Fan News

Major League Baseball players have to find a way to keep busy during rain delays. While some choose to slide around on the tarp, others just sit back and relax. 

The Philadelphia Phillies bullpen has come up with a great way to have fun together: bocce.

With a mere nine days remaining until the MLB trade deadline on July 31, rumors are swirling around multiple contenders and pretenders around the league.

A few surprise teams like the Tampa Bay Rays and Texas Rangers are well outside of the mix and looking to move veteran players. Then there are franchises looking to make the postseason this year hoping to add those valuable assets.

Imagine what would happen if the Colorado Rockies were to put Troy Tulowitzki up for sale. The chance to trade for the best shortstop and one of the very best players in all of Major League Baseball would turn 29 teams into a frenzied pack of teenage girls at a One Direction concert. Or something to that effect.

Only a few times over baseball's regular season are fans from all 30 teams actively engaged with the goings-on around their team.

The days leading up to the July 31 trade deadline is one of those times.

Fans of teams out of the running want expensive veterans traded for younger talent that could help bring future success, while those who cheer for teams unsure of their contending status just want to see someone make a decision.

Superstar players generally steal the headlines at the trade deadline, and this year is no different with guys like David Price, Cole Hamels, Ben Zobrist and Alex Rios receiving the bulk of the attention.

That being said, there are always at least a few under-the-radar moves made in July that wind up as notable differences for contenders.

The Detroit Tigers' addition of Jose Veras, the Atlanta Braves' addition of Elliot Johnson and the Tampa Bay Rays' addition of David DeJesus come to mind as significant deals from a year ago.

Nine days until the July 31 MLB non-waiver trade deadline.

That means that Philadelphia Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. has approximately 216 hours to decide if he wants to cash in several large trade chips. He could wait until after July 31, of course, but then he risks limiting his leverage by a considerable margin.

With the 2014 Major League Baseball trade deadline quickly approaching, the Cleveland Indians find themselves in a curious position. The team is currently three games over .500 and 4.5 games back of the division-leading Detroit Tigers.

The Detroit Tigers are once again championship contenders in 2014. At 55-41 and 6.5 games clear of their nearest division rival, they are poised to make another run at an elusive World Series title. Key to their success so far has been the breakout season of starting pitcher Rick Porcello.

With the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline rapidly approaching, the question on everyone’s mind is whether the Tampa Bay Rays will trade David Price.

Should the Rays deal the Cy Young Award-winning left-hander, they are likely to receive a bounty of young talent (mostly prospects) in return. The team that acquires Price should get a big boost heading toward the playoffs.

However, as you'll see in the case studies below, trades are not always even.

1. Now Replacing Derek Jeter…

Mark it down in permanent ink: The Face of Major League Baseball’s unofficial transition started in earnest on a gorgeous Tuesday evening in Minneapolis. And everybody could see it.

“My vote is Mike Trout,” Dodgers pitcher Zack Greinke said. “When I played with him [in 2012], he was the perfect player.”