Trade Deadline.

With the trade deadline coming to a close this Saturday there are players still on the market but two very big names are on that list, Roy Oswalt from the Houston Astros and Adam Dunn from the Washington Nationals. After seeing Mariners ace Cliff Lee go to the Rangers and Diamondbacks ace Dan Haren sent to the Angels it clear to say what teams will wrap up these two superstars?

We start Roy Oswalt who this year hasn't had one of his best years with an ERA of 3.42, 6 wins, 12 losses, and 120 strikeouts but is still one the best in the game and with a better ball club he could help a few teams to get to the postseason. The two teams that are looking at Oswalt are the St. Louis Cardinals and the Philadelphia Phillies. Now reports came in saying that the Cardinals look to be the front runners to get Oswalt and other say the Phillies are the main team to score Oswalt, also another rumor said that Oswalt doesn't want to come to Philly and others say a deal with get done by the end of the week. If either is going to get Oswalt they will have to be willing to give up top prospects or a good player in the organization. In the Phillies case rumors said that Jayson Werth could be one of those players sent packing and another rumor has it that they could keep Werth but would have to give up J.A. Happ. The Phillies could definitely use another good pitcher in their rotation after losing Jamie Moyer. But are the Phillies willing to give one of their good key players for a guy they might not be able to hold on too? As for the Cardinals they have a few players they could give up to get Oswalt but there just like the Phillies are they willing to give up players to get Oswalt? That's the biggest question of all. Then again no team could score Oswalt and he could just finish out the year as an Astros as Roy Halladay did a year ago, but you have to say to yourself if we add him he could be a big help for the Cardinals as their neck and neck with the Reds and Phillies, well their only 3 and half game back of to Braves.


Now about Adam Dunn who has been a big help for the Nats line-up this year hitting .278, 23 home runs, and driving in 63 RBI's but is on the list of the trade market. The teams looking to score him are the Texas Rangers, the Detroit Tigers, and the New York Mets. Now the Rangers could use him and really don’t need him at the same time with already having one the most powerful line-up in baseball but getting Dunn could also help them in the postseason and could be a very good DH or first baseman and would be heading to winning team. But after the Rangers just scoring Cliff Lee I’m not sure they want to give up any more young prospects to the Nationals. Then there's the Tigers who have three big injures in losing Carlos Guillen, Brandon Inge, and Magglio Ordonez. With the Tigers in the hunt to try to win the American Central division by bringing in another good power hitter could help them. Only problem is they already have a great first baseman in Miguel Cabrera but they could use Dunn in the DH role and move Johnny Damon who is doing okay for the Tigers. But the question comes in who will they have to give up for Dunn. The Tigers might be the best team to score Dunn. Now the Mets on the other hand they have had their share problems with injures being 6 and half game behind the Braves. Also we don't know if the Mets have the money to hold on to Dunn and give up prospects for him but they might be willing to give up Ike Davis or Jeff Francoeur for Dunn but then again do the Mets really want to give up a young upcoming first baseman for a power hitter they might not be able to hold on too? Then trading a power hitter for a power hitter in Francoeur wouldn't make much sense either. My guess is as good as yours.


So if any of these teams want to make a deal with either one of these players they better make it fast because July 31st is just around the corner.


I'm Seth Lempert for Beyond Baseball.