For once, bottom-feeders will rule MLB

Here's one way to look at baseball's July 31 non-waivers trade deadline: Don't look at the top of the standings. Look at the bottom.

Teams at the bottom of the standings will be the ones sending players to contending teams this week. In a way, they will control the market in the next seven days.

At the moment, the list of teams that are not in serious contention for the playoffs includes the Blue Jays, Orioles, Royals, Athletics, Mariners, Nationals, Marlins, Cubs, Astros, Padres and Dodgers.

And the Mets. Oh, yes, the Mets.

If you want the best hitter believed to be available, you have to call Mets general manager Sandy Alderson about Carlos Beltran. If you want some bullpen help, you could ask about Jason Isringhausen and Tim Byrdak. Bench pop? Scott Hairston. Versatile pinch hitter? Willie Harris.

Then there are the teams in the middle of the standings.

Are the Rockies out of it? They were 10 games back in the NL West entering the weekend, but second-half comebacks have been their specialty in the last few years. Still, contenders probably are going to call about pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez, who could be the key to a championship season if dealt.

Are the Twins done? Six games under, six games back entering the weekend. But when it comes to a timely surge, the defending AL Central champs can never be counted out. The fates of useful pieces such as outfielder Michael Cuddyer and reliever Matt Capps hang in the balance.

The Rays are a fascinating case. They're stuck behind the Red Sox and Yankees in the AL East standings, and general manager Andrew Friedman could shake up the whole trade market by dangling starting pitcher James Shields or talented outfielder B.J. Upton.

"They're going to do what they need to do, man,'' Upton told MLB.com. "That's the front office's decision. I've got nothing to do with it. Right now, we're still very much in the race. There's a lot of games left to be played. We just got to go out and try to win them, and that's my job, to help this team win.''

Shields was more succinct. "I don't really care about the trade rumors,'' he said.

Officials for those bubble teams will spend the next week deciding if they are going to go for it or put a "going out of business" sign on their 2011 playoff hopes.

Contenders such as the Yankees, Red Sox, Phillies and last year's World Series teams, the Giants and Rangers, have no such decisions to make. Those teams can smell a playoff berth and could be looking to deal.

In 2010, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman added Lance Berkman, Kerry Wood and Austin Kearns on Deadline Day. If it seemed like overkill at the time, it didn't once Wood became Mariano Rivera's setup man. Berkman was OK, but not the All-Star he is now for St. Louis. Kearns was forgettable.

The Giants made a minor deal at the deadline, picking up lefthanded reliever Javier Lopez from the Pirates. Lopez got a bunch of key outs during San Francisco's run to an unexpected World Series title. Sometimes it's the small deals that end up mattering the most.

Will Beltran be dealt? Will Jimenez or Shields? Will dozens of new names pop up between now and 4 p.m. next Sunday, when trades have to be completed? Will it all be a lot of fun?

Our guesses: Yes. No. Yes. And very yes.

Top hitters who could be dealt

Carlos Beltran - Mets
Hunter Pence - Astros
B.J. Upton - Rays
Ryan Ludwick - Padres
Josh Willingham - A’s

Top pitchers who could be dealt

Ubaldo Jimenez - Rockies
James Shields - Rays
Hideki Kuroda - Dodgers
Heath Bell - Padres
Kerry Wood - Cubs

Buyers

Yankees, Red Sox, Phillies:
Because they always are

Giants, Rangers:
Because going back to the World Series is fun

Pirates:
Because if they don’t after 18 losing seasons they should be ashamed of themselves

Sellers

Mets:
Only question is will Beltran will lone player to go

Padres:
Bullpen arms to spare

Astros:
New owner said to want to cut payroll

Dodgers:
In bankruptcy court and tied for last place (entering weekend). You do the math.