Buyers and Sellers: AL Central

With no teams sporting more than 14 wins, the AL Central is somewhat of an enigma. Only thee games separate the top of the division (Chicago) from the bottom (Kansas City), and I would not be surprised if Royals end up winning more games than the White Sox at the end of the season. So which of these teams will be dealing out prospects for post-season presses?

Chicago (14-12): With the Tigers and Indians knocking at the back door and a below-.500 record in the last ten, I'm writing the White Sox off. The pitching isn't good enough to win the games when the offense doesn't put up a ton of runs, and comparatively, the Tigers and Indians are on equal footing. If the team does decide to build for the future, the big guys are probably staying, despite early speculation that Paul Konerko might be traded. With Josh Fields in the minors, Crede might be traded after his hot start boosted his value. Orlando Cabrera's extension talks will wait till after the season, which means they won't happen, so the Sox should likely deal him if they aren't in competition. 

Cleveland (14-15): I started the season doubting the Tigers, and I still think the division is the Indian's to lose. The pitching has been solid, but the bullpen could really use some help with the injury to Borowski and the struggles of Betancourt in the ninth. Kevin Gregg is a possibility, though they will probably work with one of the four potential closers they have now. Also, the Indians could use a corner outfield to complement Gutierrez. I've always felt Jason Bay was a good fit, and the Indians have several pitching prospects that the Pirates have expressed a need for.

Detroit (14-15): The Tigers have built a no-hole offense, and their pitching would only benefit from the caliber starter that teams won't be trading at the deadline, so the only thing I see happening here is the acquisition of a closer better than Todd Jones. However, the farm system is pretty depressed after the Florida deal, and the prize would be Huston Street, who I can't see them affording.

Minnesota (13-14): Without Santana or a healthy Liriano, a post-season berth is very unlikely. The Twins have most of the pieces they want, so I can't see any really significant deals unless a team is going to overpay for middle relief.

Kansas City (12-16): With a young pitching core and a developing offense, Kansas City fans have something to look forward to in the coming years. However, I think they will wait until the offseason to push for any big names. They don't have the veterans that are usually dealt around the deadline, but I could see DeJesus helping out a contender while netting prospects because of the depth KC has in the outfield.