Preview/Prediction

The MLB trade deadline wasn't uneventful, but it lacked its signature dramatic flair. A handful of teams made moves to benefit their playoff picture, but not all of these will pan out in the end.

Factors have to be considered when picking up a new player. A change of scenery can have a negative, as well as a positive, impact. A new ballpark can impact their productivity, and their new teammates may not lend the same comfort as their previous home did.

It’s that special time of the summer when big-time names are bandied about the baseball world. Here is our attempt to prognosticate which players will be on the move shortly.

Basement dwellers and contenders lead to a myriad of buyers and sellers. The big picture is getting clearer by the second.

We can finally put some names and faces to the biggest trades on the horizon. Of course, we could be wrong.

While this is highly unlikely, let us know who you have as the players most likely to be traded by the deadline.

St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright will take the mound tonight in anticipation of his sixth win of 2012.

Wainwright, who is still getting back to form following Tommy John surgery in 2011, has seen more success in his last four outings than all season.

His sinker sinks again. His curve moves again. That wasn't the case earlier in the season.

If you haven't noticed lately, Andy Pettitte is becoming a strikeout pitcher for the New York Yankees. That's strange because on the cusp of turning 40, it's the first time in the Yankee legend's career he's been known for such a distinction.

Many of the prospects in the upcoming 2012 First-Year Player Draft (June 4-6) will be selected to fill specific needs for their MLB teams.

With that said, I present this list of ideal targets for all 30 clubs.

Drafting according to need isn't the most popular method (top talents frequently get chosen first regardless of fit), but it's an avenue worth exploring.

The Major League Baseball draft is set to begin Monday, and there's still a lot for teams to figure out between now and then.

For starters, this year has no clear-cut, No. 1 overall pick, making it a crap shoot as to who will be selected with the top five picks.

But, just like everyone else, I've come up with pick-by-pick projections for every team in the draft for the first round.

While in some instances it will be similar to other people's mock drafts, there will also be a degree of difference with mine.

So, here's a look at my projections for the first round.

With the 2012 MLB draft fast approaching, now is a good time to take a look at some of the talented prospects available this year. While the draft may not be as strong as the 2011 draft, there is certainly talent to be had with the 21st pick. 

This article previews four players that may be around when it is time for the Atlanta Braves to make their pick. These players may or may not be selected by the front office, but they are guys that I feel would be a good fit for the organization.

The Philadelphia Phillies (26-25) are no longer contenders in the NL East after learning that Roy Halladay will miss 6-8 weeks with a strained right latissimus dorsi.

That's gone by fast.

It seems as though just yesterday was the start of the 2012 MLB Season. Yet we find ourselves in the middle of May at the quarter-mark of the 162-game season wondering, "Where did all that time go?"

That's baseball for you, folks. The next quarter will fly by as quickly as the last, and soon enough, it will be September, in the heat of playoff races. And playoff time means time for awards. 

As I mentioned in my first mock draft, the second installment would offer an expanded view of the first round, including the full supplemental round.