Pack Your Bags, the Trade Deadline Nears

As the trade deadline comes closer in just a few short days, the murky and cloudy trade market starts to come into focus. Trading has picked up of late, with smaller deals (the swapping of minor league pitchers between New York and Florida) and larger deals (Tim Salmon for a kings ransom). As we near the end, here are a few tiers of teams: Most Active Chicago White Sox - feels like all trading goes through them. Active early in the season...

Team Needs: Montreal Expos

Montreal is in an interesting spot - started the season red hot, they had a below .500 record in June and are 6-6 so far in July. 1.5 games behind the Senators, they’re first in most major pitching categories (4th in home runs allowed) and hitting, while not 1st, are 2nd and 3rd in most categories. This isn’t a bad team with glaring holes or issues. Need: Bench Depth It’s really tempting to put starting pitching here. ”But Graham, you...

Rumor Mill Breakfast Special: Kansas City’s “Trade That Never Was”

The rumor mill fired up early this weekend—7:10 a.m. early—when the Kansas City Royals owner reportedly convinced the league to run a special weekend sim session based on the bold promise that multiple trades were imminent. According to sources familiar with the situation (read: everyone who saw the chat thread), the Royals owner confidently declared that he, along with the San Diego, Yankees, and White Sox GMs, would be “together” and...

Team Needs: Florida Marlins

The Florida Marlins sit atop the Federal League East Division after a hot June. With the recent addition of power threat Matt Williams, nearly every player on their team is starting at a different position than they did when the season began. Overall it’s a decent squad that excels in some areas (tied for first in extra base hits and first in hits allowed and opponent batting average, while struggling in other areas. This team can use some...

Team Needs: Orlando Devil Rays

Orlando has been an interesting team this season. Fighitng for the division crown, they had a rough June (13-14), great May (19-9), and strong start to July (7-3). Their pitching staff should be the envy of most teams, with a rotation and bullpen who are respectively ranked 2nd in ERA and anywhere between 2nd and 4th in every major pitching category. The hitting has been a more complicated tale. The good news? 1st in slugging, 1st in extra-base...

Team Needs: St. Louis Cardinals

The Cardinals have made one major move already, ditching top 20 hitter in Matt Williams and acquiring Jay Bell and Steve Finley. Cardinals are leading the Federal League in batting average and hits, but are only 5th in runs. Tim Raines leading off with his -0.7 WAR isn’t helping, but Cardinals ownership is loyal, even when it’s blind and hurting this team. That being said, outfield doesn’t seem to be the biggest need. Need: Catcher Dan...

Team Needs: Washington Senators

After a .500 start to the season after one month, all things have started to click for the Senators, who find themselves atop the United League as of this publication. The recently drafted pieces are playing well and are following the undisputed leader of this team - Alex Rodriguez. Hard to look at a team like this and encourage it to shake up what isn’t necessarily broken, but despite sitting atop their league, that doesn’t mean there...

Team Needs: Cincinnati Reds

This was half written when Reds ownership traded for every available left handed starting pitcher on the market, so we have since re-written. In a dog fight with the Devil Rays and Marlins, the Reds are on fire in July with a .875 winning percentage. The offense is humming and the rotation is improved, so the focus here should be… Need: Bullpen 9th in bullpen ERA, this is an uninspiring group after Arthur Rhodes. Ironically enough, nearly all...