Which Baseball Teams Will Gamble Away Future At Trade Deadline?

Usually by the month of July Major League Baseball teams have a strong sense of whether or not they can compete for division titles and wild card playoff spots. This year, however, many GM's will be put in an unfamiliar position.

There are many teams in baseball that are right on the brink of either making a playoff run, or falling out of contention. That is making it hard for owners and GM's to decide whether or not they should gamble their future in a trade to try and win now.

The National League is filled with teams like this. The Florida Marlins and Atlanta Braves have stayed in the NL East race largely because the Phillies have weak starting pitching and the Mets have almost an entire all-star team on the disabled list.

Still, the Marlins and Braves have to weigh the pros and cons of mortgaging their futures. The Marlins are a low payroll team that prides itself on winning with youth, so they may be unwilling to part with any prospects. On the other hand, do they trade a Dan Uggla to rid themselves of his contract?

The NL Central is also loaded with teams on the bubble. The Reds, Cubs, Astros, and even the Pirates are all within striking distance of the division leading Brewers. All four teams have starters that other teams would love to trade for, and outside of the Cubs, these teams will most likely end up being sellers.

In the West, it is more cut and dry as far as the division goes, there is the Dodgers, and then there is everyone else. The Rockies and Giants, however, have a realistic shot at the wild card. That may not be enough t keep the Colorado team intact, but the Giants should be buyers at the deadline.

The American League appears to be a little less congested. The Red Sox, Yankees, and Rays are playing now like everyone predicted they would. Those teams will most likely battle it out for the division and the wild card. The Angels have caught the Rangers, and are healthier than they have been all year.

In the Central, the Tigers are getting strong pitching and have Carlos Guillen coming back in a couple of weeks. They lead the division, and are threatening to run away with it.

Only four weeks are left until the trading deadline. Almost all teams will have trade discussions, but which will be buyers, and which will be sellers is anyone's guess.

June 30, 2009
Posted By Vincent Tapoglia III
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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