Day In Review

Wednesday was another typically busy day in Orlando at the Winter Meetings. Let's run down the most noteworthy news and rumors since yesterday's Day in Review post….

• The Red Sox struck again, agreeing to terms with Carl Crawford on a seven-year, $142MM deal just days after acquiring Adrian Gonzalez. The news came as a surprise to many who viewed the Angels as the favorites to land Crawford, and it figures to create an interesting fallout. Early feedback on the signing has been mostly positive.
• Another ex-Ray, Carlos Pena officially signed with the Cubs.
• The Diamondbacks made a push for Paul Konerko, but the long-time White Sox first baseman ultimately agreed to re-sign with Chicago for three years and $37.5MM.
• The Yankees finally made a formal offer to Cliff Lee, proposing a six-year pact worth $140MM. Meanwhile, the Red Sox, who were attempting to drive up Lee's cost, were identified as one of the mystery teams who had made a seven-year bid on Lee, albeit at a reduced price. Here are the rest of Wednesday's Lee rumblings.
• The Rays and Twins decided to trade their starting shortstops, with Jason Bartlett heading to San Diego and J.J. Hardy on his way to Baltimore.
• There were also plenty of trade talks that didn't result in any deals – at least not yet. The Cubs pursued Matt Garza, the Rangers continued to listen on Michael Young, and the Marlins had a few discussions involving Ricky Nolasco, Leo Nunez, and Zack Greinke. Speaking of Greinke, here are the rest of Wednesday's rumors on him.
• The Royals reached agreements with a pair of former Braves, adding Jeff Francoeur and Melky Cabrera on one-year deals.
• Jack Cust will be the newest Mariner, agreeing to sign a one-year contract with Seattle. Could Miguel Olivo be next? The Mariners appear to have serious interest in the backstop.
• Although the Twins are still considered the front-runners for Carl Pavano's services, the Brewers dominated the day's Pavano rumors.
• Another intriguing free agent, Russell Martin, is fielding offers from multiple teams.
• A pair of NL East rivals agreed to sign left-handed relievers to similar deals: the Braves will pay George Sherrill $1.2MM for 2011, while Dennis Reyes' one-year contract with the Phillies guarantees him $1.25MM.
• Koji Uehara and the Orioles reached an agreement that will keep the right-hander in Baltimore for two years, if he stays healthy enough for the 2012 option to vest.
• Two National League teams added backup catchers, as Dioner Navarro agreed to terms with the Dodgers and Wil Nieves agreed to sign with Milwaukee.
• The Diamondbacks re-signed Mike Hampton and are close to adding Henry Blanco as well.
• On the heels of his best season since 2004, Miguel Cairo received a multiyear guarantee, signing a two-year pact with the Reds.
• The Mets continued their offseason of affordable acquisitions, inking Boof Bonser to a minor league deal.

Another day of the Winter Meetings is officially in the books. Here's everything that's happened since yesterday's Day In Review post:

• The highest profile move of the day belongs to the Cubs, who agreed to terms with Carlos Pena on a one-year deal believed to be worth $10MM late last night. Chicago's also shopping Tom Gorzelanny, and the Tigers have shown interest.
• The Rockies made the next-biggest signing of the day, inking Ty Wigginton for two years and $8MM. That's far more money than most people had pegged Wigginton for.
• The Yankees' signing of Derek Jeter became official.
• Lots of low-profile moves, such as the Dodgers signing Tony Gwynn Jr. to a one-year deal for $675K and the Pirates agreeing to a surprising two-year deal with Matt Diaz. Pittsburgh is also looking at multiple relievers.
• The Mets made a pair of free agent signings, agreeing to terms with Ronny Paulino on a one-year, $1.3MM deal and D.J. Carrasco on a two-year, $2.5MM deal.
• A few more low-budget moves appear to be on the horizon, as the Padres are close to signing Dustin Moseley to a one-year deal and the Dodgers nearing an agreement with Vicente Padilla for $2MM. Also, the Brewers are close to signing Wil Nieves and Dennys Reyes may sign with the Phillies within the next day or two.
• Much was made last night of talks to send Michael Young from Texas to Colorado, but in the end, the Rangers told their third basemen he'd be going nowhere. Meanwhile, Texas likes Magglio Ordonez.
• The Cubs and Rangers were said to be discussing a multi-player deal that would send Chris Davis and Darren O'Day to Chicago. Their signing of Carlos Pena may impact that train of thought.
• The Orioles appear to be closing in on a deal to keep Koji Uehara in Baltimore, and will not be trading for Jason Bartlett, as was rumored. The same is true of the rumored Kenshin Kawakami swap.
• We learned that Tsuyoshi Nishioka is looking for about $12MM total over three years, and the Twins aren't far off. However there were no talks between the two sides yesterday, though no one is worried about getting something done.
• Oakland made a serious offer to Brandon McCarthy and is considering several DH types including Hideki Matsui and Vladimir Guerrero.
• The Braves will begin talk about an extension for Dan Uggla and are confident one can be reached.
• The Nationals have switched their focus to Adam LaRoche, are out on Carl Pavano, but may still be in talks for Cliff Lee.
• Ryan Ludwick is drawing trade interest from several teams.
• The Cardinals have considered adding Yadier Molina's older brother Bengie Molina as a backup.
• Jesse Crain is reportedly looking for Joaquin Benoit money. Good luck with that. His former teammate Matt Guerrier was rumored to be as well, before his agent shot that down.
• More on the reliever front — Kevin Gregg has received offers from three teams, while the Yankees and possibly White Sox are in on Kerry Wood.
• The latest on big name free agents and trade chips: Cliff Lee's offers have allegedly jumped to seven years, though no teams are owning up to it. Carl Crawford remains the Angels' top priority, clubs are upping their offers for Zack Greinke, three teams called about Prince Fielder, the Rays are motivated to move Matt Garza, Brandon Webb's agent met with several clubs, and the Red Sox are talking about Carlos Beltran.

The Winter Meetings kicked off yesterday, and if you didn't have time to keep up with everything, that's understandable. Here's a recap of everything that's gone down from last night through the authoring of this very post:

• We'll start with the transaction news: Boston's acquisition of Adrian Gonzalez became official. The Padres will receive Casey Kelly, Anthony Rizzo, Reymond Fuentes, and a player to be named later for their elite first baseman.
• The Brewers' and Jays' swap of prospect Brett Lawrie and Shaun Marcum became official as well. Milwaukee beefed up its rotation by trading a prospect who was likely blocked. The Brewers said they're willing listen on any of their players in the right deal, including another of their top prospects — center fielder Lorenzo Cain.
• The Diamondbacks had a huge day; in addition to trading Mark Reynolds to Baltimore in exchange for David Hernandez and Kam Mickolio, they also signed Melvin Mora to a one-year, $2MM deal and found their likely closer in J.J. Putz, who inked a two-year, $10MM deal with a club option. They also have an offer out to Mike Hampton.
• The Pirates are looking to improve their rotation, as they're close to a deal with lefty Scott Olsen, and agreed to sign Kevin Correia to a two-year deal worth $8MM. More money than I thought he'd get, but I don't mind the Correia signing, personally.
• The Padres agreed to terms with San Diego native Aaron Harang on a one-year deal that will guarantee the big righty $4MM. He's a reasonable candidate to rebound in San Diego.
• Seattle signed 17-year-old Dominican shortstop Esteilon Peguero for $2.9MM. It's a huge bonus, but he's one of the most advanced offensive prospects in Latin America.
• The Athletics did not reach an agreement with Japanese righty Hisashi Iwakuma. Iwakuma was said to be seeking too much money. Oakland will again pursue him when he is a free agent in 2011.
• With all of that in mind, let's look at offers that might happen and deals that might get done: The Twins offered Tsyoshi Nishioka a multiyear deal believed to be three years at an annual salary of $3MM-$5MM.
• Adrian Beltre is reportedly seeking a five-year deal worth more than $70MM, though he lost a suitor today due to the Red Sox acquiring Gonzalez.
• If you're thinking there's going to be a firesale in San Diego, think again. The Padres will not trade All-Star closer Heath Bell.
• In the wake of Washington's surprise signing of Jayson Werth to a mammoth contract, Josh Willingham is now more likely to be moved than ever.
• Despite having their rotation filled out, the Dodgers are looking to bring back Vicente Padilla. Some reports say it would be in a bullpen capacity, while others have suggested a rotation spot.
• Russell Martin may have had a bad season in 2010, but good catching is hard to find, and he'll have plenty of suitors to choose from.
• The Astros have made both Matt Lindstrom and Jeff Keppinger available, while the Cardinals are out on Jason Bartlett and shopping Brendan Ryan and his stellar glove around.
• The Rockies seem willing to spend big this offseason. They've locked up Troy Tulowitzki for ten years, signed Jorge de la Rosa, and reportedly made an informal seven- to ten-year offer to Carlos Gonzalez.
• That's not the only rumored extension we heard about today. We also learned that Albert Pujols, Trevor Cahill, and Dan Uggla will be considered for extensions as well.
• The Red Sox are interested in Magglio Ordonez, and reportedly would be willing to give up a draft pick for Scott Downs, but not Grant Balfour. They're also in on Matt Guerrier.
• Six teams have shown interest in Koji Uehara, including Baltimore, Boston, Minnesota, Seattle, Milwaukee, and St. Louis.
• Hopefully you haven't had your heart set on acquiring Justin Upton, because it looks like the D'Backs won't be trading him after all.
• The Nats, Cubs, and Brewers are among the teams who have called the Dodgers about James Loney.
• A pair of former All-Stars is looking to get back into MLB after sitting out a season or two: Chien-Ming Wang is seeking a Major League deal, while Joe Crede is looking for an opportunity to play as well. Meanwhile, here's the latest on another free agent who's missed a few seasons, Brandon Webb.
• Curious to see the latest news on the biggest free agents and trade targets left on the market? No problem. Cliff Lee could see up to seven years, Carl Crawford could benefit hugely from Jayson Werth's deal, the Royals want Travis Snider and Kyle Drabek for Zack Greinke, the Dodgers keep coming up in Prince Fielder rumors, Paul Konerko's talks with Chicago could put him in line for a $12.5MM salary, and here's the latest on Carl Pavano, who could return to the Twins.

Obviously, we can't link to everything that's happened the past few days, but hopefully that's got you caught up to speed for the most part! MLBTR will continue to have around-the-clock coverage of the 2010 Winter Meetings, including overnight coverage once again throughout the duration of the meetings, so feel free to stay up late with us!

The Rule 5 Draft starts in a few hours, and after that most team executives will head back home. There was lots on action on Wednesday, so let's recap…

• Two of the better free agent starters came off the board during Day 3 of the Winter Meetings. Randy Wolf finalized his three year, $29.75MM deal with Milwaukee, and even managed to secure an option for a fourth year. Andy Pettitte re-upped with the Yankees for another year, and will earn $11.75MM in 2010.
• The Rays acquired relief ace Rafael Soriano from the Braves for Jesse Chavez, pending medical review. Tampa will take on all of Soriano's salary, whatever that ends up being. The Yankees, Angels, Orioles, and Astros were all considered suitors for the righthander throughout the day.
• The Astros imported a notable pair of relievers of their own on Wednesday. First they traded two minor leaguers and their pick in the Rule 5 Draft to Florida for closer Matt Lindstrom. Later in the day, they signed Brandon Lyon to a three year, $15MM deal. Those moves will help make up for the loss of LaTroy Hawkins, who inked a two year, $7.5MM deal with the Brewers.
• The Rangers finally sent Kevin Millwood packing, dealing him to the Orioles for Chris Ray. Baltimore is also sending the third overall pick in the Rule 5 Draft to Texas. That move opened the door for the Rangers to sign Rich Harden to a one year, $7.5MM contract that includes an option for 2011. The Mariners were rumored to be in on Harden, but they had to settle for Corey Patterson instead.
• While that was happening, the Rangers moved closer to acquiring Mike Lowell from the Red Sox for Max Ramirez. There's a chance Lowell's hip and thumb issues could interfere with the deal, though. That move would open a spot for Adrian Beltre, who the Sox have serious interest in. Despite their need for a corner bat, the Giants are not interested in Beltre.
• Bobby Crosby signed a one year deal with the Pirates, and will earn $1MM with another $500K in incentives.
• On the pitching market, Ben Sheets is looking for big money, while multiple teams are discussing Derek Lowe. The Mets, Nationals, and Phillies are all interested in Jason Marquis, while Darren Oliver has plenty of suitors as well. Joel Pineiro, as expected, has a bunch of teams after him. In a move of astounding cheapness, the Padres are expected to non-tender Kevin Correia.
• Nick Johnson is a wanted man, with seven teams pursuing him. The Reds, meanwhile, are interested in Craig Counsell, while five teams are interested in Scott Podsednik. The White Sox appear to be closing in on J.J. Putz, and the Padres are shopping Kevin Kouzmanoff.
• The Rockies are nearing a two year deal with Yorvit Torrealba, while the Mets are prepared to offer Bengie Molina a deal by Thursday afternoon. Sticking to the theme, the Royals offered Jason Kendall two years as well.
• Of course, it wouldn't be a day near the Hot Stove without some talk about Jason Bay, Roy Halladay, Milton Bradley, and John Lackey.

In case you missed it, here's MLBTR's review of Day 1 and Day 2.

Before we dive headfirst into Wednesday's winter meetings action, let's take a minute to recap the top news and rumors from Tuesday….

• We saw our first blockbuster trade of the winter, as the Tigers, Diamondbacks, and Yankees agreed on a three-way swap. The deal sends Curtis Granderson to New York, Edwin Jackson and Ian Kennedy to Arizona, and four players, including Max Scherzer, to the Tigers. Reactions? Most writers agreed that the Tigers and Yankees made out well, but didn't like the deal for the D'Backs. I'm inclined to agree. Granderson should rake in Yankee Stadium and the Tigers were able to add some promising talent while cutting payroll, but it's unclear what Arizona's endgame is here.
• The White Sox signed Mark Teahen to a three-year deal worth $14MM. The price isn't bad for Chicago, though it might lock them into mediocre third base production for a few years. If Teahen could match his 2006 numbers (.290/.357/.517), he'd be a bargain, but his career line is just .269/.331/.408.
• Milton Bradley trade talks swirled all day, with one report calling a deal with a surprise AL team "three-quarters done." With the Rays and Rangers apparently not involved, it's anybody's guess who the mystery club could be. There doesn't seem to be any one team that stands out as being a fit for Bradley and the Cubs.
• Bobby Crosby is on the verge of signing with the Pirates, and it looks like he'll get his chance to compete for an everyday job. I don't think Crosby is a major-league starter at this point, but the risk is fairly low for the Pirates at just $1.5MM over a single year.
• The Phillies bolstered their bench by agreeing to sign Ross Gload to a two-year deal. We haven't seen a price attached to this one yet, but assuming it's affordable, I like the move for the Phillies. Gload has proven throughout his career to be a solid pinch-hitter and part-time player.
• To make room for players that accepted arbitration, the Twins designated Boof Bonser for assignment and the Braves DFA'd Ryan Church. The Church move is a bit of a surprise, and one that came as a result of another surprise: Rafael Soriano accepting arbitration.
• The Rockies offered Yorvit Torrealba a two-year contract, but the backstop has received attention from a host of other clubs as well.
• Kevin Kouzmanoff was another hot commodity Tuesday, as multiple teams contacted the Padres about acquiring the third baseman. With Chone Figgins and Placido Polanco already off the market, it looks like teams are getting more creative when it comes to targeting infielders.
• We heard plenty more talk about Roy Halladay, Jason Bay, Randy Wolf and Kevin Millwood with nothing concrete happening yet.
• In news not directly hot-stove related, Peter Gammons will be leaving ESPN.com to join MLB.com, the MLB Network and NESN.com. Having grown up on Gammons' columns, I look forward to following his work for his new employers.

If you missed it, check out MLBTR's Day 1 review here.

In case you missed anything from yesterday, here's a quick rundown of the day's top rumors and transactions:

• The Cardinals reached an agreement on a one-year deal with Brad Penny worth $7.5MM with another $1.5MM in incentives. I thought he'd fetch a lower base with more incentives. Will this set the tone for other incentive-based one-year deals for pitchers?
• The Nationals agreed on a two-year pact with Ivan Rodriguez, reportedly worth $5MM-$6MM. The Pudge signing likely spells the end of Wil Nieves in Washington. Surprised to see Pudge get two years, though I can't imagine a better mentor if the Nats land Bryce Harper in the 2010 draft.
• The Tigers re-signed Adam Everett on a one-year deal worth $1.55MM. Everett's defense is worth more than that, and the Tigers need to watch spending; makes sense.
• The Brewers appear to be the frontrunners to land Randy Wolf, having reportedly offered a three-year deal to the veteran left-hander. No word on the dollars yet, but the signing should happen soon, apparently.
• The Yankees, Diamondbacks, and Tigers are talking about a three-way trade that would send Max Scherzer, Austin Jackson, Michael Dunn and Phil Coke to Detroit, Edwin Jackson and Ian Kennedy to Arizona, and Curtis Granderson plus D'Backs prospects to New York. Talks are currently stalled, though the D'Backs are pushing to resume them. Not sure I'd let go of Scherzer that easily if I were Josh Byrnes.
• The arbitration deadline has come and gone; here's a recap of all the free agents who were offered arb this season, as well as their respective decisions. Three accepted: Carl Pavano, Rafael Betancourt, and shockingly for Atlanta, Rafael Soriano. They've suddenly got a real pricey bullpen on their hands.
• The Nationals acquired Brian Bruney from the Yankees for a PTBNL that was later revealed to be the Nats pick in the Rule 5 Draft this Thursday. Bruney's never really put it together, but either the Nats really like him or there's no one who interests them in the Rule 5 Draft this year. Nice move for the Yankees anyway.
• Matt Lindstrom is practically a sure thing to be dealt at the Winter Meetings, and we learned that a number of teams are interested in the Florida reliever.
• Could the Padres really non-tender Kevin Correia because of an unwillingness to increase his $1.1MM salary? Seems like it, which is too bad for Pads fans. The team is in need of pitching, and letting go its most reliable starter from 2009 over a couple million dollars doesn't make sense. At the very least, they should trade him.
• Conflicting reports on whether or not the Yanks ever extended a formal offer to Andy Pettitte, but either way, we learned that $10MM won't do it. Pettitte wants to be back in the Bronx next year, but it will probably take an $11MM+ offer.

The non-waiver trade deadline has passed, and today absolutely did not disappoint those seeking lots of trade action. Several surprising moves occurred, and another Cy Young winner was moved, but it wasn't Roy Halladay…

Trades that happened:

• If at first you don't succeed, try try again. The White Sox tried again, and this time they landed their ace, as Jake Peavy approved a trade to the South Side. The White Sox sent Aaron Poreda, Clayton Richard, Adam Russell and Dexter Carter to the Padres in exchange. Peavy's recovering from a torn tendon in his ankle, but will pitch again in 2009 most likely.
• Another big name on the move, Victor Martinez went to the Red Sox in exchange for Justin Masterson, Bryan Price, and Nick Hagadone. This move made newly acquired Adam LaRoche expendable, and he was sent back to Atlanta for a second tour in exchange for Casey Kotchman.
• The White Sox weren't the only AL Central team to strengthen their rotation; the Tigers landed Jarrod Washburn in exhcange for Luke French and Mauricio Robles. Does this put them over the top as the team to beat?
• The AL Central was a flurry of action, as the Twins acquired veteran shortstop Orlando Cabrera in exchange for minor league shortstop Tyler Ladendorf. The Twins played the waiting game, and it paid off, as they wound up not dealing their #5 prospect, Danny Valencia, whom the A's reportedly originally asked for. The A's even sent $500K as well.
• Yesterday, I said it looked like Scott Rolen would remain in Toronto. Shows what I know. He was acquired by the Reds for Edwin Encarnacion, Josh Roenicke, and Zach Stewart. The Jays are sending $4MM as well.
• Colorado shored up its bullpen, adding Joe Beimel in exchange for minor leaguers Ryan Mattheus and Robinson Fabian.
• We've heard Nick Johnson rumors for months now, and he finally was traded on the last day, within the division, to the Marlins. The Marlins sent Double-A lefty Aaron Thompson to the Nats in exchange. The Nats are paying the remainder of Johnson's salary.
• Who said the Yankees would have a quiet deadline? They acquired Jerry Hairston Jr. in exchange for minor leaguer Chase Weems.
• In a more minor move, the Blue Jays acquired Double-A pitcher Sean Smith from the Pirates for future considerations.
• Finally, the Dodgers acquired Vinny Rottino from the Brewers, sending Claudio Vargas their way for a reunion with his former club.

Moves that didn't happen:

• So many rumors, so few results. At long last, Roy Halladay is… a Toronto Blue Jay. The Jays were clearly not "wowed," as J.P. Ricciardi required. In the end, no team wanted to pay the multiple top prospects that were asked for.
• A few new names were added to the Heath Bell mix, including the Twins, Dodgers, and Angels. However, when the smoke had cleared, Bell stayed in San Diego, right alongside fellow All-Star Adrian Gonzalez. The Padres elected not to move their two best players, both of whom are under control for several more years. According to Jayson Stark, Gonzalez's asking price was "astronomical." The Padres were asking for "three times as much" as the Jays were asking for Halladay. Yikes.
• Several teams reportedly inquired on Mariners ace Felix Hernandez, but all of them came up short. The Red Sox, Tigers, and Rays all asked, and while Jack Zduriencik listened, he eventually rejected all offers. King Felix is staying put.
• Several Royals drew interest, but in the end, Brian Bannister, Mark Teahen, and Willie Bloomquist all stayed put as well.
• The Dodgers and Angels have both been after bullpen arms, and it looks like they'll take those interests into August. Neither team acquired an arm today, so they'll likely be scouring the waiver wires throughout August to add a piece or two.

What was the biggest surprise of the day? Who were the big winners and losers? And most importantly, what do you see on the horizon for August?

Remember, the non-waiver trade deadline passing doesn't mean there won't be more trades flying about in August. Last year, we saw some noteable August deals, including Adam Dunn going to the Diamondbacks. Many analysts have said that due to player salaries and economic situations, this year's non-waiver deadline means less than any before. So check back as MLBTR continues to cover all of the action across the baseball universe!

We've got less than 24 hours until the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline. We didn't see any Cy Young winners change hands today, a la Cliff Lee, but there was still action. With the clock winding down, there only figures to be more. Let's take a look back at today:

What we know:

• The Dodgers missed out on Cliff Lee, but they acquired a different lefty when they got George Sherrill from Baltimore in exchange for minor leaguers Josh Bell and Steve Johnson. Sherrill shores up the Dodger bullpen, while Bell gives the O's a potential new long-term option at third base once Melvin Mora departs. It may seem a steep price for Sherrill, but he's under control through 2011 and has posted a fantastic season thus far.
• Another pair of lefties were on the move, as the Cubs acquired both John Grabow and Tom Gorzelanny from the Pirates in exchange for Kevin Hart, Jose Ascanio, and Josh Harrison. The Pirates continue to sell off veteran players; is anyone safe on their roster? For that matter… is anyone left on their roster?
• Another trade happened within a division today, as the Royals acquired Josh Anderson from the Tigers for cash considerations. Anderson started red hot, hitting .341 in April, but his numbers have plummeted since. Anderson's Detroit tenure lasted just a few months.
• Rough day to be Russ Ortiz. The Astros right-hander was absolutely dismantled by the Cubs, surrendering 9 ER in just 2.1 IP. He was then released shortly after the game. Ironically, his opponent that game: Kevin Hart, also no longer with his club.
• The Reds backed off a potential deal that would send Scott Rolen to Cincinnati, possibly in exchange for Edwin Encarnacion and others. Rolen seems likely to remain in Toronto.

Potential moves on the horizon:

• So many Roy Halladay rumors, we had to create two posts about him. Early on, it sounded like Doc was staying put; the Dodgers weren't offering Chad Billingsley or Clayton Kershaw, the Red Sox chances were "remote," the Angels' offer of Brandon Wood, Erick Aybar, and Joe Saunders was denied, and the Tigers balked at the asking price of Rick Porcello, Ryan Perry, and Casey Crosby. Then came conflicting reports about the severity of discussions with the Rangers. Jon Heyman even reports the Rangers "came close to acquiring" Halladay. Texas has the farm system to get the job done, but they'll need ownership approval, as well as cash from Toronto to make a deal. Has Texas emerged as the frontrunner, or will Boston or an LA team still sneak in a late blockbuster? Or, does Doc stay right where he is?
• Another pitcher that's coming up more and more is Jarrod Washburn, and there's plenty of rumors about him as well. It's sounding like Washburn may stay put, but the Yankees are still involved, and the Rangers could show interest if the Halladay talks fall through. Original reports stated that the M's asked for Joba Chamberlain or Phil Hughes, but those were refuted by Buster Olney.
• One team who likely won't acquire an arm is the Brewers. General manager Doug Melvin says the Brewers "aren't a match for anyone right now." It's beginning to look grim in Milwaukee, given their pitching injuries, the St. Louis acquisitions, and surging Cubs.
• The Giants could be done dealing after their acquisitions of Ryan Garko and Freddy Sanchez, although Ken Rosenthal hears they've still got interest in Mark Teahen.
• After releasing Russ Ortiz, and with some uncertainty surrounding Roy Oswalt, the Astros are looking for some pitching. However, they'll reportedly only make a deal if someone "falls into their lap," according to Jayson Stark. That seems a tad unlikely.
• Don't worry folks, not everyone's closing up shop. The Marlins were said to be in serious discussions for San Diego closer Heath Bell today, though they're unwilling to part with Andrew Miller or Sean West. If the Marlins don't get Bell, they could turn within the division and acquire Nick Johnson; FOX Sport reported today that the Fish were making a push for the Nationals' first baseman.
• The Dodgers acquired George Sherrill, but apparently not even the highly-desireable Baltimore closer is enough for Ned Colletti. The Dodgers and Angels are both said to be on the market for relievers, and could look to Toronto, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, or Seattle.
• The Rockies need bullpen help, and after promptly hanging up the phone when Eric Young Jr. was mentioned in talks for John Grabow and Joe Beimel, they've shifted their sights to Mark Hendrickson and Scott Downs. Just to give you an idea of how hard the Rockies are pursuing bullpen help, they signed 43-year-old Mike Timlin to a minor league deal. The Rockies are also interested in Nick Johnson.
• The Twins are stepping up efforts to acquire Orlando Cabrera. Is he a vast upgrade over Brendan Harris?
• The Red Sox have talked "at length" with the Padres about Adrian Gonzalez, but apparently, as Olney points out, little progress has been made. In that same piece, Jerry Crasnick says it's "very unlikely" that we see Chad Qualls moved.
• Keep checking back here as tomorrow's deadline approaches. We've got less than a day to go, but sometimes, the best is saved for last. Let's not forget the last-minute blockbuster that sent Manny Ramirez to Los Angeles and Jason Bay to Boston last season!

With all of the action that's going to be taking place over the last few days before the deadline, Tim decided it'd be a good idea to make a review post each night for those who don't have time to parse through all of the mayhem. Let's dive into it:

What we know:

• Tough to imagine that anyone could miss this one, but the Phillies acquired 2008 AL Cy Young winner Cliff Lee and outfielder Ben Francisco from the Indians in exchange for Jason Knapp, Carlos Carrasco, Jason Donald, and Lou Marson. The Phillies managed to land a Cy Young winner without trading Kyle Drabek, Michael Taylor, or Dominic Brown. Fans gotta like that.
• We've heard a lot of Freddy Sanchez rumors lately, mostly involving the Giants and the Twins. In the end, it was the Giants who acquired the 2006 batting champion, paying a steep price of Tim Alderson and taking on the remainder of Sanchez's contract.
• If the Phillies and Indians' six-player trade isn't enough, the Mariners and Pirates are there for you. The two teams agreed on a seven-player deal today that saw Jack Wilson and Ian Snell head off to Seattle, while Ronny Cedeno, Jeff Clement, Aaron Pribanic, Brett Lorin, and Nathan Adcock went to Pittsburgh. Commenters seemed divided over this trade… who got the better end of the deal?
• The Reds made a low-risk move today, when they acquired Wladimir Balentien in exchange for Robert Manuel. Balentien, 25, hasn't panned out yet at the Major League level, but he's loaded with power, and moving to a smaller park like Cincinnati could be just what the doctor ordered. In exchange, the Mariners got an arm that's excelled the past two seasons in the Minors.
• The Yankees acquired Jason Hirsh from Colorado, releasing Brett Tomko, who has now appeared on just about every team except for the Seattle Pilots and Washington Senators (slight exaggeration, sorry). No word on what the Yanks gave up, but it can't be much, given Hirsch's 6.66 ERA and 1.63 WHIP in 101 Triple-A innings this year.

Potential moves on the horizon:

• No shortage of Roy Halladay rumors for you today. The Jays' ace made his start tonight, and we've passed J.P. Ricciardi's soft deadline of July 28, but anything can happen. You can likely cross Philadelphia off the list (although wouldn't it be fun to see them put together a Drabek package and go for both Lee AND Halladay?), but the Red Sox, Dodgers, Rangers, Angels, and Yankees have all been linked to Doc at one point or another. There's still some time to see a move, and we heard tonight the Rangers are ready to buy.
• Sounds like Lee might not be the only one on his way out of Cleveland; Victor Martinez may be the next to go, and there will be no shortage of suitors for the All-Star. The Giants expressed interest, but their recent acquisitions may take them out of the race. The Red Sox and Rays have both been linked, and both have the pitching depth to acquire him… who ends up with V-Mart? At what cost?
• George Sherrill continues to draw interest. At least eight teams are interested in the Baltimore closer who's posting a fine season thus far. Hard to imagine Sherrill not being traded.
• The Jays are stepping up their efforts to deal Lyle Overbay, and his .835 OPS will likely attract some suitors, though the $7MM pricetag in 2010 certainly will not.
• Last week, White Sox outfielder Brian Anderson asked to be traded. He landed himself in Boston in exchange for Mark Kotsay. Will Josh Fields see a similar fate? The third baseman asked to be traded as well. A team looking to gamble could take Fields with visions of his 23 HR rookie season in their head.
• The biggest headline the Yankees make this year might be one saying that they had themselves a surprisingly quiet deadline. The Yankees may elect not to acquire anyone after all, even with Chien-Ming Wang's struggles and season-ending injury. Do the Yanks make a move, or hold tight?
• Not long ago, we heard the Padres weren't taking offers Adrian Gonzalez or Heath Bell. That tune might change though, with teams drooling over Bell due to his tremendous numbers and minimal salary. The Marlins are reportedly the most aggressive for now; will the Pads move their All-Star closer? What about Gonzalez? We know there have been talks with Boston, though Olney says nothing significant yet.
• Add Jeremy Guthrie to the list of players drawing interest; though the O's don't want to move him.
• Other names to remember: Nick Johnson, Jarrod Washburn, Orlando Cabrera, John Grabow, Danys Baez, Aubrey Huff, Joe Beimel, Marco Scutaro, Mark Teahen, Jon Garland, Doug Davis, Zach Duke, Michael Wuertz, Russ Springer, Chad Qualls and call out anyone else that I didn't include!

Did I miss anything? We'll be burning the midnight oil to keep you updated just as fast as we can over the next couple of days!