Now that the All-Star break is over, we rush toward the trade deadline and the rumors will start to fly.

You have a couple of options to help your team.

One, you can just wait until a trade comes down, and hope you are the first one on your league site to pick up the goodies.  Goodies?  Yes, for every trade that happens, there is usually a ripple effect.  For example, one of the most talked about possibilities the past month is Heath Bell being traded to a contender.  If he goes, someone has to pick up saves in San Diego.  Will it be Mike Adams or Luke Gregerson?  You can wait and see, and hope to be the lucky first one on your site,  OR…..

Make pre-emptive strikes…..if you really feel a trade is going to go down.  I picked up Mike Adams on about 3 teams a few weeks ago, sensing the Padres will trade Bell.  If they don't, oh well, I have a roster spot to play with.

The 2 biggest names being bantered about right now are Hunter Pence of the Astros, and U. Jimenez of the Rockies.  It is going to take a boatload of talent for someone to snag one of those guys, but if they do, someone has to take their place.  Now in Colorado, a replacement SP is probably not going to be worth your time.  But in Houston, the 'Stros have a kid, who if he could just get over the muscle pulls in his legs, will help someone in your league considerably with SB's.  In only about 100+ at bats, J. Bourgeois has 17 stolen bases.  If Pence is traded and Bourgeois takes his spot, you're looking at a major upgrade in the possibility of winning your SB category. 

So as always, keep reading and keeping track of what might come down.  May make a difference in your team.

I don't think they're going to deal him.  He's under contract for a decent price.  Someone is gonna have to offer a truckload of talent to pry him from the Rox.