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With a 39-33 record, numerous injuries and a lineup crowded by hitters performing below expectations, it is scary to imagine where the New York Yankees would be without rookies Masahiro Tanaka, Yangervis Solarte, Dellin Betances and Chase Whitley.

We are closing in on the midway point of the 2014 MLB season, and the entire postseason picture still appears to be wide open in both leagues, as no team has really separated itself from the pack at this point.

The Oakland Athletics look like the best team in the American League by a decent margin, while a recent slide by the San Francisco Giants has left the National League without a clear top dog, though the Milwaukee Brewers have been consistent atop the NL Central all season.

Time flies when you're enjoying a competitive, well-played baseball season. As you peruse the standings, cast last-minute All-Star Game ballots and take in vital series, the 2014 campaign has officially reached the 12-week mark.

With 25 of 30 clubs within six games of postseason position, the next 15 weeks of regular-season action are shaping up to be a wire-to-wire race for coveted seats in October. With the big picture in mind, it's instructive to react and opine on a weekly basis. If that's what you're looking for, this column is perfect for you.

In Boston, David Ortiz's legacy is complete. Regardless of how the rest of his career plays out, one of the most beloved Red Sox of all time will always be remembered fondly at Fenway Park. That will remain true even if decline has set in for a possible future Cooperstown-bound star.

The New York Yankees went to the bottom of the ninth inning of Friday's game against the Baltimore Orioles trailing 3-1. They needed a welcome sight.

What they got instead was a very welcome sight, courtesy of Carlos Beltran.

Yasiel Puig's troublesome hip flared up again, this time on Friday night against the San Diego Padres. MLB.com's Ken Gurnick reported that after a flyout in the top of the eighth inning, the Los Angeles Dodgers star was visibly limping:

Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times reported that Puig suffered a mild muscle strain in his left hip:

Slowly but surely, MLB trade rumors are swirling faster by the day.

The deadline is now just over a month away. The rumors mill began quiet, but noise will continue to pick up as teams' desperation rises for one last piece of their championship-push puzzles.

Here's the latest trade buzz from around the league.

LHP David Price, Tampa Bay Rays

Lack of Bench Depth

The Indians' lack of bench depth is becoming a rather big problem for the club. Though they're not faced with the same types of pinch-hitting decisions that National League teams face, the level of production the Tribe have received from their bench has been deplorable.

No longer will Joe Torre sit idly by as his official scorers are publicly ridiculed and questioned. Major League Baseball's executive vice president of baseball operations took David Ortiz to task for comments he made regarding a ruling during Wednesday's game between the Boston Red Sox and Minnesota Twins.

MLB Public Relations tweeted out Torre's statement:

Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe indicates Ortiz had no comment on the situation:

Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt is a .542 career hitter vs. San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Tim Lincecum, which is important to consider when making your MLB picks Friday, as the two teams face off at Chase Field.