Los Angeles Dodgers

The Los Angeles Dodgers are quickly letting the 2010 season slip away. They have few options for trade bait and haven't been seriously included in many trade talks.

Perhaps the biggest name on the roster, left fielder Manny Ramirez, is currently sitting out with his third stint on the disabled list this season, diminishing his trade value even more.

It is clear Ramirez is showing his age.

The MLB trade deadline is just two weeks away and talks are beginning to heat up around the league.

This year's deadline is sure to be filled with sellers as a lot of teams are looking to free up cap room in an ever-struggling economy. Despite a meager bank account and not many prospects for improvement, the Dodgers view themselves as buyers.

The lack of a solid starting rotation has prompted the Dodgers to reach out to several teams regarding pitching, but the Dodgers seem unwilling to part with core talent.

In a few surprising roster shuffles surrounding the MLB All-Star break, the Los Angeles Dodgers made several efforts to upgrade their pitching—at least until they seal a deal before the trade deadline.

In an unexpected move on Sunday, the Dodgers optioned RHP John Ely to Triple-A Albuquerque and replaced him on the roster with reliever Jon Link.

Ely is 4-7 with a 4.63 ERA in 14 starts overall this season; however, he has failed to pitch three complete innings in his last two outings.

With the MLB trade deadline just over two weeks away, Dodgers' general manager Ned Colletti is scrambling to make the best possible roster moves in an effort to mold together a playoff contending squad for 2010.

It's been speculated that financial resources are limited, and outside of several underperforming relievers and a few substandard bench players, Los Angeles really doesn't want to sacrifice talent at the Major League level in order to obtain that missing piece of the puzzle that puts them over the top.

However, the Dodgers' farm system remains one of the most productive in baseball,

Whether it was Rafael Furcal's sizzling bat, Jonathon Broxton's overpowering pitching, or Andre Ethier's clutch hitting, the boys in blue performed exceptionally throughout the first half of their season.

However, numerous injuries and continual struggles within the pitching staff have obstructed their consistency.

It's difficult to determine whether the buzz generated about their chances to contend in the NL are too hasty or totally warranted.

A multitude of factors will contribute to the Dodgers' goals ultimately coming to fruition.

Just one day after Los Angeles Dodgers' shortstop Rafael Furcal was named as a replacement on the National League All-Star team, lefty reliever Hong-Chih Kuo was informed of his addition to the squad on Sunday.

Kuo and Furcal will join fellow teammates Jonathan Broxton and Andre Ethier in the Midsummer Classic in Anaheim, which takes place on Tuesday.

Kuo, who was added as a late replacement for Atlanta Braves outfielder Jason Heyward, makes his first appearance as an All-Star after four arm surgeries nearly took him out of baseball completely.

With Andre Ethier and Jonathan Broxton already named to the 2010 All-Star game, and Rafael Furcal recently added to replace Jose Reyes, there is one Dodger who would fit the role just as well, if not better.

Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman James Loney is having an above-average season while quietly floating under the All-Star radar.

In the initial installment of the report card, all of the pitchers who have appeared for the Los Angeles Dodgers were evaluated and graded, and in this second portion of the evaluations, the performances of all the position players who have been utilized in the first half of the season will be examined.

All of the teams in Major League Baseball with excellent pitching staffs still need to put eight quality position players behind every pitcher in order to succeed.

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With the official halfway point of the season having already passed on July 4, the Los Angeles Dodgers find themselves amidst another tight race in the always competitive NL West division.

At the 81-game mark, the Dodgers were sitting in second place, trailing the surprising San Diego Padres by 3.5 games; however, the journey thus far hasn't been easy.

The entire Los Angeles squad has been plagued by injuries during the first half of the season, and the pitching staff has been hit especially hard.

The Dodgers marched a total of 19 different pitchers to the mound before the halfway mark&mdas

The fireworks were going off on the July 4. These guys were putting on a show the week leading up to our nation’s birthday. The summer nights were lit with their bats and the fire burned many pitchers on the hill.