July 31 is rapidly approaching. Buy or Sell lets each team know where they stand on the trade market with the deadline right around the corner.

This is the year that the Jays really thought they were going to take that step into the stratosphere of the Yankees and the Red Sox. Of course, you could probably say that about the Blue Jays every year for the last ten. But with the acquisitions of the likes of Scott Rolen and David Eckstein, this was really going to be the year.

Instead, not only were they passed by the Rays, but they've been passed by the Baltimore Orioles. And these are two franchises that haven't been known for great baseball decisions over the past ten years.

July 31 is rapidly approaching. Buy or Sell lets each team know where they stand on the trade market with the deadline right around the corner.

Before you ask, using this picture of Erin Andrews interviewing Evan Longoria was in no way, shape, or form, an attempt to gather some cheap page hits. Rather, it's used to illustrate just how far the Tampa Bay Rays have come. How many ESPN sideline reporters have you seen at Tropicana Field in the ten years prior to this season? Not many.

Erin Andrews at the Trop is just one by-product of a season that finds Tampa at the top of the A.L. East standings on July 22nd. It also means that the Rays are solid candidates to be buyers and not sellers for the first time in their short history. But who's on the grocery list?

July 31 is rapidly approaching. Buy or Sell lets each team know where they stand on the trade market with the deadline right around the corner.

Here's where Chase Utley stands on the trade market:

"You want to know what the possibilities are out there," Utley said Tuesday before playing in his third All-Star Game. "I know our organization wants to win, and if they can find a piece that will fit into our puzzle to give us a better chance, they'll do that."

Sounds like "Buy" to me. Case closed (It's like Utley wrote the blog entry for me). But I suppose you'd like some more details. All right. It's obvious that the Phillies could use a front-line starter. And with CC Sabathia and Rich Harden already gone, they seem to be getting creative ... as a name you wouldn't expect is starting to surface.

July 31 is rapidly approaching. Buy or Sell lets each team know where they stand on the trade market with the deadline right around the corner.

America is no doubt waiting for the next great Marlin sell-off to begin. The team hits the All-Star break right in the thick of the NL East race, but still hasn't pulled in the kind of attendance numbers that would convince the Fish to add some big pieces to the puzzle.

Not that they really need big pieces, mind you. Most of the positions on the depth chart are pretty much set for the team with the most home runs in baseball. So don't expect them to go after a big bat like Adam Dunn or Jason Bay (notice I said "most" ... more on that later). And with the rotation receiving a jolt from Ricky Nolasco (10-4, 3.70 ERA), starting pitching is less of a problem than expected (although wouldn't it be a hoot if the Marlins got A.J. Burnett back after he openly longed for a city where baseball is the big dog?)

July 31 is rapidly approaching. Buy or Sell lets each team know where they stand on the trade market with the deadline right around the corner.

There was a time not too long ago where the Mets and their fans had a small notion towards selling ... that the team was stuck in mediocrity for too long to have a realistic chance of contending in the N.L. East.

One nine game win streak later, that small notion is out the window.

The truth of the matter is that it would be tough for the Mets to buy or sell. Tough to sell because the Mets are an older roster full of players that are either untouchable (in the case of David Wright, Jose Reyes, or Johan Santana among others) or old/damaged or expensive goods (like Carlos Delgado). And it will be hard for them to buy because most of the good minor league talent went to Minnesota for Santana.