Kuzul

With the July 31 trade deadline looming, less than two weeks remain for teams looking to make a non-waiver deal.

The deadline represents an integral period of time for both contending and rebuilding organizations. Contenders, like the Detroit Tigers and Texas Rangers, must decide if this year is theirs and sacrifice a bit of the future to improve the present.

On the flip side, a team like the New York Mets would have to juggle an already-livid fanbase if they entertained trading homegrown closer Bobby Parnell, for instance. While a big return for Parnell would help fill gaping voids for 2014 and beyond, it’s never a popular decision to throw in the towel—especially in New York.

Regardless of a team’s direction, the strategy must be a resolute one: Failure simply isn’t an option.

Below are five MLB teams that can’t afford to fail at the trade deadline this year.

All statistics sourced (through July 18, 2013) from Baseball-Reference.com.

Begin Slideshow

The trade deadline is less than two weeks away and there is no doubt that several high-profile players will be changing teams before it passes. Players like Matt Garza, Cliff Lee and Chase Utley could all be dealt soon and may end up having huge impacts on playoff races.

Even the teams in first place coming out of the All-Star break know they have holes to fill, and now that there are two Wild Card spots, more teams feel they can make a run, and you can bet that the players on this list will be pursued heavily.

The following players are ranked according to the impact they can have if traded.

Present and past statistics, as well as present ability, are the best ways to judge the impact a player might have if traded.

It is also important to note how a player’s current environment factors into their statistics. A power hitter who plays in a big park might not have great numbers, but could do a lot for a contending team that plays in a hitters’ park.

Begin Slideshow

As the July 31 MLB trade deadline inches closer, the St. Louis Cardinals will have a few decisions to make to improve the best team in baseball at the time of writing.

Last season, the Cardinals scored their 2013 closer, Edward Mujica, at the trade deadline. He has paid dividends ever since. During the 2011 season, the Cardinals also made a few trades that bolstered the bullpen, which helped the Cardinals win the World Series.

So what will the move(s) at this deadline look like for the Cardinals?

Well, they have already started making moves with the trade of Mitchell Boggs to the Colorado Rockies on July 9.

#cardinals trade Mitchell Boggs to Colorado for additional international bonus money. Adds to purse available for international amateurs.

— Derrick Goold (@dgoold) July 9, 2013

While the Cardinals don’t have any glaring holes to fill at the moment, I would expect they would make a few deals at or before the July 31 deadline.

What the Cardinals Will Do

Now that the Cardinals have shed themselves of Boggs’ inconsistency and poor performance, expect them to follow suit with lefty Marc Rzepczynski. Rzepczynski has pitched very poorly the last two seasons for the Cardinals and hasn’t been able to get anyone out when called upon. 

In 2013, Rzepczynski posted a 7.88 ERA at the big league level. During his time in Memphis, Rzepczynski has put up a 3.03 ERA, but it’s Triple-A baseball; he should be better than that.

Perhaps a change of scenery would do Rzepczynski well, and he could fill a lefty specialist for another team.  

The Cardinals have moved on with the emergence of lefty Kevin Siegrist. Siegrist has yet to allow a run in his 11 innings of work and has struck out 15 batters as well. Additionally, Siegrist has stifled hitters, holding opponents to an .057 batting average. 

What the Cardinals Should Do

With the release of utility man Ty Wigginton, the Cardinals need to find a more productive utility man for the stretch run. Wigginton was just this side of completely awful during his time with the Cards.

#cardinals release Wigginton, bring up Rob Johnson to offer backup for Molina (knee). #stlcards

— Derrick Goold (@dgoold) July 9, 2013

St. Louis Post Dispatch columnist Bernie Miklasz summed up the Wigginton signing best in his daily video blog.

In essence, Wigginton probably needed a few more at-bats to get on track, but I am of the opinion that those at-bats wouldn’t have yielded anything more than what we’ve seen so far.

So it’s up to Cardinals GM John Mozeliak to find that bench guy who can pinch hit, play multiple positions and provide a spark off the bench in whatever capacity he is called upon to do so.

I think Mozeliak is one of the smartest GMs in baseball, so I have complete faith he’ll find someone to fill the role Wigginton was signed to fill. Plus, if history is any indicator, Mo will find someone who will help play a role in pushing the Cardinals into the postseason.

Summary

No team is exempt from holes in the roster, but if anyone can make the case, it is the Cardinals. They simply don’t have any gaping holes to fill, and with such a strong farm system, they can fix from within when needed.

While I do expect them to make a deal for another utility man and dump Rzepczynski for some minor leaguers, I don’t expect any major trades to come down.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

As of June 27, the Seattle Mariners are 12 games out of first place. In this case, 12 is not a particularly good number. One could argue that 12 is a number that is too high to realistically overcome, even with months to go in the season.

Is the 2013 season on the brink of disaster? Will fans already be forced to start looking forward to 2014?

Numbers are a funny part of sports, particularly since they can change so quickly. If the Mariners were to go on a nice winning streak of six to eight games and the Oakland A’s and Texas Rangers were to struggle, the landscape could look very different. Realistically, that is not necessarily going to happen. For Seattle to contend, they would likely need to chip away at the lead over a period of months and maintain a pattern of sustained winning.

It may be fair to suggest that confidence in such a scenario is weakening by the day.

As the Mariners approach the trade deadline along with the rest of the league, there will be the inevitable question of whether this team is a “buyer” or a “seller.” Interestingly, ESPN currently has the Mariners listed as “Buyer or Seller.”

Exactly. The Mariners are on the brink of…disaster? A dramatic turnaround? Your guess is as good as mine.

Fans that were hoping to see some of the hot young prospects make it to the show have not been disappointed. Nick Franklin has arrived, as has Mike Zunino. Franklin, in particular, looks like he belongs. The latest promotion is Brad Miller, who has been hitting very well (.356) in Tacoma. Management obviously hopes that Miller’s hot bat can infuse some life into this lineup.

Keep the prospects coming. Will we have a Taijuan Walker sighting soon?

Speaking of lineup changes, did anyone predict this lineup (provided by Greg Johns of MLB.com) in spring training or at the beginning of the season?

There are fans that obviously want to stay optimistic. The season is not lost just yet, and this team still has a lot of potential. Truthfully, there is a very nice mix of veterans and youngsters in this lineup. They just need something. A spark. Some momentum.

A belief that this team can win?

If the Mariners do fall further behind, the trade talk is really going to heat up, particularly as it pertains to players like Kendrys Morales, Raul Ibanez, Michael Morse, Jason Bay and Hisashi Iwakuma. As much as media outlets will find it logical for the Mariners to continue being the farm system for big market teams, there really isn’t a great incentive to make certain deals.

Unless the Mariners get an overwhelming offer for someone like Morales, it makes more sense to keep him, utilize his bat, make a qualifying offer at the end of the season and get a draft pick when he signs a lucrative deal somewhere else. Of course, could it possibly be that this team could actually come back and make a run at the division?

The future is really starting to arrive in Seattle. Let’s see what they can do. If the Mariners don’t heat up soon, this season could be completely lost and success might need to wait.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Just like many fans and analysts anticipated, the 2013 Chicago Cubs are struggling to stay relevant. If they have indeed decided to start shopping veteran players, as ESPN Insider Buster Olney reports, we must wonder which potential contenders will pursue their expendable talent.

The Cubs entered June 21 at 29-42, tied with the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central cellar, 17 games out of first place. Surprisingly effective free-agent pickups, including Scott Feldman, Kevin Gregg and Nate Schierholtz, are the primary reasons why the team isn’t even further back.

On the other hand, expensive hold-overs from the 2012 roster have been disappointing. When peddling Matt Garza and Alfonso Soriano, president Theo Epstein will almost certainly need take responsibility for some of their remaining salaries.

Because the Cubs are amid the rebuilding process, their chief priority will be acquiring prospects with the potential to lead them to excellence later this decade.

Therefore, the most likely suitors for these five individuals include franchises with strong farm systems, but also those desperate to win immediately.

Begin Slideshow

Since the Barry Bonds era came to a close, the San Francisco Giants have been winning games because of top-notch starting pitching.

However, this season, it’s been different. San Francisco’s rotation has been horrendous, and the bullpen is falling apart. Surprisingly, the Giants are 35-31 and right in the thick of things in the NL West, but if they don’t make improvements soon, they’ll fall behind.

Who could help the Giants stay in the playoff picture? Here are three players the Giants should target at the 2013 MLB trade deadline.

Begin Slideshow