2010 MLB Trade Deadline

Billy Bob Thornton. Bob Knight. Nelly. Bill Clinton.

Recently another big name has been added to the above list. Apparently, Roy Oswalt is a Cardinals fan.

The Astros' ace has stated on numerous occasions that he'd favor a trade to the St. Louis Cardinals, and because Oswalt has a full no-trade clause, he holds all the cards.

So now it's up to St. Louis to make a move. With a farm system that has been depleted by several trades over the past few years, the Cardinals cannot afford to make a mistake here.

As the trade deadline approaches, Minnesota Twins fans are hoping the team adds another arm to the rotation to help push the Twins to an AL Central division title and beyond.

It was about this time last year when the Twins added Carl Pavano to the rotation.

Nothing really happened between the Yankees and the Diamondbacks regrading RHP Dan Haren today. That hasn’t stopped the usual suspects from passing along information they’ve heard throughout the day.

Early morning reports

Buster Olney of ESPN tweeted :

Baseball analyst Ken Rosenthal reported that the world champion New York Yankees are the front runners to acquire pitcher Dan Haren.

Haren of the Arizona Diamondbacks has been a consistent pitcher since 2005.

Last season, he had an ERA of 3.14 and picked up 14 wins. Note the fact that the D-Backs had a losing season.

The Yankees have been looking for an above-average starter to fill in Andy Pettitte, who is injured, and to have an always-stockpiled starting rotation.

After a couple of days filled with reports and rumors of possible trades surrounding Astros ace pitcher Roy Oswalt, things seem to be at a standstill, at least from the St. Louis Cardinals’ perspective.

The Detroit Tigers are looking to acquire Boston backup third baseman Mike Lowell to temporarily replace the injured Brandon Inge, according to Danny Knobler of CBS Sports.

Inge had been hitting .263 with a .755 OPS and was wielding a decent glove before landing on the disabled list for six weeks with a broken hand.

While Lowell is still owed a little less than $5 million this year and has spent most of the season languishing on the DL, he represents one of the most affordable short-term fixes at the hot corner currently on the market.

It is quite obvious the Philadelphia Phillies are in a slump. A team riddled by injuries and inconsistency without an ignition towards change.

Despite getting an extra innings 2-0 win in St. Louis yesterday, where Cole Hamels shined, the team still showed the overwhelming stress that comes from being back-to-back National League Champions.

The Phillies have been plagued by non-existent bats that have turned consistent players like Jayson Werth searching for a way to right the ship.

Even as former Red Sox pitcher Craig Breslow was fanning his third batter in two innings of work against his former team this week, the Boston front office was kicking the tires on bringing the Oakland Athletics reliever back to Beantown.

Breslow last pitched for the Red Sox during the injury-plagued 2006 campaign.

That year, Breslow posted a 3.75 ERA over 12 innings of work. But two years later, he was claimed off waivers by the Cleveland Indians.

With baseball’s trade deadline just 10 days away, rumors are running rampant around the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Mired in last place for much of the season, the Diamondbacks are seen as sellers hoping to add prospects and players that will return them back to contention in 2011.

Amid the center of the rumors is staff ace Dan Haren who took the mound for the D-Backs last night in their final game against the New York Mets.

The way the pitching rotation is playing out, Haren will have two more starts before the trade deadline.

Rumors flying around the New York Mets say they might trade Jeff Francoeur before the trade deadline next week.

Is that possible? Yes.

Is it likely? Knowing the Mets, probably not.

Francoeur lost the starting right fielder job to Angel Pagan when Carlos Beltran returned and now is the fourth outfielder.

Francoeur has been a starter since he was single digits in age. He obviously can’t be happy being on the bench now.