Wild Card Week

Oakland Athletics vs. Kansas City Royals

Date: Tuesday, September 30th
Park: Kauffman Stadium
Previous Playoff Meetings: 1981
Head to Head Record: KC 5-2
Pitching Matchup: Jon Lester (16-11, 3.21) vs. James Shields (14-8, 3.21)

This matchup features teams that are headed in opposite directions. The Royals were only two games over .500 at the All Star break, and went on a 41-27 run in the second half to rally to the playoffs. Kansas City will be making their first playoff appearance since winning the World Series in 1985. The Athletics had the best record in baseball at the All Star break, and then added Jon Lester at the trading deadline. Since the All Star break, the Athletics have gone 29-38, and backed into the playoffs. The Lester for Yoenis Cespedes trade hasn't worked out as planned, but that isn't Lester's fault. Lester has pitched very well in Oakland, but the trade took away the Athletics cleanup hitter, which weakened their offense. The A's have really been struggling, but one game could reverse a second half slump.

The Royals took five out of seven games against the A's this season. Unfortunately for them, their two losses came against Lester. This is the reason that Billy Beane acquired Lester was to win big games. The Royals counter with "Big Game James" in this do or die wild card game. The Royals were criticized over their trade of top prospect Wil Myers to acquire Shields two offseasons ago, but they wouldn't be here without the trade. Wade Davis also came in the same deal and along with Greg Holland and Kelvim Herrera, the Royals have arguably the best late inning bullpen combo in the majors.

Oakland finished the year ranking third in runs scored, but their offense has fallen on tough times in September. It was their only month they scored under 100 runs, and that would explain why they went 10-16 in September. Beane acquired Adam Dunn late in August to help out, and he is making his first playoff appearance in his 14 year career. Many of Oakland's best hitters like Brandon Moss, Coco Crisp, and Josh Donaldson have fallen off in the second half. Oakland relies on walks and power for offense, while the Royals were last in the AL in walks. The Royals also don't hit for much power, but they do steal a lot of bases. That has been key in scoring hard fought runs for KC. This should be an interesting matchup against two teams that play vastly different styles of baseball.

Prediction: Royals over Athletics


San Francisco Giants vs. Pittsburgh Pirates

Date: Wednesday, October 1st
Park: PNC Park
Previous Playoff Meetings: 1971
Head to Head Record: Pit 4-2
Pitching Matchup: Madison Bumgarner (18-10, 2.98) vs. Edinson Volquez (13-7, 3.04)

This is the second year in a row that the Pirates will be playing in the wild card game. Last year, they ended a 21 year playoff drought. They beat the Reds in the wild card game, and lost a hard fought Division Series to the Cardinals. With a taste of October baseball, Andrew McCutchen and the Bucs are looking to go deeper into the playoffs. This year, the Pirates will face the Giants, who are no stranger to October baseball. The Giants won the World Series in 2010 and 2012. San Francisco is hoping to continue their pattern of winning the World Series every other year.

The Giants will start lefty Madison Bumgarner in the wild card matchup. At age 25, Bumgarner has already made two All Star teams and has won two World Series games. After Clayton Kershaw, Bumgarner is one of the best left handed starters in baseball. Pitching playoff baseball can be tough in Pittsburgh, and it clearly affected Johnny Cueto last year. However, Bumgarner has pitched in many big games before, and is unlikely to be affected by the crowd. The Pirates will counter with Edinson Volquez. The Pirates have revived Volquez' career after he was let go by the Padres. Volquez has had his best season since 2008, when he was an All Star.

Offensively, the Pirates were one of the better teams in the NL. Pittsburgh also steals bases well, and play solid defense. Besides McCutchen, Josh Harrison, Sterling Marte, and Neil Walker had big years for the Pirates. Russell Martin not only had a good year with the bat, his work behind the plate has really helped the team out. The Giants will be without Angel Pagan for the rest of the season due to back problems. While Pagan isn't as well known as Buster Posey, Pablo Sandoval, and Hunter Pence, he is an important part of the Giants. The Giants table setter set the pace, and the Giants went 29-34 without him. Pagan's absence last year was one of the biggest reasons they missed the playoffs in 2013.

Prediction: Giants over Pirates

2014 Award Winners

Here's a look at should win the MLB awards for 2014

Gold Gloves

National League

C-Russell Martin, PIT
1B- Adrian Gonzalez, LAD
2B- Chase Utley, PHI
SS- Andrelton Simmons, ATL
3B- Todd Frazier, CIN
LF-Christian Yelich, MIA
CF-Andrew McCutchen, PIT
RF-Jason Heyward, ATL
P- Clayton Kershaw, LAD

American League

C- Salvador Perez, KC
1B- Albert Pujols, LAA
2B- Ian Kinsler, DET
SS- J.J. Hardy, BAL
3B- Josh Donaldson, OAK
LF- Alex Gordon, KC
CF- Adam Jones, BAL
RF- Nick Markakis, BAL
P- Mark Buehrle, TOR

A couple of close calls in the National League. Zack Cozart had a terrific season defensively, but not as good as Andrelton Simmons. It was also a close call at center field between Andrew McCutchen and Carlos Gomez. Russell Martin has has a huge impact in Pittsburgh behind the plate, and helping the pitching staff. Since Yadier Molina missed two months, Martin will likely get the Gold Glove this year. In the American League, Salvador Perez has emerged as one of the game's best catchers. His play behind the plate has led the Royals to their first postseason in 29 years. Another Royal, Alex Gordon is a leading contender for the Gold Glove in left field. Gordon faces tough competition from Yoenis Cespedes. Ian Kinsler has made a huge difference in the Tigers defense this year. The Orioles are one of the best defensive teams in baseball, even without Matt Wieters and Manny Machado. J.J. Hardy, Adam Jones, and Nick Markakis are all have good cases for a Gold Glove.

Manager of the Year

National League

1) Matt Williams, WASH
2) Clint Hurdle, PIT
3) Mike Matheny, STL

American League

1) Buck Showalter, BAL
2) Mike Scoiscia, LAA
3) Lloyd McClendon, SEA

It looked like Ron Roenicke had the NL award wrapped up a month ago, before the Brewers collapsed in September. Matt Williams has taken some criticism in his first season as the Nationals manager, but his team has the best record in the NL. The Nats were able to overcome numerous injuries, and Williams has some problems early on with Bryce Harper. The AL award also goes to a team in the Beltway. Buck Showalter has the Orioles believing they can win a championship. Baltimore has had to endure numerous injuries this season, but they have kept filling the holes. Lloyd McClendon kept the Mariners in playoff contention this year, when few thought that was possible.

Rookie of the Year

National League

1) Jacob deGrom, NYM
2) Billy Hamilton, CIN
3) Kolten Wong, STL
4) Travis d'Arnaud, NYM
5) Joe Panik, SF

American League

1) Jose Abreu, CHIWS
2) Yordano Ventura, KC
3) Dellin Betances, NYY
4) Masahiro Tanaka, NYY
5) Jake Odorizzi, TB

It was a somewhat weak rookie class in the NL. Especially compared to last season, when Jose Fernandez, Yasiel Puig, Shelby Miller, Michael Wacha, and Hyun-Jin Ryu emerged. Joe Panik has filled a gaping hole at second base for the Giants, after they tried several others at second(including a washed up Dan Uggla). If Kolten Wong  had a stronger first half, he could of very well been ROY. Wong's defense has been very good at second, and has some pop in his bat. He also has stolen the most bases by a Cardinal since Cesar Izturis in 2008. Speaking of fast players, Billy Hamilton is second in the NL with 56 steals. The Mets had another losing season, but have found a battery for the future in Travis d'Arnaud and Jacob deGrom. deGrom has went 9-6 with a 2.67 ERA, striking out 144 batters in 146.1 innings. Along with Matt Harvey and Zack Wheeler, the Mets have an very talented young staff. They are hoping that deGrom, Harvey, and Wheeler don't flame out like the Generation K (Jason Isringhausen, Paul Wilson, and Bill Pulsipher) from the mid-90's did.

Paul Konerko is retiring at the season's end, and the White Sox have found his replacement. Jose Abreu has had a rookie season that rivals Konerko and Frank Thomas. The Cuban defector has clubbed 35 homers, drove in 105, and leads the AL in slugging pct. Masahiro Tanaka was giving Abreu a run for the award during the first half, but missed most of the second half. Dellin Betances grew up a Yankees fan and his favorite player was Mariano Rivera. Betances 2014 campaign rivals Rivera's 1996 season as a setup man. Yordano Ventura is one of the hardest throwers in baseball, and has helped the Royals to the postseason.

Cy Young Award

National League

1) Clayton Kershaw, LAD
2) Johnny Cueto, CIN
3) Adam Wainwright, STL
4) Madison Bumgarner, SF
5) Lance Lynn, STL

American League

1) Felix Hernandez, SEA
2) Corey Kluber, CLE
3) Jon Lester, BOS/OAK
4) Chris Sale, CHIWS
5) Max Scherzer, DET

Clayton Kershaw has had a dominant season, and will certainly win his third CYA this year. That would give him as many as another great Dodgers lefty, Sandy Koufax. Kershaw leads the NL in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP. He has done all of that after missing most of April. Adam Wainwright has been a perennial CYA runner up, finishing third in 2009, second in 2010, and second in 2013. Wainwright's influence has rubbed off on teammate Lance Lynn, who has made major strides in 2014. Despite the Reds disappointing season, Johnny Cueto has given them a dominant performance this year. Madison Bumgarner has been the Giants ace this year, and will likely start for them in the NL wild card game. Other NL pitchers who have had strong years include Zack Greinke,  Doug Fister, and Julio Tehran.

The AL Cy Young race is much tighter than the NL. Felix Hernandez is considered to be the front runner, but Corey Kluber has given him a run for the award. Kluber has had a career year and leads the AL with 18 wins, and is second in ERA. The Athletics have fallen off since acquiring Jon Lester, but that is not his fault. Max Scherzer has had an All Star season to follow up his 2013 Cy Young, proving not to be a fluke. Lester and Scherzer figure to get paid very well this offseason in the free agent market. Chris Sale finished as the AL's ERA leader. Sale might of received more consideration if he hadn't missed time because of injury.

Most Valuable Player

National League

1) Clayton Kershaw, LAD
2) Andrew McCutchen, PIT
3) Giancarlo Stanton, MIA
4) Buster Posey, SF
5) Adam Wainwright, STL
6) Anthony Rendon, WASH
7) Matt Holliday, STL
8) Yasiel Puig, LAD
9) Todd Frazier, CIN
10) Dee Gordon, LAD

American League

1) Mike Trout, LAA
2) Victor Martinez, DET
3) Josh Donaldson, OAK
4) Nelson Cruz, BAL
5) Miguel Cabrera, DET
6) Robinson Cano, SEA
7) Jose Abreu, CHIWS
8) Jose Bautista, TOR
9) Albert Pujols, LAA
10) Jose Altuve, HOU

No pitcher has won the NL MVP since Bob Gibson in 1968. Doc Gooden in 1985 and Greg Maddux in 1995 had good cases, but were passed up by the voters. Kershaw's ERA isn't quite as low as Gibson's 1.12, but he has a solid case for the award. Giancarlo Stanton was making an MVP push before his season ended because of a pitch to the face. Stanton will still lead the league in homers despite the missed time. Andrew McCutchen and Buster Posey are the most recent NL MVP winners, and both players have had big years. The Nationals don't rely on one singular player and have a deep team. That been said, Anthony Rendon has been a huge reason why Washington has the NL's best record. No one thought that Dee Gordon would be an All Star or recieve MVP votes, but he has been a big part of the Dodgers success. He has filled the hole at the leadoff spot, solidified second base, and leads the NL in stolen bases.

After losing out to Miguel Cabrera two seasons in a row, Mike Trout is likely to win his first MVP this year. His 2014 season isn't quite as good as good as the two previous seasons, but neither is Cabrera's. Trout has increased his power production this year, hitting 36 home runs. Trout also leads the AL in RBI's. While his power has increased, his average has dropped to .290, his steals to 16, and he leads the AL in strikeouts. Still, Trout is considered the game's best all around player, and he is a huge reason why the Angels have the majors best record this year.

AL Playoff Outlook

A look at the American League playoff contenders

Toronto Blue Jays

The Blue Jays (along with the Indians) are on the fringe of the last wild card spot. That is still better than the Yankees and Rays are, who are technically still alive. Toronto hasn't been to the postseason since Joe Carter hit a walk off home run to win the 1993 World Series. The Jays were in first earlier in the season, but have not been able to keep it going in the second half. Some of that was due to injuries to Edwin Encarnacion and Jose Reyes, but the pitching has fell off.

The back end of the rotation as well as the bullpen have been trouble spots for the team. Toronto does have the 4th best offense in the AL, which has kept them in contention. The front office didn't make any moves to bolster the pitching staff at the deadline. One has to wonder if that was a mistake for this organization.

Cleveland Indians

Things haven't gone as well for Cleveland as it did last year when Terry Francona led them to the playoffs. The Indians let Scott Kazmir, Ubaldo Jimenez, and Chris Perez go in the offseason. The plan was to rely on younger arms like Danny Salazar and Trevor Bauer. Those two have had mixed results, but Corey Kluber has had a brilliant season for the Tribe. Kluber ranks among the league leaders in most of the major pitching categories and will likely finish in the top five in the Cy Young Award voting. Despite letting Perez go and the failure of John Axford, the bullpen has been pretty good for Cleveland with Cody Allen taking the closer role.

The Indians have dealt with several injuries to key players like Nick Swisher and Michael Bourn. Asdrubal Cabrera was dealt in the offseason, and Jason Kipnis has had a down year. However, the Indians have had big years from Michael Brantley, Yan Gomes, and Lonnie Chisenhall. Carlos Santana was terrible in the early months, but has been one of hottest hitters in the league during the second half. While the Indians most likely won't make the playoffs, they look to have back to back winning seasons for the first time since 2000-01.

Seattle Mariners

Not many people expected Seattle to contend this season. The Mariners made a big splash when they signed former Yankee Robinson Cano to a ten year contract last offseason. Still, the Mariners didn't have many other hitters to go with Cano. Cano's presence is credited on helping the Mariners improve this season. That is according to his teammates, including Kyle Seager. Seager leads the club with 23 homers and 89 RBI's, and made his first All Star team this year. At the deadline, the front office added Austin Jackson, Kendrys Morales, and Chris Denorfia to attempt to improve the offense.

The offense is better than in year's past, but Seattle is still only 10th in the AL in runs scored. The Mariners rank 11th in the AL in average and slugging, and are last in on base pct. The strength of this team is their pitching. Felix Hernandez has is a leading Cy Young candidate, and has helped the Mariners rank first in the AL in ERA. It isn't just the King Felix show in Seattle. Hisashi Iwakuma is also a pretty good pitcher, and Chris Young has had a comeback year. Rookie leftys Roenis Elias and James Paxton have rounded out a solid rotation. Fernando Rodney has had an All Star season as Seattle's closer, and the Mariners have a very good bullpen. They are looking to make their first postseason appearance since 2001.

Kansas City Royals

Speaking of teams who haven't made the playoffs in a while, the Royals have been on a league worst 29 year drought. They are in position to reach the playoffs for the first time since Bret Saberhagen and George Brett helped Kansas City win the 1985 World Series. For nearly a month, the Royals were in first place in the Central. Now, they are 1.5 games back and currently hold the second wild card spot. The Royals will have another shot at the division title when they play the Tigers this coming weekend.

The Royals win with speed, defense, and pitching. They aren't a high scoring juggernaut. The late inning trio of Greg Holland, Wade Davis, and Kelvin Herrera arguably gives KC the best bullpen in the league. James Shields has had a solid year, and the Royals have had strong seasons from young pitchers like Danny Duffy and Yordano Ventura. The Royals lead the AL in steals, but don't hit for much power. However, there are some good hitters like Alex Gordon and Salvador Perez in the lineup. With the Orioles and Angels already punching their playoff tickets, the Royals find themselves in a four way race for three spots. They are competing with the Tigers for the divison, and with the Mariners and Athletics for the wild card.

Oakland Athletics

At the All Star break, the Athletics had the best record in baseball. They also had the most All Stars in the majors with 7. Billy Beane made a big trade with the Cubs to acquire Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel in June. At the July 31st trading deadline, Beane traded one All Star for another. He traded his starting right fielder Yoenis Cespesdes to Boston for left handed starter Jon Lester. Beane has also made several other moves with an eye for the postseason.

However, the Athletics slumped after these moves. They lost the division lead to the Angels and their offense has struggled. While Lester has pitched very good for the A's, losing Cespedes has hurt Oakland. Not all the blame can be placed on the Cespedes trade. Brandon Moss, Derek Norris, and Coco Crisp have slumped in the second half. The team has had to increasingly rely on All Star third baseman Josh Donaldson for offense. Beane acquired slugging strikeout machine Adam Dunn in late August for help. Dunn is looking to make his first playoff appearance and figures to get a lot of time at DH. With two straight Division Series losses in Game 5, the A's will have to win a wild card game just to get there this year. Beane has placed his bets on Lester being the big game pitcher to win those type of games.

Detroit Tigers

The offseason trade of Prince Fielder to the Rangers for Ian Kinsler has paid off for Detroit this year. It allowed Miguel Cabrera to move from third to first, and has improved the Tigers defense. It also opened up a spot for Nick Castellanos at third base, who has had a good rookie season. Fielder has missed most of the season due to neck surgery. The team has had more than enough offense, with Victor Martinez having arguably a better year than even Cabrera. Kinsler, Torii Hunter, and J.D. Martinez have also had solid seasons. Unlike last season when he was banged up, Cabrera has heated up for the September stretch run.

The Tigers have recently regained first place after a disappointing August. Detroit made a huge splash at the deadline when they acquired David Price. It gave them three former Cy Young Award winners. Max Scherzer has had another terrific season, and will be the most sought after free agent in the offseason. The other former Cy Young Award winner, Justin Verlander has had a down year. Rick Porcello has had a career year, and has the best ERA on the staff. With Anibal Sanchez's status uncertain for the playoffs, the Tigers are hoping Verlander can re-find is old form. Joe Nathan and the bullpen has struggled mightily, but Joakim Soria could be an X-factor in the playoffs. Rookie manager Brad Ausmus is looking to accomplish something Jim Leyland couldn't do with Detroit, win a World Series.

Baltimore Orioles

Most teams would fold if their All Star catcher and third baseman went down for the year. Buck Showalter has kept this team going despite the loss of Matt Wieters and Manny Machado. On top of that, Chris Davis has been suspended for 25 games for amphetamines. Showalter hasn't let the team feel sorry for itself, and the team kept winning with replacements like Caleb Joseph, Jimmy Paredes, and Steven Pearce filling in. Pearce is actually having a much better season than Davis, who has hit below .200 after being an All Star in 2013. Despite the injuries, the Orioles still have a good lineup led by Nelson Cruz, Adam Jones, Nick Markakis, and J.J. Hardy.

Baltimore's front office declined to spend money on a name closer in the offseason. Instead, they gave Ubaldo Jimenez a four year deal. Jimenez has been shaky in his first year in Baltimore, but the Orioles have had a solid pitching staff. While their are no dominant aces on this staff, the Orioles have five solid starting pitchers. Chris Tillman is the Orioles best pitcher and figures to get the ball for the first game. Zack Britton took over the closer job from Tommy Hunter early in the year, and has had a terrific season. Hunter has done better as a middle reliever, and along with Darren O'Day and Andrew Miller give Baltimore a solid bullpen. Even with the injuries, the Orioles will be tough in October.

Los Angeles Angels

The trio of Mike Trout, Albert Pujols, and Josh Hamilton were expected to lead the Angels deep into the postseason in 2013. It didn't happen and Mike Scioscia was rumored to be on the hot seat. The team kept Scioscia, but made some moves to improve their pitching. One of the big reasons for last season's struggles was the bullpen and the back end of the rotation after Jered Weaver and C.J. Wilson. The Angels acquired Tyler Skaggs and Hector Santiago for Mark Trumbo. Then, they have completely remade their bullpen. Fernando Salas, Joe Smith, Jason Grilli, Joe Thatcher, and Huston Street have all been acquired since the end of last season. Garret Richards made a major leap forward this year, but both Richards and Skaggs have suffered season ending injuries. Luckily for the team, Matt Shoemaker has stepped up to fill a void in the rotation.

Besides the improved pitching, the Angels have scored the most runs in the AL this year. Mike Trout has had another monster season, and it is looking like he is going to win his first MVP this year. Pujols is healthy this season, and has had a rebound year. Hamilton got off to a hot start early, then missed two months due to breaking his finger sliding into a base. He hasn't been as good since coming off the DL. Hamilton is a X-factor who could be a difference maker in the postseason. The Halos have also had big years from Howie Kendrick, Erick Aybar, and Kole Calhoun, and have a lot of depth. While the Angels should certainly be considered a leading candidate to win the World Series, the winningest regular season team rarely does that. Since 2000, only the 2007 Red Sox and 2009 Yankees have accomplished that.

NL Playoff Outlook

A look at the National League playoff contenders. American League outlook coming soon.

Atlanta Braves

There are officially 11 teams still in the hunt for the playoffs, but only the Braves and Brewers have realistic chances to climb back into the playoff picture. Atlanta is a fringe candidate being 4 games out of the last wild card spot with less than two weeks left in the season. A lot of things need to go right for the Braves to make the playoffs. The team's offense has struggled this year and Atlanta is next to last in the NL in runs scored. The Braves led the NL in ERA last season, and allowed fewer runs in 2013 than anytime during Maddux/Glavine/Smoltz era. The Braves defense has still been a strong point, but they haven't been the same team this year.

The Braves let Brian McCann go in the offseason, and replaced him with Evan Gattis. While Gattis has put up good numbers after becoming a starter, the Braves bench was weakened. Dan Uggla was finally released after years of decline in Atlanta. Rookie Tommy La Stella doesn't hit for power like Uggla, but gets on base. Justin Upton has been one of the team's best hitters, but his brother B.J. has had another disappointing season. Chris Johnson has fell off quite a bit from his career year last year. Freddie Freeman has put up a good season, but the team is full of guys who strikeout a ton and get on base infrequently. Injuries have decimated the pitching staff, but they still had strong performances from Julio Tehran and Craig Kimbrel.

Milwaukee Brewers

The Brewers have spent most of the season in first place due to their 19-7 start. Since April, Milwaukee has had only one winning month. The Brew Crew were 53-43 before the All Star break, and 25-29 after. As of today, Milwaukee is within a game of the last wild card spot. The Brewers are hoping to avoid a late season collapse and at least salvage a playoff spot. My view, this was a team that was playing over its head earlier in the year. Milwaukee has plenty of good players, but they also have some flaws. With 6 remaining games against the Cardinals and Pirates, Milwaukee could still position itself into the playoffs.

The biggest weakness offensively is their horrible combination of Mark Reynolds and Lyle Overbay at first base. Jean Segura has had a down year, but still contributes with his glove at short. Jonathon Lucroy, Carlos Gomez, and Aramis Ramirez all were All Stars this year. Ryan Braun hasn't played at an All Star level, but is still a better than average player. The offense has been fine, but it has been their pitching that has let them down. Matt Garza went down with a injury that cost him a month, and Yovani Gallardo and Kyle Lohse weren't as good in the second half as the first half. The same could be said about Francisco Rodriguez and the team's bullpen.

Pittsburgh Pirates

The thought of the Pirates making their second postseason in a row would of been considered a pipe dream by even the biggest Pirates fans a few years ago. If the season ended today, the Pirates would have the second wild card spot. They have had another strong performance from 2013 NL MVP Andrew McCutchen, who is making another run at the award. Super utility man Josh Harrison made the All Star team this year, and is in the race for the batting title. Harrison will likely get most of his time at third base after Pedro Alvarez went down for the season due to injury. Neil Walker, Russell Martin, and Sterling Marte have had strong offensive seasons, which has led to Pittsburgh being third in the league in runs scored.

The rotation has improved in the second half after the call-ups of Vance Worley and Jeff Locke. Getting Gerrit Cole and Francisco Liriano healthy has helped out, too. Clint Hurdle and pitching coach Ray Searage have re-habilitated Edinson Volquez in a way that would make Dave Duncan proud. After trading last year's closer Jason Grilli, Mark Melancon has been outstanding at that role. Lefty Tony Watson has moved up to the setup role and made the All Star team. With Alvarez out, the team is hoping that Gregory Polanco can step up. The team's top prospect started off hot when he was first called up, but struggled since then. He could make a big difference if he played to his hype.

San Francisco Giants

This is a team to watch out for in the postseason. The Giants have won two recent World Series championships in 2010 and 2012. Will the trend of winning a championship every other year happen again in 2014. They still have a shot at the division, but are three games back from their arch-rival Dodgers. The team has survived season ending injuries to Matt Cain and Marco Scutaro, along with several other injuries that kept key players out for significant time. Led by Buster Posey, Hunter Pence, and Pablo Sandoval, the Giants have kept themselves in the playoff hunt despite all of that.

Bruce Bochy has made a couple of moves with his pitching staff in the second half. He moved Sergio Romo out of the closer role and replaced him with Santiago Casilla. More recently he moved Tim Lincecum from the rotation to the bullpen. Bochy made the opposite move with Romo and Casilla in 2012 in the stretch run. He also made the same move with Lincecum during the 2012 postseason, and Lincecum thrived in that role. Madison Bumgarner has been one of the National League's best starters outside of Clayton Kershaw. Tim Hudson has been terrific in his first season in San Francisco, and Jake Peavy has been very good after being re-united with his former manager. This is a team with a lot of playoff experience, and not a team that anybody wants to play in October.

St. Louis Cardinals

At the All Star break, the Cardinals weren't sure if they were going to make the playoffs. Yadier Molina went down with a thumb injury and several of the team's starters were injured. The team's offense was struggling, and had inconsistent pitching with the exception of Adam Wainwright and Lance Lynn. At the deadline, the Cardinals signed A.J. Pierzynski, traded for Justin Masterson, and traded away Allen Craig and Joe Kelly for John Lackey. Those moves have had mixed results, but the team has played much better since then.

At the end of July, the Cardinals were 14th in the NL in runs scored and allowed more runs than it had scored. That isn't good news for a playoff contender. In mid-September, the Cardinals are now 9th in runs scored and have a 3.5 game cushion in the Central division. Among the reasons for improvement have been Matt Holliday's second half surge, Kolten Wong's improvement since coming back from injury, Jon Jay's rebound year, Matt Carpenter's ability to get on base in the leadoff spot, and Jhonny Peralta's power. The pitching has also improved, and St. Louis has one of the deepest organizations in baseball. Most teams are searching for arms at this point of the year, and the Cardinals still have many options, despite the injuries. Even if Michael Wacha is not available for the postseason, they still have Miller, Marco Gonzales, and Carlos Martinez as fourth starter options behind Wainwright, Lynn, and Lackey.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Dodgers ownership has invested a lot of money on this team. They have surpassed the Yankees for having the biggest payroll in the game. There is a lot of talent on this team, but there still are some questions and potential weaknesses. No team can top the 1-2 combo of Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke. Still, the health of Hyun-Jin Ryu is the difference maker for Los Angeles. If Ryu is healthy, this team will be a lot harder to beat. If not, Dan Haren moves into the third spot, and the team might have to start someone like Roberto Hernandez or Kevin Correia. The team's bullpen has been thin outside of closer Kenley Jansen and lefty J.P. Howell. The team has invested a lot of money in Brian Wilson, Chris Perez, and Brandon League, and all have been disappointing. The Dodgers need at least one of these pitchers to re-find their All Star form in the postseason.

Offensively, the Dodgers have been one of the NL's best teams. With big names like Matt Kemp, Hanley Ramirez, Adrian Gonzalez, and Yasiel Puig, that was expected. Still, some feel like this offense has under performed. Former All Stars Carl Crawford and Kemp aren't the players they used to be, but Andre Ethier has really fallen off this year. With a crowded outfield that also includes Scott Van Slyke and Puig, Ethier's playing time has decreased. Puig hasn't hit for much power after a very good first half. Dee Gordon and Justin Turner have given the Dodgers unexpected contributions. Gordon made the All Star team and leads the NL in stolen bases. This is a ballclub with a lot of talent when they are all healthy. Don Mattingly is expected to take this team to the World Series, and his job could be in danger if he doesn't.

Washington Nationals

This Nationals teams is one of the deepest teams in the league. There isn't an MVP candidate offensively, but this a lineup with no easy outs that has a good bench. This depth has allowed the Nats to stay in the playoff hunt despite injuries that kept Bryce Harper, Ryan Zimmerman, Wilson Ramos, Gio Gonzalez, and Doug Fister for significant amounts of time. Jayson Werth, Anthony Rendon, Ian Desmond, and Adam LaRoche have all had solid seasons that have helped put the Nats second in the league in runs scored. Another key to the Nats success is their pitching, and they have allowed the fewest runs in the NL. First year manager Matt Williams has his team in position to win the NL East for the second time in three years.

Drew Storen has had a dominant year, and recently replaced Rafael Soriano as the team's closer. Tyler Clippard was made his second All Star team as a setup reliever. Washington has had four different starters win 10 or more games, and that doesn't include Gonzalez. Three of the team's starters have a sub-3 ERA, and that doesn't include Stephen Strasburg or Gonzalez. Jordan Zimmermann might very well be the Nats Game 1 starter, but Tanner Roark could find himself in the bullpen. Roark has had a very good year, but isn't likely to get the nod over Strasburg or Gonzalez. Strasburg was shut down late in the 2012 season and was controversially left off the postseason roster. Strasburg was disappointed in the decision, but he will have his turn this year.

Royal Revival: KC Looks to Break Playoff Drought

The Royals had big expectations this year after finishing with their best record since 1989 last season. This was going to be the year they finally end their playoff drought. Kansas City hasn't made the playoffs since they won the World Series in 1985. The Royals have had several talented young players emerge in recent years like Alex Gordon, Salvador Perez, Eric Hosmer, Greg Holland, and Yordano Ventura. They added Omar Infante, Jason Vargas, and Nori Aoki in the offseason. However, the Royals entered the All Star break six and a half games out of first place. They lost their first four games after the All Star break, and sat at 48-50. The division seemed out of reach, and the Royals fell behind several teams in the wild card race.

Since the four game sweep at the hands of the Red Sox, the Royals went on a surge. They have won 22 out of the last 28 games, and have baseball's best record since that period. Players credit a players only meeting with veterans Raul Ibanez and Scott Downs talking to the team. They told them there was a lot of talent on this team. It seemed to click, and the Royals find themselves a game ahead of the Tigers in the AL Central race. The Tigers made a big splash acquiring David Price at the deadline, but this team believes it can compete with Detroit. They might be right, and here is a few reasons why.

Improved Offensive Production

The Royals are similar to the Cardinals in that they don't hit for a lot of power. They also are in the bottom half of the AL in OBP. Perez leads the team with 15 home runs, and only two other players are in double digits (Gordon and Mike Moustakas). Moustakas hits for power, but has a putrid .202 average and .262 OBP. That is actually a vast improvement from what is was earlier in the year, which led to his brief demotion to the minor leagues. With Hosmer out hurt and no other options at third base,  the Royals need Moustakas to keep improving. Billy Butler's power has declined this year, which led the team to pick up Josh Willingham to add a power bat.

What the Royals do well is hit doubles and steal bases. They are fourth in the league in doubles,and  first in stolen bases. Despite being last in home runs, Kansas City is ninth in the league in runs scored. Their speed has helped compensate for their lack of power. Four players have double digits in steals with Jarrod Dyson leading the pack with 27. The team's offense was good during May and June, but struggled in July. The Royals offense has came alive in August, and that has been without Hosmer, who will be out until mid-September.

Very Good Defense

Gordon is a multiple Gold Glove winner, and Perez won his first (of probably many) last year. Alcides Escobar is considered one of the slickest fielding shortstops in the game. Infante has solidified second base, which had much turnover last year. The team's other outfielders, Lorenzo Cain, Dyson, and Aoki; are all fast and athletic. Moustakas is well thought off defensively. Butler has been filling in at first base for Hosmer, who won a Gold Glove last year. This certainly helps a very good pitching staff

Good Starting Pitching

Dayton Moore has been questioned on his December 2012 trade of Wil Myers, Jake Odorizzi, and two other prospects for James Shields and Wade Davis. Myers won the AL Rookie of the Year, but has been hurt much of this year. Shields is a free agent at season's end, but he has given the team a workhorse with a big game reputation. The team replaced Ervin Santana with lefty Jason Vargas, and it has worked out well. Jeremy Guthrie has been inconsistent, but is second on the team in innings pitched. The team was worried about the back end of the rotation before the season, but two youngsters have stepped up.

Danny Duffy had been the Royals top pitching prospect back in 2011, but underwent Tommy John surgery in 2012. The lefty started the season in the bullpen, but moved into the rotation to replace the struggling Bruce Chen. Duffy tops Royals starters with a 2.60 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP. Despite that, Duffy has had tough luck going 8-10.  Duffy is still only 25 years old and a big part of the Royals future plans. They also have a 23 year old flamethrowing rookie in the rotation. Yordano Ventura has had a very good rookie campaign, and leads the team in K per 9 innings. If the Royals make the postseason, these two pitchers will be a big reason why.

Dominant Bullpen

The Royals late inning mix of Greg Holland, Wade Davis, and Kelvin Herrera remind some of the 1990 Reds when they had Randy Myers, Rob Dibble, and Norm Charlton. Holland leads the AL with 39 saves, and has a 1.82 ERA. Davis has been even better as the set up man, and has 85 strikeouts in 55 innings pitched. Davis also has a microscopic 0.81 ERA and 0.86 WHIP. Herrera is the seventh inning guy, and has a 1.53 ERA. Besides those three relievers, the team also has 2011 All Star and Mizzou alum Aaron Crow in the bullpen.



The Royals have 36 more games left this season. They are neck and neck with the Tigers for the division. They cannot not afford to let up and need to keep grinding out wins to stay ahead. Kansas City obviously doesn't want to fall back into the crowded wild card race, and potentially not even have a home playoff game.  Royals management seems optimistic and  have even put potential playoff games tickets on sale. The Pirates showed it was possible to reverse years of losing, when they ended a long playoff drought last year. The Royals are looking to do the same this year.

Trading Deadline Recap

This years trading deadline had the most action in years. There were several blockbuster trades today, along with many other moves in the last couple of days. All Stars like Jon Lester, David Price, and Yoenis Cespesdes found themselves in different uniforms. The Dodgers, Braves, and Blue Jays stood pat at the deadline. The Athletics, Tigers, and Cardinals made several moves. The slumping Red Sox made several bold moves, while the last place Phillies held on to their stars.

NL East

This division has been a dogfight between the Nationals and Braves all season long, with the Nats holding a 1.5 game lead on the Braves. The Marlins have been playing better and are creeping into the wild card race. Washington is the most talented team in the division, but has been hit hard with injuries. Bryce Harper missed two months earlier in the season, and now Ryan Zimmerman is out indefinitely with a hamstring tear. So the Nats went out an acquired Indians shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera for rookie infielder Zach Walters. With Ian Desmond at short, Cabrera will most likely move to second base. Anthony Rendon has been at second, but will slide over to third to replace Zimmerman.

The Marlins added right handed starter Jarred Cosart in a six player deal with the Astros. The Marlins also sent the Astros their competitive balance draft pick. Cosart is only 24 years old in his second season, and will help the Marlins staff trying to make up for the loss of Jose Fernandez to Tommy John surgery. With Cosart, the Marlins have another reliable starter to go with All Star Henderson Alvarez and Nathan Eovaldi. The Braves didn't make any moves at the deadline. However, they did promote Tommy La Stella to play second base and released slumping Dan Uggla last month. The Mets and Phillies were dormant at the deadline.

NL Central

The Cardinals made the biggest moves of any team in this division. They signed A.J. Pierzynski last Friday to fill in for the injured Yadier Molina at catcher. On Wednesday, John Mozeliak traded Double A outfielder James Ramsey for Indians starter Justin Masterson. On Thursday's deadline, Mozeliak traded Allen Craig and Joe Kelly for John Lackey and Corey Littrell. This is a big shakeup to the roster and is could shake this team out of its complacency. It also could backfire.

No players stock has fallen as much as Allen Craig's. Last year, Craig was an All Star and drove in 97 runs. From 2011-13, Craig hit .312. This year, Craig has batted .237, slugged .346, and has an OBP of .291. Joe Kelly had a terrific second half, but missed most of this season due to a hamstring strain.  Both of these players are talented enough to rebound in Boston. In return, the Cardinals get a veteran starter who can pitch deeper into games than Kelly and everyone not named Adam Wainwright. Lackey has also excelled in the postseason, winning the deciding games of two different World Series.

This trade opens up a full time spot for Oscar Taveras. Since his promotion, Taveras has only batted .206 in limited playing time. Mike Matheny was still giving Craig most of the playing time hoping he would snap out of his struggles. Taveras has come up with a lot of hype surrounding him, and he will now get a chance to prove himself in the majors. In his first game after the trade, Taveras hit a two run homer. The Cardinals don't hit for much power, and aren't hitting much at all lately. They need Taveras to shine, and Craig's absence won't be missed. With Michael Wacha's status uncertain, Mozeliak felt like he needed to add pitching at the deadline. The team is also concerned about their starters not going deep enough into games, which is wearing out the bullpen. Craig was viewed as expendable because of younger, cheaper options like Taveras and Matt Adams.

The Pirates and Reds did not make any major moves, but the Brewers picked up outfielder Geraldo Parra from the Diamondbacks. Parra has won two Gold Gloves and can play all three outfield positions. The rebuilding Cubs made their major trade earlier in the month, trading Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel. The Brewers, Pirates, and Cardinals are all within 2.5 games of each other. Currently at third place, the Cardinals have many games left against division opponents to make up the difference. Mozeliak is gambling that Taveras will be an improvement over Craig, and that Lackey and Masterson will bolster the team's rotation.

NL West

The NL West is a race between two teams, the Dodgers and Giants. Despite many rumors about trading for David Price and trading away Matt Kemp, Los Angeles made no major moves. Unless you count picking up Darwin Barney a major move. The Giants traded for starter Jake Peavy after they found out Matt Cain needed a visit with Dr. James Andrews about his elbow. With Cain's status uncertain, the Giants acquired Peavy for two prospects. They also experimented with Dan Uggla for a week, but have released him. Second base has been a black hole for the Giants, with Marco Scutaro missing most of the year.

The Diamondbacks and Padres were the sellers of the division. The last place Rockies didn't make any moves at the deadline. The offensively challenged Padres traded away Chase Headley for Yangervis Solarte and a prospect. Earlier in the month, they traded away Huston Street to the Angels for four prospects. Arizona traded away Geraldo Parra and Martin Prado. Arizona and San Diego are two teams in transition, and both teams have made front office moves in season.

AL East

The majority of noise coming from this division at the deadline came from the bottom of it. The Red Sox had already traded Jake Peavy and Felix Doubront in recent days. On Thursday, they traded Jon Lester for Yoenis Cespesdes. The Red Sox had unsuccessfully tried to work out an extension with Lester and decided to trade him at the deadline. Later on Thursday, Boston traded John Lackey and a prospect to the Cardinals for Allen Craig and Joe Kelly. Then they made a rare trade with the Yankees involving Stephen Drew. The Red Sox are clearly a team building for 2015. Expect Boston to go on a free agent frenzy in the offseason. Lester has said that he would still consider signing with Boston if he was traded. I would also expect the Red Sox(and Yankees) to be in the mix for Max Scherzer.

The Rays have been climbing back into the race recently. They are two games below .500 after having baseball's worst record in mid-June. They have talked about moving David Price last offseason, but did not. The asking price was rumored to be very high, and some thought that the Rays would hold on to Price. They still had him for next season. Oddly, they traded Price to Detroit for a much less haul than expected. They only received second baseman Nick Franklin, left hander Drew Smyly, and A-ball prospect Willy Adames in return. Right now, it looks like Tampa Bay got fleeced on this deal.

The Yankees traded for Chase Headley to fill their void at third base. They then Kelly Johnson to Boston for Drew to presumably play second base. After acquiring Drew, they DFA'd Brian Roberts. Later, they traded for the D-Backs Martin Prado. Prado can play several positions, but it looks like he is penciled for right field for now. This moves Ichiro Suzuki to the bench. New York did not make any moves to improve their pitching, outside of Brandon McCarthy. They have had many injuries to their starters, including C.C. Sabathia and Masahiro Tanaka. The Blue Jays did not make any moves, and the Orioles only made a minor one in acquiring lefty reliever Andrew Miller from Boston.

AL Central

Dave Dombrowski might win Executive of the Year after making the deal for David Price. Price gives the Tigers three Cy Young Award winners along with Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander. This team still has last year's ERA champ Anibal Sanchez and near-All Star Rick Porcello in it. Earlier in the month, Detroit acquired reliever Joakim Soria to bolster their bullpen. It only cost the Tigers Austin Jackson, Drew Smyly, and a A ball prospect to get Price. Jackson was the teams starting center fielder, but they can move left fielder Rajai Davis over to center. Davis is a better offensive player, but weaker defensively. J.D. Martinez can have a full time slot in left field after hitting well in part time duty. This is clearly a team built to win the World Series. Detroit will also have Price for next season, which would help ease the potential loss of Scherzer this offseason. Scherzer reportedly turned down a contract worth $144 million.

The rest of the division didn't do much. Kansas City made one minor deal, and the White Sox none. The Twins dealt away Kendrys Morales and acquired Tommy Milone from Oakland. The Indians traded away Justin Masterson and Asdrubal Cabrera. Cabrera had been the team's longest tenured player, but with Francisco Lindor waiting in the wings, he was expendable.

AL West

Billy Beane has clearly put Oakland all-in this season. He had already given up his best prospect to get Jeff Samardzjia. Today, he made an even more bold move. Beane traded away All Star left fielder Yoenis Cespesdes for lefty Jon Lester. Clearly, Beane thought he needed to upgrade his pitching, and sacrificed offense for pitching. Beane's teams have repeatedly lost in the first round, and to Detroit the past two seasons. The Athletics will have a very good staff in Lester, Samardzjia, Sonny Gray, and Scott Kazmir. They team also recieved Jonny Gomes in the Lester deal to replace Cespesdes. Beane then moved Tommy Milone to the Twins for Sam Fuld. Fuld and Gomes most likely will platoon in Cespesdes left field spot.

Not very often does a contending team trade their All Star outfielder in a pennant race. Boston trading Manny Ramirez for Jason Bay comes to mind. A generation ago, Oakland made a blockbuster move similar to this in 1992 when they traded Jose Canseco for Ruben Sierra, Jeff Russell, and Bobby Witt. Cespedes had been one of the team's better hitters, especially when it comes to hitting for power. He also has a cannon for a arm in left. Cespesdes will be a free agent after next season, and the A's aren't likely to be able to afford him. Lester will be a free agent at the season's end. Beane figures this year might be his best shot at winning a World Series, and that Lester would be more valuable to the team than Cespesdes.

The Angels made several moves to improve their faltering bullpen. They traded away former closer Ernesto Freiri for the Pirates Jason Grilli. They then put together a four prospect package to acquire All Star closer Huston Street from the Padres. Joe Smith will now move into a setup role for Street. The Angels did not make any moves to bolster their rotation. With C.J. Wilson just coming off the DL, the team is thin behind Jered Weaver and Garrett Richards. The Angels currently have baseball's second best record behind the Athletics, but would have to play in a one game playoff if the season ended today.

The Astros and Rangers made a couple of minor moves before the deadline and our far out of contention. The Mariners have been in contention for the last wild card spot. Seattle has been carried by their pitching and have the best team ERA in the American League. They also have the league's worst offense. They made a couple of moves to bolster their offense, acquiring Kendrys Morales and Austin Jackson. Seattle was rumored to be in the mix for David Price, but settled for Jackson in a three way deal. Morales and Jackson aren't what you would call impact moves, but they could help out a struggling offense. With Felix Hernandez, this is a scary team to face in a potential one game playoff. The Mariners could easily upset a favored opponent with King Felix on the mound for that game.

Cardinals Second Half Preview

The Cardinals have had an up and down season so far this year. The team's offense has struggled at times and they rank second to last in the National League in runs scored. The Cardinals are last in the league in home runs and are not hitting as good with runners in scoring position as last year. Allen Craig and Matt Holliday have had down years to this point. Center fielder Peter Bourjos has yet to hit. Starting pitchers Jaime Garcia, Michael Wacha, and Joe Kelly have missed significant time. Kelly has just came back from the disabled list, but Garcia is out for the year, and Wacha's status is uncertain right now. Even worse, Yadier Molina tore a ligament in his right thumb. Molina is now sidelined until at least September.

Even with all of these challenges, the Cardinals are only one game back at the All Star break. The NL Central has tightened up. The Brewers, Cardinals, Reds, and Pirates are all within 3.5 games of each other. This race is far from over, and it looks to be a dogfight the rest of the way. The Cardinals also have the prospects to make a trade, if they choose to do so. They also have a lot of depth, which has helped them deal with the injuries. Mike Matheny has done a better job resting his everyday players and mixing in the bench guys this season.

The offense has shown signs of coming around. The team had two walk off wins via the home run against the Pirates in July, with Matt Adams and Kolten Wong delivering. Adams is second in the NL with a .329 average and has been hitting for power since coming off the DL. Early in the year, he was occupied with beating the shifts which affected his power. Wong hit five homers in a week before the All Star break and leads the team with 12 steals. Despite being sent down for two weeks and being on the disabled list another two weeks, Wong already has more steals than anybody on the team last year. Jhonny Peralta has emerged as the team's top power hitter after a very slow start. Matt Carpenter has still been the on base machine that he was last year.

Holliday still has a .373 on base percentage this year, despite his lack of power. The second half is the time of year Holliday usually gets hot. Center field and right field have been unsettled this year. Jon Jay has taken playing time away from Bourjos because of his bat. Bourjos has the speed and defense skill set, but needs to pick up his hitting for playing time. The same goes for Craig, who has a putrid .293 OBP with little power this year. The Cardinals called up Oscar Taveras a few weeks ago in an attempt to provide a spark. Taveras has not only taken playing time away from Craig, but has also gotten a few starts at center. The Cardinals have options in the outfield, they just need those players to play up to their talent levels.

One thing that has been improved from last year is the teams defense. Carpenter has moved back to his natural position at third base after playing second base last year. Wong's defense at second has been very impressive. Peralta didn't have a reputation for being a glove man, but has looked sharp at short. One thing Bourjos has been able to do well is play defense, and Jay's defense has improved this year when he plays center. Holliday has looked the best he has defensively as a Redbird this year. At first base, Adams is smooth defensively for a big guy. Craig hasn't let his offensive struggles carry over to the field, whether he be at first base or the outfield. He hasn't made an error all year at three different positions.

Speaking of defense, the club will miss Molina's game changing defense the next couple of months. There is no one in baseball with a throwing arm like Yadi. Molina also is very good at blocking balls in the dirt and framing pitches. For young pitchers, Molina has been like an on field coach. He has helped the young staff develop. The team will miss his glove, bat, and especially his leadership. Backup Tony Cruz will step in as a starter, and is capable of doing an admirable job. Cruz probably could start for a few teams in the league. The Cardinals picked up veteran backstop George Kottaras off the waiver wire after Molina's injury. The good news is that Molina should be ready to go for the final stretch of the season and potential postseason games.

The Cardinals pitching has been very good this year. Ace Adam Wainwright is having a terrific season and is 12-4 with a 1.83 ERA. Wainwright is making another run at his first Cy Young Award, but will be competing with Clayton Kershaw and Johnny Cueto for the award. After Wainwright, Lance Lynn has been our second best starter this year. Lynn has good stuff, but can be inconsistent. He can be dominant in one outing, and get rocked in the next start. Lynn is 10-4 with a 3.14 ERA this year. He is a durable 200 inning pitcher, that is learning how to pitch more efficiently. That lesson is something Shelby Miller is still looking for. After finishing 3rd in the Rookie of the Year voting last year, Miller sports a 6-7 record, with a 4.29 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP. He has left many starts early, and may have problems with his back. Matheny left Miller off the postseason rotation last year when he was much better. The Cardinals need Miller to find his 2013 form.

The Cardinals got Kelly back just in time. Kelly hurt his hamstring in April and missed close to three months. He replaced rookie lefty Marco Gonzales, who was just drafted last year. Gonzales has a lot of potential, but needs more seasoning in the minors. Carlos Martinez started the season in the bullpen, but has moved into the rotation with the injury to Wacha. Martinez has filthy stuff, but like the other young pitchers, is still learning. He has pitched well out of the rotation in all starts except for last Sunday's start vs. Milwaukee. The team is uncertain when Wacha will be back after hurting his shoulder. Understandably, the Cardinals want to be careful with the 2013 NLCS MVP.

The bullpen has had some hiccups this year, but has been solid for the most part. Trevor Rosenthal is second in the NL with 28 saves. However, Rosenthal hasn't been as good as he was last year when he was primarily a set up man. Rosenthal saved 4 games in last year's postseason and pitched 11.2 scoreless innings. This season, Rosenthal has a 3.50 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP. Part of the problem is that Matheny has overused Rosenthal this year.

Pat Neshek has been a great low cost signing for the Cardinals this year. Neshek went from being a non roster invitee to a All Star reliever. The sidearming righty has a 0.70 ERA and has moved into a set up role for the Redbirds. Jason Motte has came back from Tommy John surgery, but hasn't found his groove yet. Kevin Siegrist was great last season, but has missed a month and a half and just started a rehab assignment. Randy Choate started the year as the Cardinals second lefty, and his ERA has been inflated by one bad outing. In Siegrist's absence, Sam Freeman has filled the void. Freeman has been very good this year, and sports a 1.42 ERA. He had a few cups of coffee in the big leagues before, but has finally figured it out.

Another big question is if John Mozeliak is planning on making any big trades before the deadline. In the past, Mozeliak has been careful, but has shown a willingness to make big moves. In 2009, he traded away prospects like Chris Perez and Brett Wallace to get Mark DeRosa and Holliday. In 2011, he traded Colby Rasmus to get pitching help. Other years, he made minor moves, like in 2012 when he acquired Edward Mujica at the deadline. There are a lot of rumors on what the Cardinals will do in the next couple of weeks. Teams will be asking about Taveras, Wong, Martinez, Gonzales, and other top prospects in the minors. Mozeliak will have to decide if on how good he thinks these players will be in the future and if its worth giving up these guys in a deal.

Some of the names being floated around are Troy Tulowitzki, Giancarlo Stanton, Jake Peavy, Cliff Lee, and David Price. This happens every year at the deadline, and most of the time the trades don't happen. The Cardinals explored a Tulowitzki deal last offseason, but balked at the asking price. They signed Peralta instead, and it is very unlikely the Cards trade for Tulo. The Marlins insist that Stanton is not on the market, and the asking price for him would be very high. The Cardinals reportedly looked into a Peavy for Craig deal, but backed out. The Samardzija deal set the asking price for prospects high, and the Rays would be asking a ransom for Price. Lee could be had for cheaper, although it comes with a costly contract. I can see Mozeliak making a move, but I doubt he parts with a Taveras, Wong, or Martinez.