basically Yoenis Cespedes and a bunch of league average hitters.  They could use help in a number of positions, most notably catcher, first base, and third base/shortstop.  
• Needs: Catcher is an issue with neither Travis d'Arnaud nor Kevin Plawecki sufficing, first base has been a problem with Lucas Duda not staying healthy, and third base/shortstop which have been problems since David Wright was lost for the season.
• Fits:
• Steve Pearce
• Brett Lawrie
• Zack Cozart
• Yunel Escobar
• Jonathan Lucroy, although the Mets most likely do not have the pieces to make this trade happen
• A.J. Pierzynski
• Erick Aybar
• David Freese
• Chris Carter
• Matt Reynolds
• Alexei Ramirez
• Derek Norris
• Wellington Castillo
• Nick Hundley

Philadelphia Phillies - SELL

• At the beginning of the season the Phillies looked like they could possibly be a surprise wild card contender.  However, as the season progressed, their lack of talent proved the team for what they actually are: a team a few years away from truly contending.  The Phillies are at a place where they need to continue trading off expiring contracts and anyone not included in their future plans and continue to acquire young talent to further bolster their farm system.
• Trade Pieces:
• Jeremy Hellickson 
• Jeanmar Gomez
• David Hernandez
• Jimmy Paredes

Atlanta Braves - SELL

• The Braves are in a similar position as the Phillies in that they are also in full rebuilding mode and will look to sell off any marketable pieces outside of franchise players like Freddie Freeman and Julio Teheran.  The Braves already boast baseball's number one farm system, including seven prospects in the top 100, and will look to further add to that system by making trades at the deadline.  *On Saturday 7/31, the Braves acquired Matt Kemp for Hector Olivera*
• Trade Pieces:
• A.J. Pierzynski
• Erick Aybar
• Jeff Francoeur
• Nick Markakis
• Jim Johnson

NL Central

Current Standings (As of 7/31)

Team	Wins	Losses	Div GB	WC GB	Runs For/Game	Runs Allowed/Game
CHI	62	41	---------	----------	5.07	3.49
STL	56	49	7.0	1.0	5.09	4.22
PIT	52	50	9.5	3.5	4.60	4.61
MIL	46	56	15.5	9.5	4.05	4.63
CIN	41	62	21.0	15.0	4.31	5.65

Chicago Cubs - BUY

• The Cubs are largely where everyone thought they would be at this time of the year: in first place with a commanding lead in the division with an offense that scores over 5 runs per game and pitching that holds the opposition to around 3.5.  The team finds themselves in this despite scuffling in recent weeks and the starting rotation being not as dominant as it was earlier. Despite this, however, the Cubs are certainly going to be the favorites going into the playoffs to win the World Series, and have already made attempts to strengthen what few weaknesses they had by trading for all-star closer Aroldis Chapman.  
• Needs: The Cubs have very little needs right now; their starting pitching is dominant, their bullpen has been strengthened, and their lineup can outhit nearly any other team.  Yet, simply making the playoffs and winning a series or two is not going to be enough for the front office nor its fans and president Theo Epstein and GM Jed Hoyer will make any move possible to make the Cubs as unbeatable as possible.  The team has been linked to players including Mike Trout, and if the move were possible, the team would certainly make it happen.  They are in a great position, where their MLB team is young and incredibly talented while their farm system remains strong, with players who will be blocked from making it to the majors by players such as Rizzo, Bryant, and Russell.  Even super prospect Kyle Schwarber most likely does not have a place with the team long-term, as he is not a catcher, is not good defensively in the outfield, and he has no place at first base.  At this point, the only real needs the Cubs could look at taking care of would be left field and further strengthening the bullpen.
• Fits:
• Josh Reddick
• Jay Bruce
• Matt Joyce
• Ryan Braun
• Carlos Gonzalez

St. Louis Cardinals - BUY

• The Cardinals have once again proven to be one of the steadiest franchises in baseball, once again in playoff contention, led by a powerful lineup.  The team, however, has quickly aged, and some of their core members are struggling to contribute the ways they used to.  That being said, the Cards are in play for several of the cheaper players on the market.  On Saturday they acquired lefty reliever Zach Duke from the White Sox for a low end prospect.  They will have to stay in this market because they do not have the trade pieces available to make a move for a high end player.
• Needs: The team will be getting SS/3B Jhonny Peralta, 2B/3B Matt Carpenter, and 1B/OF Brandon Moss all back from the DL soon, These will be equivalent to making trades for the Cardinals and will greatly lengthen their lineup.  The rotation could use help though, as only one starter has an ERA under 3.00.
• Fits: 
• Jeremy Hellickson

Pittsburgh Pirates - SELL

• The Pirates are a tough team to evaluate at the deadline this year, as they are certainly in contention for a wild card spot, but are pretty much out of the division race at this point. Although the team could certainly have attempted to buy pieces to further strengthen their case for the wild card, selling prospects for a one game "series," facing a team's ace, would not be the best move for the Pirates.  Instead, they can use some of their marketable assets to acquire more prospects for the future and make a stronger run at the division championship next year. The Pirates have already started this process of selling by dealing all-star closer Mark Melancon to the Nationals for two relievers, a price that many think should have been higher.
• Trade Pieces:
• David Freese - corner infielder who is having a bounce back season and comes with plenty of playoff experience
• Matt Joyce - outfielder who provides some power from the left size of the plate
• Jonathan Niese - the player returned from the Mets for Neal Walker this past offseason; has not lived up to expectations and could greatly use a change of scenery

Milwaukee Brewers - SELL

• The Brewers entered 2016 as a team in the middle of rebuilding and looks to continue that process at the trade deadline.  
• Trade Pieces:
• Jonathan Lucroy - best catcher on the market (by far) who has another year of team control left after this season.  A notable pitch framer, Lucroy could provide help for any playoff rotation
• Chris Carter - typical power hitting first basemen, who hits a lot of home runs while also striking out a lot.  Not eligible for free agency until after next season
• Ryan Braun - if the Brewers found a team willing to pay a fair trade price for Braun, you'd have to think they would consider it.  In 2016, Braun is having a great season, batting .321 with 14 home runs and 46 RBIs.  The only issue will be whether or not a team is willing to take a chance on a player who has a PED history.
• Matt Garza - right handed starting pitcher under control for next year
• Will Smith - left handed reliever who doesn't become a free agent until 2020

Cincinnati Reds - SELL

• The Reds are in similar position as the Brewers, Phillies, and Braves, in that there was never any real attempt at competing in 2016.  They are a team attempting to get younger with seemingly very few untouchable pieces.
• Trade Pieces:
• Brandon Phillips - veteran second basemen with one more year left on his contract
• Jay Bruce - Bruce is having a highly productive season, with 25 home runs and 80 RBIs; under contract for next year as well
• Zack Cozart - stellar defensive shortstop who having a solid season at the plate 
• Blake Wood - right handed reliever

NL West

Current Standings (As of 7/31)

Team	Wins	Losses	Div GB	WC GB	Runs For/Game	Runs Allowed/Game
SF	60	44	---------	----------	4.52	4.02
LA	58	46	2.0	+1.5	4.33	3.72
COL	52	52	8.0	4.5	5.12	5.02
SD	45	59	15.0	11.5	4.45	5.23
AZ	43	61	17.0	13.5	4.38	4.88

San Francisco Giants - BUY

• It's an even year, so naturally the Giants are in first place and are, of course, going to win the World Series this season...okay, maybe not the World Series part, but they are still a good team. It's hard to figure out how the Giants are leading the division right now, yet they still are.  Their offense has been quietly consistent with only shortstop Brandon Crawford having more than 50 RBIs and only two hitters with double-digit home runs.  Pitching-wise, the team has been a story of two extremes: Madison Bumgarner and Johnny Cueto are both potential Cy Young candidates while Jake Peavy and Matt Cain have been horrible, with Jeff Samardzija somewhere in the middle.  Their bullpen has also been hot and cold, with several arms performing stellar Javier Lopez and Josh Osich both have plus 4.00 ERAs.  The Giants recently got outfielder Hunter Pence back off the DL and will soon be getting third basemen Matt Duffy back as well.
• Needs: The Giants need at least one more bullpen piece to help bridge the gap to their closer; they also could use a depth outfielder to help provide some help off the bench.  Any pieces they acquire will need to be relatively cheap because the Giants do not have a strong farm system and have no high end prospects.
• Fits:
• Matt Joyce
• Will Smith
• Blake Wood
• Jeanmar Gomez
• Jeff Franceour
• Fernando Abad
• Steve Pearce
• Logan Morrison
• Boone Logan

Los Angeles Dodgers - BUY

• The Dodgers have no choice but to buy at the deadline, as the expectation placed on the team is for them to win a World Series, especially considering how much money is invested in the current team.  The Dodgers' lineup would be horrible if it weren't for Corey Seager, Justin Turner, and Adrian Gonzalez, all of whom have carried the offense this season.  Their pitching rotation health has been an issue all season, with Alex Wood, Brandon McCarthy, Hyun-jin Ryu, and now Clayton Kershaw spending time on the DL.  Prior to Kershaw going on the DL, he was having one of the best seasons in MLB history and well on his way to winning another Cy Young and possible MVP award.  Now, with his injury, the Dodgers rotation is in shambles and they need help immediately.  
• Needs: The Dodgers need rotation help, numbers one through five; they need a catcher to help at the plate and could use an outfielder to provide some power.  Any players the Dodgers want, they have the capability to acquire with their farm system still ranking in the top 10 in the league and they have the finances to pay for any player as well.  It has been rumored that the only untouchable players they have are Corey Seager and probably pitcher Julio Urias.
• Fits:
• Jay Bruce
• Chris Archer
• Jonathan Lucroy
• Derek Norris
• Ryan Braun
• Josh Reddick
• Carlos Gonzalez
• Nick Hundley
• Wellington Castillo
• *The Dodgers could also be interested in moving OF Yasiel Puig in any trade*

Colorado Rockies - SELL

• The Rockies have probably outperformed expectations, by reaching the .500 mark for the season at the trade deadline.  Despite this upside, the team still isn't close to the rest of the division and have to sell at the deadline this season to continue adding to their already highly-ranked farm system.  The Rockies' issue will continue to be pitching, as they play half their games at home in Denver where the ball flies.  Trading current players for pitching prospects to develop, would be their best plan for future success.
• Trade Targets:
• Boone Logan - relief pitcher
• Nick Hundley - catcher
• Mark Reynolds - 1B/3B power hitter
• Carlos Gonzalez - rumored to be moved for years; perhaps this is finally the year to move him and get a haul in return

San Diego Padres - SELL

• The Padres are continuing their rebuilding process this season, just year after buying up talent to try and compete for a playoff spot.  This past offseason, the Padres began the sell off process by trading away closer Craig Kimbrel to the Red Sox for top-50 prospect Manuel Margot. They continued that this season by trading Drew Pomeranz for Red Sox top pitching prospect Anderson Espinoza, trading Melvin Upton Jr. to the Blue Jays, and trading pitchers Andrew Cashner and Colin Rea to the Marlins.  The result has been the rebuilding of their farm system and and retooling the team for the future.
• Trade Targets:
• Alexei Ramirez - shortstop
• Derek Norris - catcher
• Brad Hand - left handed reliever
• *traded Matt Kemp to the Braves for Hector Olivera*

Arizona Diamondbacks - SELL

• The Diamondbacks' front office were almost certainly expecting the team to be a playoff team this year and gave evidence of this by trading away their number one pick Dansby Swanson for Shelby Miller this past offseason.  Now, with the team in the cellar, the Diamondbacks need to try and regain some of the talent they lost in the trades they made in the past year or so.  
• Trade Targets:
• Wellington Castillo - Catcher
• *Traded Brad Ziegler to the Red Sox*
• *Traded Tyler Clippard to the Yankees*