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The San Francisco Giants enter play on Saturday just a half-game behind the first place Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West. The Dodgers new ownership group is flush with cash, and Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier will soon come off of the disabled list to rejuvenate the struggling squad.

With the trade deadline fast approaching, the Giants have some obvious holes that need filling by General Manager Brian Sabean. Sabean, the game’s longest-tenured GM, has made several bold moves during his tenure—including a big splash at last season’s trading deadline to acquire Carlos Beltran for top pitching prospect Zach Wheeler.

This year the Giants have two clear needs this season: power and pitching depth.

With Tim Lincecum and Barry Zito struggling in the rotation and closer Brian Wilson out for the year, the Giants pitching staff could use reinforcements.

Offensively, Buster Posey leads the team in home runs, but he is only on pace to hit 19. The Giants are second to last in all of baseball in home runs—highlighting their need to acquire some thump.

However, the new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), the addition of two more wild card playoff teams and the overall parity that exists in baseball will likely put a damper on trade activity this year.

The new CBA prevents teams from offering salary arbitration to impending free agents acquired mid-season. This prevents the acquiring team from receiving draft pick compensation if they are unable to re-sign the player they acquired at the deadline.

In the past, a team like the Phillies—who are quickly falling out of contention—would deal impending free agents like Cole Hamels and Shane Victorino for top prospects. However, teams are going to be less likely to sell the farm for a two-month rental because under the new CBA they can no longer replenish the farm system by collecting draft picks if they are unable to re-sign their rental player.

Right now, only the Cubs, Astros, Rockies, Padres and Mariners are more than 10 games out of a playoff spot. The Rockies and Padres are in the same division as the Giants, making them unlikely trading partners. The Twins are nine games out of a playoff spot, but they just gave a contract extension to the veteran Ryan Doumit, a clear sign that they are not in full rebuilding mode.

That leaves the Cubs, Astros, Mariners and perhaps the Kansas City Royals (seven games out) as the most likely trading partners for the Giants.

Let’s take a look at five potential upgrades that the Giants can make at the deadline to propel them to their second NL West crown in three years.

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In the days leading up to the July 31st MLB trade deadline there will be a number of St. Louis Cardinals trade rumors that come up.

With rumors coming in fast and furious, it is hard to keep track of all of them. B/R is going to help you out with all of this. Bookmark this link as it will be used to report on all of the key Cardinals trade rumors that pop up through a number of different sources over the next few weeks.

Not only will all of the Cardinals rumors be easy to find, but insight will also be provided about what impact each potential deal could have on the Cardinals moving forward. Are any of the moves being talked about ones that could help the Cardinals reach the World Series for the second straight year?

The only way to find out is to keep coming back and checking out all of the Cardinals trade rumors.

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There will not be too many top-tier starting pitchers on the trade market this summer. Zack Greinke and Cole Hamels are names that there will be a lot of speculation about, but after them the talent level drops off.

Jason Churchill of ESPN (Insider required) has suggested that the Tampa Bay Rays could look to deal James Shields this summer in an effort to push themselves towards the playoffs. His logic is that the Rays have starters that can fill in for him and that they can address a need while picking up a prospect or two if they trade Shields.

While a trade like this seems to be very unlikely, there are certainly a number of teams that would be willing to pay what the Rays want in return for Shields.

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Now that the month of July has arrived, so too has the uptick in speculation that always seems to lead to rumors.

Rumors in the world of Major League Baseball are what fans grasp onto like barbecue sauce on a char-broiled steak. As each rumor swirls around the web and grows like a weed, it’s hard to discover the difference between truth and fiction.

Fortunately, for fans of the Los Angeles Angels, you now have a place to come to in order to find out what’s real and what’s fake.

Over the next month, we will work to provide you with all of the latest information concerning your Angels—we’ll break down each new bit of information as it’s presented on the web, provide analysis for each rumor and transaction that involves the Angels and weed through all of the rumors/speculation/banter and determine whether they’re valid or just a bunch of hooey.

Bookmark this link, Angels fans. There’s no need to go anywhere for the latest in trade rumors and news—we’ll keep you updated right here!

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This season has been extremely frustrating for the Phillies and their fans.  The team that has won five straight National League East titles now sits in last place in the division and continues to find new ways to lose games.  

The Phillies are 28th in the league in runners left in scoring position per game.  Not only can the team not drive in runs, but their pitching staff hasn’t been as dominant as expected.  

Roy Halladay is on the DL, but even before that he was struggling.  Cliff Lee is still winless and has struggled to locate his pitches.  The man who used to go games without walking a batter now has put too many runners on base and then has allowed them to score.

The bullpen has been horrendous, ranking 25th in the league in bullpen ERA.  The team finally designated Chad Qualls for assignment, but he isn’t the only problem in that pen.  

In order to put together this team, general manager, Ruben Amaro, Jr., traded away the team’s future.  The team is getting older and doesn’t appear to have many players in the farm system who are anywhere near ready to come up and make an impact.  

It’s time to sell in Philadelphia.

Shane Victorino should be the first to go.  Victorino is a solid defensive center fielder, but he is a terrible baserunner and isn’t worth keeping for his hitting.

After dealing Victorino, the Phillies need to seriously consider trading either Cliff Lee or Roy Halladay.  By getting rid of one of these guys, they will be able to re-sign Cole Hamels after this season.

Roy Halladay’s injury and age could prevent teams from pursuing him, but you have to think that Cliff Lee is still a coveted player.  The only problem is, do the Phillies have the heart to trade the guy who turned down more money to play for them?

Let’s say the Phillies decide to trade Lee. Where could he go?  

Well, look at potential playoff teams that need pitching.  Let’s start in the American League.  The Yankees have pitching troubles as it is, but now CC Sabathia and Andy Pettitte are injured.  Lee turned down the Yankees before signing with the Phillies, but he would greatly improve that team.  In return, the Phillies could receive outfield prospect, Mason Williams, and third base prospect, Dante Bichette, Jr.  

The Red Sox are another team that could use Lee’s services.  The Sox have the offense to make the playoffs, but they’re at least a pitcher away from being serious contenders.  In return, the Phillies could get outfield prospects, Bryce Brentz and Jackie Bradley.

The Detroit Tigers have a World Series-caliber offense as well, but a pitcher like Lee would give them a dangerous pitching staff.  Verlander and Lee would create an incredible one-two punch.  And how about third base prospect, Nick Castellanos, coming back to Philly along with another prospect?

In the National League, Cliff Lee would make the Reds the team to beat.  Cincinnati has a great offense, and if they added Lee, a rotation of Lee, Cueto and Latos in the postseason would be brutal for opposing offenses.  Pitching prospect, Robert Stephenson, and outfield prospect, Ryan LaMarre, would be great pieces for the Phillies to get in return.

It’s time for the Phillies to start preparing for the future, and it starts by being able to re-sign Hamels.  If the team trades Victorino and Lee, they’ll get pieces in return that will allow Philadelphia to have a playoff-caliber team sooner rather than later. 

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Just like Jason Kipnis, pictured above, the entire Cleveland Indians roster tends to bat left-handed in their everyday lineup.

Outside of Aaron Cunningham, Shelley Duncan, Lou Marson and Jose Lopez, the only other right-handed hitters on the Tribe’s roster are Carlos Santana and Asdrubal Cabrera, both switch-hitters. However, in the comments section recently (and in articles), we forget that the Indians have six left-handed bats (Kipnis, Kotchman, Choo, Hannahan, Chisenhall (heading to DL) and Brantley, as well as the four right-handed bats and two switch-hitters mentioned above.

The glaring issue is that the Indians are hitting .217/.302/.333 against left-handed pitching; however, the right-handed bats and switch-hitters aren’t helping much against lefties in 2012:

—Asdrubal Cabrera: .299/.384/.483, five doubles, one triple, three home runs, 13 RBI, 7:10 K:BB in 87 at-bats.
—Carlos Santana: .200/.326/.229, two doubles, no triples or home runs, 10 RBI, 14:14 K:BB in 70 at-bats.
—Jose Lopez: .255/.265/.468, four doubles, no triples, two home runs, nine RBI, 5:1 K:BB in 47 at-bats.
—Shelley Duncan: .213/.329/.377, four doubles, no triples, two home runs, seven RBI, 16:11 K:BB in 61 at-bats.
—Aaron Cunningham: .167/.306/.200, one double, no triples or home runs, one RBI, 6:6 K:BB in 30 at-bats.
—Lou Marson: .233/.303/.433, four doubles, one triple, no home runs, three RBI, 4:3 K:BB in 30 at-bats.

Overall, a .237/.330/.375 line, inflated by the fact that Asdrubal Cabrera is a star. The rest of the Indians are not even as good as this line, based on the overall numbers above. They need help to survive. Where are they going to find that help? Via trades, of course.

The following slides will show some names of players, along with their stats against lefties, that the Indians could trade for to help the Indians get back on track and strengthen their lineup.

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With the upcoming MLB non-waiver trade deadline comes much speculation about a bevy of players likely to be changing destinations.

As such, they essentially lose their jobs, but not quite like getting canned.

Some hitters will lose their current standing because of payroll constraints, others to make room for upcoming prospects, and still others because they are underperforming.

Whatever the case, here is a list of hitters from each MLB team who will be cashing a paycheck for a new team sometime in the future.

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As you may know, San Francisco’s offense is struggling.

The team has had problems stranding runners on base and failing to provide run support for their tremendous pitching staff. While guys like Angel Pagan, Melky Cabrera and Buster Posey are off to good starts, there are weak links in the Giants‘ lineup.

One of those is Brandon Crawford.

Crawford has hit better lately, as his batting average has improved from just over .200 to near .250 (his BA is .232). While Crawford has 21 RBI and seems to always come through with the big hit, his batting average is inexcusable.

Since San Francisco is a team who struggles to hit with RISP, Crawford does help them there. When there are runners on base, he seems to deliver, usually with an extra-base hit down the line. However, his inability to start a rally has hurt the team.

And so has his fielding.

Crawford is one of those weird fielders. He seems to make all the tough plays, as some of his diving stops have found their way on ESPN. However, he also seems to struggle with some routine ground balls and pop-ups.

Just this year, Crawford has 12 errors (and the infield fly rule saved him from one more in a game against Texas). His fielding percentage has dropped from 97.2 percent last year to 95.8 percent this year, and he seems to have trouble when playing with the sun in his eyes.

Some could argue that Crawford is off to a good start, and they’d probably be right. Crawford has proven that he is a good fielder, and he is an above-average defensive shortstop. For teams looking for a good defensive shortstop, Crawford could be a good target.

For offense, not so much.

Crawford can hit with RISP, as he has shown this year. He only has one home run, but he does have 21 RBI. A lot of his hits drive in runs, and for teams struggling to hit with runners on base, Crawford could also be a target.

Shortstops aren’t always the most powerful players, and it’s rare for a shortstop to hit for 30-plus home runs. Never expect that from Crawford. He is a guy who hits line drives, and sometimes he gets jammed and hits a pop-up.

That’s why he doesn’t hit home runs. Expecting 10 homers in a season from Crawford is somewhat absurd, so if a team wants a powerful shortstop, Crawford is not the guy. If a team is looking for a shortstop who can hit at the top of the order and get on base a lot, Crawford isn’t the guy.

San Francisco has had problems at shortstop, and if they could bring in an elite SS, their championship hopes would seem more realistic. Crawford is not elite, and he has not been playing well this year. However, for a team looking to win down the road, Crawford could be a good target.

Overall, Crawford is not a terrible player. Once he develops his fielding skills a little more, he will be an elite defensive shortstop. If the Giants want an elite shortstop to get on base at the top of the order, Crawford is not the guy to do that—not yet. Therefore, they should be looking to trade for a shortstop.

And teams who want a good defensive shortstop years down the road should be looking to trade for Crawford. 

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The San Diego Padres have succeeded in being one of the worst teams in the majors thus far in 2012. And, with the Padres payroll at 55.2 million (the lowest in the majors), how can anyone blame them?

Still, the Padres have some gems on the roster, and these players could be targets of playoff-contending teams in July. Many fans are—like always—totally against the Padres’ “rebuilding” strategy. But with the current ownership status, selling big names for prospects is regrettably the only real option for the team.

John Moores’ selling of the Padres comes at an uncanny time. The sale could affect how the team approaches the trade deadline, in addition to who goes and who stays. We know the Padres will be sellers, we just don’t know who could be leaving San Diego.

As we speak, two or three contenders remain in the race for the Padres, a team that’s worth up to $458 million, according to Forbes. But in order to become the next owner of the Padres, that entity should be willing to spend more: Moores wants a minimum of $800 million in exchange for his club.

Currently, the O’Malley family—featuring Phil Mickelson—is a finalist for the club. At this point, the identity of the one (or two) other potential buyers is still unknown.

In as little as three weeks, Moores could announce the winners of the bid for the Padres. And following the announcement should be, like always, trade rumors surrounding the big stars on the Padres. Here are a few potential trade candidates.

Huston Street: Street was the great successor to Heath Bell when he signed a contract to leave San Diego for the Miami Marlins. Street, who was originally in Oakland, had played in Colorado beforehand. Coors Field is hardly a pitcher’s park, so his move to PETCO Park was a happy one. However, the injury bug bit the veteran closer, and Street found himself on the DL with a shoulder injury.

Huston was recently added back on the 25 man roster, and his apparent future successor Miles Mikolas was optioned to Tucson. Along with Mikolas is the 23 year old Brad Boxberger, who was dealt in the Mat Latos trade. Both are closers for the future.

The Padres are reliever-rich, and Street’s $7.5 million contract is a burden. Street has a pricey $9 million option for the 2013 season as well.

Carlos Quentin: Quentin, a San Diego native, was traded to the Padres in the offseason to add some life to a nearly dead lineup. However, with the poor performance of the team, using Quentin as trade bait could net the Padres some excellent prospects. The Tigers today announced their interest, while Cincinnati and Cleveland could also be potential traders.

The Padres would like to resign Quentin for the long term, and a contract extension could be presented before the deadline. That, and the new ownership, could easily change everything.

Nick Hundley: Hundley, 28, has played four major league seasons in San Diego. And when Hundley signed a new deal in the offseason, we though he was here to stay. But the young Yasmani Grandal is one of the best catching prospects in the MLB. He made his debut earlier in June, going 0-1 in a pinch hitting situation. Grandal is another prospect the Padres lured for Mat Latos.

Both Hundley and his backup John Baker have performed poorly. You can blame PETCO Park for the poor hitting numbers, but one thing is for sure: a catcher must be dealt at the deadline to make room for Grandal, who is lighting it up in Tucson.

Chase Headley: Headley, who was the former Texas League Player of the Year, is another potential Padre to be dealt in the near future. Already, the Pittsburgh Pirates have inquires about the third baseman, who has also spent time in left field.

Headley’s ability to switch hit is an asset for any team, and the 28-year-old could be a productive hitter in any lineup. While he doesn’t hit many homers in San Diego, his .267 average is promising, and he currently has an 11 game hitting streak. The Padres have James Darnell to fill Headley’s place should the Pads deal him, and San Diego has a potential star in Jedd Gyorko in the farm system.

The veteran Headley is due $3.45 million this year and is arbitration eligible next year.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

It should be an interesting few weeks before the July 31 trade deadline for the Boston Red Sox.

It will be the first time we get to see new general manager Ben Cherington in action. He is going to have to decide whether to buy or sell, and that will have a big impact on both the short-term and the long-term future of this team.

Will Kevin Youkilis get dealt?

Will Boston add an arm in the starting rotation or in the bullpen?

Will the Red Sox ship off any veterans and decide to go young?

Here are five vital factors that Cherington will have to consider before the anticipated trade deadline.

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