MLB

The 2014 MLB trade deadline is just about a week away, so a lot of rumors will be swirling around. It's tough to figure out what is true and what is just smoke. It's still early, but the Cincinnati Reds have already been linked to a few players. 

Cincinnati doesn't have the payroll flexibility to make a major move unless it trades away a key player. At this point, the Reds are still in contention, so don't expect them to get rid of any important pieces.

A man that appears to be guitarist and singer-songwriter Jack White was in the house for the Chicago Cubs' showdown vs. the San Diego Padres, and he did not look happy. 

As you can imagine, the combination of a miserable-looking famous fan and the Cubs made the jokes almost too easy for some on Twitter.

Cheer up, Jack! At least the Tigers (from White's hometown of Detroit) are solid this year!

This isn't just Derek Jeter's farewell season. Bud Selig has remained adamant that he will retire from his position as MLB commissioner following the 2014 campaign. 

The Toronto Blue Jays designated reliever Sergio Santos for assignment on Monday, as reported by MLB.com’s Gregor Chisholm (via MLB.com).

For Santos, this move was just the latest development during what has been a very frustrating career in Toronto.

The New York Yankees have a bit of a problem.

So do the rest of the teams on the market, but the Yankees are perhaps the most notable thanks to the club's ability to remain relevant in the face of adversity.

As is the case with most of the teams looking to upgrade on the mound through free agency in the hopes of chasing a World Series, the Yankees don't have a ton of cost-effective options—especially with Cliff Lee's recent return to the mound being nothing short of a disaster.

With the MLB's July 31 non-waiver trade deadline quickly approaching, rumors and speculation have been running rampant regarding potential trades.

The most interesting ones involve pitchers who could potentially help the starting rotations and bullpens of contenders.

A year or two ago, Chase Headley would have fetched a king’s ransom in a trade. That was not the case on Tuesday.

The New York Yankees and San Diego Padres agreed to send the third baseman to the Bronx, according to a tweet from Jon Heyman of CBS Sports:

After taking two of three against the Baltimore Orioles to open up the second half of the season, the Oakland Athletics host a three-game set against the Houston Astros, starting Tuesday. Houston visits the American League West leaders a mere 20.5 games back—however, the Astros proudly only sport the league’s second-worst record (41-58).

The 2014 MLB trade deadline is closing in. Some teams are putting together rosters to propel them into the postseason, while others are selling talent to stock up on prospects. 

The Boston Red Sox are currently toward the bottom of the AL East. Should the Sox trade away some of their biggest names and throw in the towel for 2014 or trade a few small pieces and hope for a late run? 

That sound of button-mashing you hear from every direction is 30 Major League Baseball general managers making phone calls to see if they will be able to consummate a deal that will put their team on the path to a World Series. 

Trade deadline season is fascinating to watch because everyone behind the scenes, much like fans who have to hear the rampant speculation, are either going to be ecstatic or miserable based on what happens.