Rankings/List

The MLB trade deadline is just eight days away, yet many teams are still undecided about being buyers or sellers.

Since five teams in both the American and National League make the playoffs, even some teams that are hovering around .500 believe they still have a shot at playing in October.

Here are a few teams on the cusp of contention who may be in line to make a big move or two before the July 31 deadline.

After a four-day layoff interrupted by an exhibition contest—the 84th edition of the All-Star Game—MLB is back on Friday with a full slate of games to kick off the second half.

There will also be less than two weeks to go before the non-waiver trade deadline, so many teams not only have an urgency to get in the best position as possible for the postseason, but they'll be thinking about upgrades as well.

The MLB trade deadline is fast approaching (July 31), and while all of the attention goes to the frontline players and the rumored blockbuster deals involving them, it is often the smaller-scale moves that make all the difference.

Look no further back than last season, when the Angels landed the prize of the deadline in Zack Greinke in a deal with the Brewers. However, the Angels wound up missing the postseason, and perhaps the best pickup across the league wound up being the Giants' acquisition of Marco Scutaro.

Brandon Barnes of the Houston Astros is known more for his work with the glove than his hitting prowess, but the 27-year-old center fielder hit for the cycle on Friday night against the Seattle Mariners.

With the July 31 trade deadline looming, less than two weeks remain for teams looking to make a non-waiver deal.

The deadline represents an integral period of time for both contending and rebuilding organizations. Contenders, like the Detroit Tigers and Texas Rangers, must decide if this year is theirs and sacrifice a bit of the future to improve the present.

In reality, it only takes one team to overvalue, and, thus, overpay for a player on the trade market. But there's always a group of players that's viewed as having a certain value based on certain numbers, reputation and trade-market depth.  

For those reasons, certain players will be overrated, and some team will be taking a risk by acquiring them, even at fair market value.  

Unless the price somehow goes way down in the next 12 days, here are five overrated players whom your team should avoid acquiring before the trade deadline.

The trade deadline is less than two weeks away and there is no doubt that several high-profile players will be changing teams before it passes. Players like Matt Garza, Cliff Lee and Chase Utley could all be dealt soon and may end up having huge impacts on playoff races.

Even the teams in first place coming out of the All-Star break know they have holes to fill, and now that there are two Wild Card spots, more teams feel they can make a run, and you can bet that the players on this list will be pursued heavily.

With the July 31 trade deadline edging closer every day, trade talks have begun to heat up as teams prepare to address their needs for the second half of the 2013 season and beyond.

In the hierarchy of professional and collegiate sports in the United States, Major League Baseball ranks fifth in terms of popularity. Football is king in America and basketball takes the silver medal. Baseball has gradually lost its appeal and consequently, part of its fan base.

The home run has been an integral part of baseball games at any level for a very long time. Whether it's little league, college, minor leagues or Major League Baseball, fans love to see a baseball leave the park.

And, specifically in the Major League level, there are certain ballparks that make the home runs even more special. Even if you are not inside the stadium for a game, there are opportunities to retrieve home run balls at certain parks. 

Here's a look at some of the best home run landing spots in Major League Baseball today.