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With less than 36 hours until the end of the MLB trade deadline, teams are making huge strides to land some of the best players in baseball. Teams like the Yankees, Rays, White Sox, Angels, Nationals, and Giants are looking to add talent to help them immediately for their playoff races or to help build in the future.

There has been a lot of trade talk going on lately and some big name players have already been traded in the past month like Cliff Lee to the Rangers, Roy Oswalt to the Phillies, and Alex Gonzalez to the Braves.

During this year’s MLB trade deadline I expect to see a lot of well-known players to be traded to help out some of the better teams in the MLB. Looking at the list I have made you can see that playoff teams are the main teams interested and teams not making the playoffs are usually the sellers during this years trade deadline.

Overall, I feel as if this years trade deadline will deal the most star power that we have seen in recent years and many former/current all-stars will be on the block and be likely to be traded. Now, this is the list of the top 5 players that are most likely to be traded by the trade deadline and the teams that are going to land those players.

Ty Wiggington, IF, Baltimore Orioles

Stats: .250 AVG/16 HR/51 RBI/.767 OPS

Current Team: Baltimore Orioles

Projected Team: San Fransisco Giants

A well-known 5-tool player, Ty Wigginton, is one of the most under-the-radar players in this trade deadline. The Orioles really would like to move Wigginton to gain some young prospects in return, but with teams trying to go after power hitters like Adam Dunn, Lance Berkman, and Jose Bautista during this trade deadline, it will be tough for the Orioles to find a team that will fit his needs and make a move for him.

One team I believe will make a move for Wigginton is the San Fransisco Giants. I feel as if the Giants will strike out when it comes to landing the power hitters and will be forced to pick up a balanced hitter and a good fielder in Wigginton. If Wigginton can hit like he was earlier in the season than I think he can help the Giants push the Padres out of first place in the NL West.

Ted Lilly, SP, Chicago Cubs

Stats: 3-8/3.69 ERA/89 K/1.14 WHIP

Current Team: Chicago Cubs

Projected Team: Los Angeles Dodgers

Lilly is one of the best pitchers still left on the market. He will be an valuable asset for teams looking for another solid pitcher in the rotation. Even though his record is not so good, his ERA is pretty good and his WHIP is very good as well. It doesn’t help that he plays on one of the worst scoring teams in baseball.

With the Cubs struggling this year and looking like they will end up in the middle of their division again, I could see them looking to rebuild and get ready to land players that will help next year. One team that will try to make a big push to land Lilly is the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Dodgers are a team looking for another starting pitcher in their rotation and with valuable prospects in the minors I could see a deal in which they trade those prospects to the Cubs.

The Dodgers feel as if they are still in the NL West race and with an improved rotation by the addition of Lilly, I could see them making a run for the Wild Card and the Division lead.

Edwin Jackson, SP, Arizona Diamondbacks

Stats: 6-10/5.16 ERA/104 K/1.50 WHIP

Current Team: Chicago White Sox

Projected Team: Houston Astros

Now I know what you’re thinking. Why would the White Sox keep Edwin Jackson for just one day if they desperately need another pitcher. Well, let’s first explore the pros of Edwin Jackson. Jackson is a pitcher that can get your team the much needed strikeouts and can have good games (like his no-hitter thrown earlier in the year). He would be an improvement for the White Sox instead of Daniel Hudson.

Although Jackson has the right tools to be a great starting pitcher in the AL Central, I feel as if the White Sox won’t want to keep the guy with such a bad ERA. I think what the White Sox will try to do is ship Edwin Jackson to a team looking to replace a good pitcher, the Houston Astros, and try to pick up another good pitcher in Brett Myers from the Astros. I know that if Myers lands in Chicago, he will be a bigger improvement than Jackson and Hudson.

Adam Dunn, 1B, Washington Nationals

Stats: .277 AVG/24 HR/64 RBI/.927 OPS

Current Team: Washington Nationals

Projected Team: Tampa Bay Rays

The biggest name out of free agency will be the most looked at player in the next 20 hours. Adam Dunn, the NL home run leader, has been attracting teams attention since the start of July and has been teams No. 1 priority. Teams like the New York Yankees, Tampa Bay Rays, San Fransisco Giants, and Chicago White Sox have been deep into discussions for Dunn. Dunn, who is well known for the power he possesses has shown to be the best player on a terrible Nationals team.

The Nats will be looking to move Dunn and his contract in order to gain some of the best prospects to their already amazing farm system. One team in particular who is desperate for a bat like Dunn is the Tampa Bay Rays. With the Rays in a big head to head division leading match-up with the Yankees will be looking for power that can help them immediately and in the playoffs. With not too many power hitters on their team, the Rays will look for a big time player to get them closer to pushing the Yankees for first in the AL East.

Lance Berkman, 1B, Houston Astros

Stats: .245 AVG/13 HR/49 RBI/.808 OPS

Current Team: Houston Astros

Projected Team: New York Yankees

Lastly, one of the most experienced players on this list, Lance Berkman will finally have a new home by the end of the trade deadline. Berkman, who has been hitting poorly in the beginning of the season, started picking up and has been one of the hottest hitters in baseball during this past month. He has shown that he has some good power left and that he can hit the ball fairly well if needed.

Although the White Sox were also high on Berkman as well, I feel as if the Yankees will pull out a great deal to pick up Berkman from Houston. The Yankees, who I feel will face pressure from the Rays to pick up somebody, will look to add a bat like Berkman. I know that with Jorge Posada struggling with his health, the Yankees will look to add Berkman to secure the DH spot for them. Overall, I know that if the Yankees land a bat like Berkman, they will be arguably the strongest team in baseball.

This trade deadline will put a lot of familiar faces in some new places and with such close races going down I know that teams will be desperate to add good and solid players as soon as possible. I feel as if this trade deadline will help shape up and in the long run will decide some of the division winners and playoff teams this season.

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In less than two weeks, the 81st MLB All Star game will be played. In recent years the voting has been a little one sided to a few teams players starting and only a few divisions being represented by starting rosters. This years voting so far, has been pretty much the same, especially in the American League where the Red Sox, Yankees, and Twins players dominate.

The Sports Dish will be attempting to make a great AL roster that places the most deserving and best players at their certain position, so far this year. Now without any interruptions here is how the AL Roster should look like according to The Sports Dish.

Catcher- Joe Mauer

Mauer is lock to make the All-Star game because of his, yet again, spectacular season. Although his home-run hitting is down this season, he still leads all Catchers in batting average and finishes top five in every major statistic besides home runs. Mauer is not only on the team for his offense but is a very good defensive catcher. Very few balls get passes Joe Mauer during games.

First Base- Miguel Cabrera

The choice for the First Base representative of the AL, was tough because there was about three or four different players that could have started at First Base in the American League. But ultimately, it came down to Justin Morneau and Miguel Cabrera, with Cabrera winning out because his power numbers were a little higher. In terms of batting averages and OPS, Morneau destroys Cabrera, but ultimately I looked at how Cabrera has four more home runs and 12 more RBI’s than Morneau in about the same number of bats.

Second Base- Robinson Cano

Another obvious choice, who wouldn’t want Robinson Cano to start on their All-Star roster with his amazing year that he is currently having. Cano, is leading all American League Second Basemen in every major statistical category out there. He has been hitting great over this season and is a major part of the Yankees being in first base this year. In addition to his success hitting, Cano is playing very well defensively and he is making great grabs all the time.

Shortstop- Alex Gonzalez

People are probably thinking that whoever is writing this article is crazy for placing Alex Gonzalez over Derek Jeter in the starting roster. Maybe it’s because I don’t want to see the same player keep playing in the All-Star game for so many years straight. Also, it is because Alex Gonzalez has been playing outstanding during this season as well. He leads all American League Shortstops in Home Runs and RBI’s so far this season. Although he does have 11 errors, he has been shown to make tough plays.

Third Base- Adrian Beltre

Another easy choice for the Third Base spot on the All-Star team. Adrian Beltre is arguably the best Third Baseman in the Major Leagues at this point. Beltre is also the American League leader in Batting Average for all Third Basemen and is top three in most every statistical category for Third Basemen currently. Adrian Beltre is not only doing well offensively, but on the defensive end he is making great plays (although two have resulted in injuries to his left fielders) most every game.

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Mothers Day was truly happy for A’s SP Dallas Braden.  In his seventh start of the season Braden threw an impressive Perfect Game. What makes his Perfect Game even more spectacular was that he threw it against one of the best hitting teams in the MLB, the Tampa Bay Rays.

In the game against the Rays, Braden completely shut them down. He retired all 27 batters very quickly and rarely had any threats to stopping his perfect game. The only out that was close to a hit was Jason Bartlett’s liner that started the game off for the Rays. Braden than completely closed the door on the game and finished off with six strikeouts and 77 strikes, throughout the game. To end the game, Rays OF Gabe Kapler grounded out to SS Cliff Pennington.

For Braden, this game meant more to him than the Perfect Game he is now known for. Braden was more joyous for the fact that he threw the Perfect Game on Mothers Day. Braden threw this game in honor of his late mother, Jodie Atwood, who died of Cancer when Braden was a high school senior. Jodie Atwood was also the person who Braden pointed up to the sky for, after the game.  

This was also a great family moment for Braden because his grandmother was on-hand to celebrate and watch her grandson throw perfection. His grandmother, Peggy Lindsey, was the woman who raised Braden after his mothers passing away and always has been there to help Braden throughout his life. She was also the first person who Braden looked for after celebrating the historic feat with his teammates.

Before he threw the Perfect Game, Braden was not too well known among baseball fans, but was known for the incident between himself and Alex Rodriguez. On April 22nd, Braden and Rodriguez got into a heated argument when Rodriguez cut across the mound, to get back to first base after making it to third base on the play before. Braden and Rodriguez then went at each other by screaming and Braden eventually got his temper back together and finished off the game with a 4-2 win.

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