While perserverating on the hitting of Jose Molina, Brett Gardner and Melky Cabrera, nevermind Derek jeter, and the fact the Yankees activated Johnny Damon to DH because his shoulder isn't strong enough to play LF, I checked the standings.  Despite this offensive warts, the New York Yankees trial only the Red Sox in the Wild Card chase.  This gets me thinking maybe, just maybe, the Yankees should be very serious about getting into the trade market.

Hopefully, the Yankees' brass feels the same when they meet in Tampa today.  This morning's New York Post mentions several possible targets.  Maybe i should reconsider that seriousness?

Seattle left-hander Jarrod Washburn, is the Yankees' top target, even if he hasn't pitched great and there is a lot of money left on his deal next year. The Yankees also have an interest in the Reds' right-hander Bronson Arroyo, but the price is high at the moment.

Pittsburgh's duo of lefty reliever Damaso Marte and right-handed hitting outfielder Xavier Nady are on the radar. With Jorge Posada finished catching this season, they will kick the tires to find help behind the plate.

Washburn will make $10.35 million next year. The talent price on Marte and Nady is exorbitant today but expected to drop and the Pirates like Ross Ohlendorf. San Francisco may move catcher Bengie Molina, Jose's brother, but he is owed $6 million next season. The Dodgers' Derek Lowe could be had for a bat the Yankees don't have.

There are a whole lot of trade rumor information in this morning's papers.  Bronson Arroyo is mentioned again - in connection to the Colorado Rockies!  If the Rox are buyers, they'd be foolish to deal Fuentes for less than the puported outrageous offers they were already asking.

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The Astros are now the sole residents of the NL Central basement.  It has been two days since the inexplicable acquistion of free-agent-to-be Randy Wolf for a ready-for-six-years-of-control middle reliever.  Has there been any explanation yet?

On July 24th, did you think J.J. Hardy would have two fewer HRs than Cubs' 1st baseman Derek Lee's 16?

Los Angeles Dodgers' rookie 3B Andy LaRoche is 2-6 with a walk two thirds of his way through his trade showcasing in Colorado.  Don't the Orioles have anything the Dodgers would want?  Doesn't Melvin Mora qualify?

Has 1B/2B Jeff Baker finally arrived as a regular starter in Colorado?  He has 43 hits in 116 ABs since June 4th and has 7 HRs, a triple and eleven doubles amongst those 43 hits.

The Arizona Diamondbacks stole three bases against the Ted Lilly/Geovanny Soto battery.  Is this a sign the D'backs are about to kick-up there running game?  After finishing 10th in MLB in SB last season, the team is ranked 28th now.

Billy Wagner returned from shoulder spasms to close out the Mets first-place-tying win over the Philadelphia Phillies.  While this doesn't mean whatever issue he dealt with is resolved, I am sure the Mets front office is cautiously optimistic.  The team will not win without Wagner at the end of the game.

Yesterday's surprising deal between the Washington Nationals and Arizona Diamondbacks has some scratching their head.  Apparently, the Nationals have asked for much more than a speedy glove at 2B who has some plate discipline skills to refine.

The Boston Globe reports what the Nats asked from the Red Sox in exchange for Jon Rauch.  One can safely conclude it was more than what the Diamondbacks paid.

The Sox inquired about reliever Jon Rauch before he was traded by Washington to Arizona, but the Nationals were asking for top prospects Michael Bowden and Jed Lowrie.

In other trade rumor-related info:

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The Washington Nationals and Houston Astros made trades yesterday that will compete for the designation of the most baffling deals of the 2008 season.  The Nationals shipped their closer to the Arizona Diamondbacks for 2B Emilio Bonifacio, and the Astros acquired LHP Randy Wolf from the San Diego Padres for AAA RHP Chad Reineke.

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This is the week I am going (want?) to start giving more credence to the standings of a player's team when considering the MVP barring just sick efforts by a player on a non-contender.  With the standings too close to call.  To see last week's American league results, visit  Rotojunkie.  The top three was quite a surprise. 

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With $52MM man Jorge Posada looking done for the 2008 season, the Yankees catching tandem consists of Jose Molina and Chad Moeller.  Debate over whether Molina and Moeller can be part of a viable play-off contender is limited to the fringes of Yankees fanaticism.

So I was surprised to see nothing about trading for an upgrade at catcher in the New York papers this morning.  Amongst the names I expected to see were Ivan Rodriguez, Ramon Hernandez, Miguel Olivo,  Johnny Estrada, and Paul LoDuca.  None of them are signed beyond this season, and all would improve the Yankees' catching situation.

It may be the case that the Yankees' beat writers have been "advised" to avoid jumping the trade gun until more information is known about Jorge's shoulder, which he says has completely sapped his power and throwing ability.  Whether holding back provides any advantage to the club, I don't know, but I expect those catcher names to become very prominent over the next 9 days - and I expect other teams know the Yankees' negotiating disadvantage regardless.

For the medical lowdown on Jorge Posada's shoulder, head over the Will Carroll's Under The Knife column.

In other trade rumor-related news:

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While there had been no announcement on their home page, stated in the opening line of Will Carroll's column is some great news:

For those of you reading BP and Under The Knife for the first time thanks to our Free Preview Week, what I do here is to take a look at baseball through the lens of sports medicine.

Enjoy.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports the Philadelphia Phillies and Colorado Rockies were serious about a trade that would have netted the Phillies LF Matt Holliday and LHP Brian Fuentes.  According to the paper, this is what was required from the Phillies and why this was deemd serious.

Word had leaked out of Bowie, Md., last week that the Rockies had been sitting on the Reading Phillies for four days, checking the parent club's top Double A prospects.

A source told Morning Report that pitching prospect Carlos Carrasco would have to be included in the deal, and that the Rockies also wanted centerfielder Shane Victorino.

According to Foxsports, the deal would also have cost the Phillies Lou Marson (a top catching prospect) and starting pitcher J.A. Happ

I'm not convinced the Rockies would have done it given their climb in contention in the weak NL West - 6 games out while being 14 games under .500.  Hopefully the deal was killed by the Rockies and not the Phillies.  Both players would have made the Phils the favorite in the NL East and completed the transformation of the Phillies to the 21st century version of the Blake Street Bombers.

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Grady Sizemore stole his team-leading 23rd base yesterday.  As the Indians' lead-off hitter, that makes sense intuitively.  However, Sizemore also leads the Indians in HRs with 22 and SLG at .538.  Is there any reason he isn't batting 3rd?

Dustin Pedroia has 20 doubles this season to go along with a .322 AVG.  Is he next's season's Aaron Hill, a player who  will be projected to kick his performance up another level only to disappoint?

Detroit Tigers' ace Justin Verlander won his 8th game yesterday.  With it, he lowered his ERA to 3.95.  Since June, he has a 2.48 ERA in 61.7 innings with 55 Ks.  Keep this lesson in mind over the remaining two months or so of the season.  Pitcher's with bad ERA can pitch brilliantly and yet will not be noticed until it is too late.

Um, I think Ryan Braun has proven he was a leigtimate high-round pick.  At .295 with 24 Hrs and 9 SBs, he should be a solid 1st round pick next season.

In mixed leagues, here is a player to grab.  Scott Hairston of the San Diego Padres hit his 15th HR of the season.  There are just 60 other hitters who have the same number of HRs or more.

Staying in the NL West, Chris B. Young of Arizona stole his 6th base yesterday.  His 6th!  Yeah, he won't be selected any earlier than the teens rounds next year.

Can someone explain why the Seattle Mariners' are giving any at-bats whatsoever to Miguel Cairo - as a first baseman?  I don't care if the 2000 version of Randy Johnson was on the mound, there is no way Bryan LaHair doesn't get every single at-bat at the position.

Expect to find a lot of trade rumor chatter scattered throughout any Baseball chats. With football camps opening, we've got to start paying attention to reports from there. The busiest time of the fantasy year is upon us!

Fantasy Sports:

Fantasy Sports with Chris Harris at 11AM.

USA Today's Devin Clancy at 11AM.

Fantasy Sports with Brendan Roberts at 3PM.

General Baseball:

Baseball Prospectus' Will Carroll at 3PM.

General Football:

NFL with ESPN Bloggers at 12-5PM.