Visit All World All Sports.com

by Digger

National League 11, American League 10. No, not another All Star Game score. These numbers represent how many teams from each league are within striking distance (10 games) of securing a playoff slot.

July 31 represents baseball's trading deadline. Usually, headlines are filled with speculative banter from home town sports reporters and plenty of executed trade news. It's been a bit different this season. Stunning considering how many teams are in need of immediate help. Only a few significant trades have transpired in recent days. CC Sabathia from Cleveland to Milwaukee. Chicago countered by grabbing Harden from Oakland. Milwaukee then went for San Fran's vet 2B Ray Durham. Philadelphia has traded for Oaklands SP Blanton. Yankees filled two holes via Pittsburgh with X Nady in LF and Marte as a lefty relief specialists.

Many teams still have concerns due to lackluster play or by way of injury. Teams like Atlanta, Colorado, Toronto, Cincinnati and Texas have decisions to make. Try to pull the trigger on deals hoping new additions work wonders (usually means increasing payroll)... or... will some become cost conscious and trade off heavy contracts for future prospects? Usual late season trash talk out of Boston has Manny Ramirez on the trading block with both management and Manny trading jabs publicly. Nothing new here... Manny rumors pop up every July. Boston would be nuts to trade him mid-season.

Injury riddled teams usually looking to upgrade have been Mets (Alou, Church, Pedro), Yankees (Posada, Matsui, Damon, Wang, Kennedy, Hughes), Dodgers (everywhere) and Braves (Inf, OF, SP, RP). Atlanta placed Chipper Jones and Hudson on the DL together which probably means this club will now entertain offers for 1B Mark Teixeira. One week ago many figured they were ready to upgrade. Not any more.

Trade rumors:

Yanks in hot pursuit of M's Jarred Washburn. Paul LoDuca would be a great fit with Posada DL'd for the year.
Arizona chasing Atlanta's Teixeira.
Pirates dangling Jason Bay and lefty starting pitchers.
Red Sox Ramirez to whoever is willing to pay.... dearly. Guess it doesn't hurt to test the waters and pump up your star hitter (on fire since news broke). Sox could use another starting pitcher.
Dodgers looking for whatever they can get but slow to move. They're in the hunt with many banged up offensive stars.
Orioles spring training rumor said 2B Roberts would be gone quickly. Deadline is 2 days away, no movement yet. Roberts would be an instant upgrade for most teams. Mets with Reyes-Roberts setting the tables would create a superb dp combo too. Roberts to LA, either Chicago club or St. Louis seems like great fits. O's don't seem to be dealing.
KC has a bat or two and potential back end starting pitching available.
Mets need OF help. Alou and Church are done, catching is inadequate, 2b could use an upgrade. Dunn? Bay? Ibanez? Ichiro? Fuentes (rp). Who will it be? Or will this club stand pat?
Has Milwaukee and Chicago finished shopping? We'll find out soon enough. Cubs could use CF/2B and Milwaukee bullpen help.
Texas... interesting situation. Starting pitching is something this team can never seem to find late in the year. If they can get a pitcher or two this squad can sneak up on others real fast without being noticed until it's too late. I'd really like to see this club make a strong push for solid pitching. Plenty of young talent to wheel and deal.
Seattle wants to dump everyone. Washburn, Bedard, Beltre, Ibanez, Johima, Ichiro ... pick a name and Seattle is all too willing to listen. Picked by many to contend, this flat-foot team has played ugly baseball.
Angels - baseball's best record could use a slugger. Dunn, Bay, Beltre, Huff, Teixeira, Holliday could all be welcomed additions. Not much needed in LA but one key player would make them unstoppable.
Rockies weren't in the race at this juncture last season either.... then they made history until running head first into theghty Red Sox. Holliday and lefty relief specialist Fuentes have been subject of many trade talks and would help any team in need.

These are just a few pf the bigger names being mentioned. Sometimes it's the below radar names which deliver the biggest bang for the buck. We'll soon see which teams step it up at the last minute. As always, the Yanks seem to be the biggest buyers in need... with cross town rival Mets and Arizona not far behind.

Be sure to check out All World All Sports for all the latest breaking news from the world of sports.