The MLB All-Star break has come and passed, which means only one more landmark date remains on the calendar before the pennant races start kicking in: the trade deadline.
Two weeks from Friday will be the last day major moves can happen without the league's waiver process. Recent seasons have increasingly seen teams string their big moves out until August, when fewer teams are as likely to claim high-priced talent that may not yet be available. Last year, the likes of Gordon Beckham, Josh Willingham and Adam Dunn were all sent on the move after July 31. The deadline is no longer the be-all and end-all it used to be.