Second half outlooks for all 30 teams

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Jul 19, 2014; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher David Price (14) delivers a pitch in the first inning against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

The second half is underway, and with every team presenting itself with a unique mission, the rest of the season should play out in a very fun and interesting manner. Whether it’s teams making the additions to compete in 2014, or teams that are looking toward 2015 and beyond, the second half of 2014 is vital multilaterally.

Let’s take stock of where each club will focus their second half on:

Baltimore Orioles (54-44): Add Bullpen Depth

For what has long been an issue in Baltimore, pitching continues to be the problem. With a team that has a young hitting core that is in a position to do very well come October, adding some more relief arms certainly couldn’t hurt a rising team.

New York Yankees (50-48): Add Pitching

The Yankees are in danger of missing the playoffs for two straight years since 1992-93, which means going all out is necessary to try and make it to the fall. The Yankees must take significant steps to improve their patchwork rotation, or else baseball in October is nothing but an illusion for Yanks fans this year.

Toronto Blue Jays (51-49): Take Advantage of their farm

With one of the better farm systems in baseball and with a team that is in the playoff hunt, the Jays have the arsenal to be able to make substantial trades involving purely prospects. This should be able to help them address their most apparent needs, mostly another starting pitcher.

Boston Red Sox (47-52): Never Say Die

With a team that has established a reputation to make the improbable probably, the Red Sox can still not give up on this season. This means pulling all strings to try and maneuver their way back into the playoff race, which isn’t out of the question, with a great mix of up and coming stars and veterans.

Tampa Bay Rays (47-53): Decide on David Price

With the trade deadline approaching, Price appears to be the biggest prize of all trade chips this season. Yet with the Rays not too far out of the playoff race, and with this year most likely being an anomaly in the grand scheme of things, it may be in the Rays’ best interest to keep their ace for at least one more season.

Detroit Tigers (55-41): Add Bullpen Depth

Just as it was a problem with the O’s, the only thing that is seeming to be holding the Tigers back from winning games is a rough bullpen. The Tigers have plenty of options, and can utilize some mid level prospects to get a reliable late inning reliever in return.

Cleveland Indians (50-49): Buy and Don’t Look Back

The Indians are in a tough position, being 6.5 games out of first place. But with a team that just made the playoffs last season, it would be in the Tribe’s best interest to address their weaknesses and pursue a playoff berth, just as they did successfully in 2013.

Kansas City Royals (48-50): Strive to Get Hot

After a great few months for the Royals, they now sit two games under .500 and 4.5 games out of a Wild Card spot. The Royals should still look to buy and go for a playoff spot, but it shouldn’t be so aggressive, as the time is running out to get hot enough to get back in the conversation.

Chicago White Sox (48-52): Trade Alexei Ramirez

With an extremely weak farm system, trading their only substantial trade chip can add one or two mid level/high ceiling prospects that can revamp the ChiSox’ chances at competing for a playoff berth within the next few years.

Minnesota Twins (45-53): Get Healthy in the Minors

With the Twins having a collection of elite, high ceiling prospects, getting top pieces such as Byron Buxton and Miguel Sano healthy for a long period of time could put the Twins in a competitive situation by late 2015-2016. On the big league level, there is not much the Twins can do right now to alter their future.

Oakland Athletics (61-37): Don’t Stop

The A’s have been the hottest team in baseball the entire year, and have seemed to survive the league-wide parity that has been affecting the rest of the league. The A’s have to play the way they are now, quite simply, and worry about surviving in the postseason when the time comes.

Los Angeles Angels (59-39): Make a big Deadline move

Not anything too specific that the Angels must address, but they should be interested in the likes of David Price and several other minor trade chips. With the A’s already making the largest splash, the Angels, who are still very much in the divisional race, must do the same.

Seattle Mariners (53-46): Acquire Overlooked Trade Chips

The Mariners aren’t in the position to acquire someone big at the deadline, but several lower level trade chips can be huge for the M’s, and perhaps a look at Kurt Suzuki, Chris Coghlan and Justin Ruggiano can make a substantial difference for the M’s in the stretch run.

Houston Astros (41-58): Find out who Jonathan Singleton is

With one of the Astros’ biggest prospects struggling at the big league level, it is vital that Singleton gets ample playing time throughout the second half to see how he fits in with the rest of the emerging farm system, as there isn’t much to work for other than that at the big league level.

Texas Rangers (40-59): Sell Everything

The Rangers are loaded with plenty of trade chips that can make huge differences in pennant races, therefore outside of Yu Darvish, there aren’t any long term staples holding Texas back from making big moves to facilitate the next generation of Rangers.

Jul 20, 2014; Bronx, NY, USA; Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Johnny Cueto (47) pitches during the first inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

Washington Nationals (54-43): See what Bryce Harper’s Real Potential is

With the Nats healthy and looking like they can be the best in the NL, it is imperative to see how their 21 year old star reacts to this. Harper now has the true chance to be a team leader and a hero, and shall the Nats hang on to make the playoffs, his potential will be on full display.

Atlanta Braves (54-45): Add Hitting

The Braves are still struggling to score runs, and any addition of a bat will drastically help the Braves, who have been nails otherwise this season. One or two decent hitters can turn the Braves into a real pennant contender.

Miami Marlins (46-52): Look Toward Next Year

The Marlins overall have still performed above expectations in 2014, even with the loss of Jose Fernandez. The Marlins have the main pieces to be a Wild Card contender in 2015, and should more toward offseason acquisitions than anything else.

New York Mets (46-53): Get Minor League Pitching Ready for 2015

The Mets have a very talented pitching core in the minors, and with a 1-2-3 punch of Matt Harvey, Noah Syndergaard and Zack Wheeler, the Mets will be more than ready to polish up their hitting to reform themselves into a playoff contender.

Philadelphia Phillies (43-56): Begin the Rebuild Process

While the front office management believed this Phillies core had one more championship run in them, it has become quite obvious that this isn’t the case. The Phillies must begin this half of the season by trading off soem core pieces, and beginning to rebuild from the bottom up, which may be a long and painstaking process.

Milwaukee Brewers (55-45): Hang On

With just a .5 game lead in the NL Central, the Brewers are merely a piece of a four team divisional race. The Brewers have lost a lot of their early season spark, and now while they’re healthy, it is imperative for the Brewers to play their best baseball of the year, and go all in for a title.

St. Louis Cardinals (54-45): Overcome Adversity

Shall the Cardinals emerge as the division winner, it would be a great story for baseball. After losing Yadier Molina for an extended period of time, the Cards are now just .5 game out of first place, and need to use their veteran core to help forget about the issues the team has that they can not control, and simply focus on winning at all expenses.

Pittsburgh Pirates (52-47): Make a Substantial Deadline Buy

The Pirates are just 2.5 games out of first place, but making a big move at the deadline can enforce the fact that they do not want to be perceived as forgotten about in the division race. The Pirates are an up and coming team, so perhaps a veteran bat acquisition can drastically help the Pirates on the rest of the way.

Cincinnati Reds (51-48): Let the Rotation Stay Solid

The Reds possess a dangerous 1-2-3 punch in their rotation, involving Homer Bailey, Johnny Cueto and Alfredo Simon, a rotation that can be devastating in October. Therefore, pitching isn’t the problem, leading to the need of an offensive acquisition to make the Reds unstoppable in the NL Central.

Chicago Cubs (40-57): There’s Always Next Year…Really

The Cubs may be the worst team in baseball this year, but with their highest ceiling prospects already at AAA, the Cubs should embrace the fact that they are losing this year, and come back with a rejuvenated and revamped team that will be a contender in 2015.

San Francisco Giants (55-44): Regain the Early Season Energy

The Giants looked unstoppable throughout the months of April and May, but since falling back down to earth, the Giants find themselves in a two way tie in the NL West with the arch-rival Dodgers. The Giants must find that early energy, most notably by revamping their bullpen, which should be a focus at this year’s trade deadline.

Los Angeles Dodgers (56-45): Add Offense at the Deadline

While the Dodgers may be tempted to trade for David Price, with a very good rotation as it is, hitting is what the Dodgers need. In a position to win the pennant, the Dodgers should acquire perhaps another outfield bat to pad up a lineup that occasionally struggles. Doing this can very well have the Dodgers run away with the NL West.

San Diego Padres (43-55): Acquire Hitting Prospects in Trades

The Padres have been doing this so far, and shall they move anyone else, that must continue. With the most abysmal hitting seen in years, the Padres can become competitive if they find a way to get a better lineup, something that must develop from the bottom up.

Arizona Diamondbacks (43-57): Build For Next Year

With this season long gone in the desert, it is vital for the D-Backs to remember that this same core of players produced two .500 teams in 2012 and 2013, and it’s very possible that Arizona can right the ship in 2015. The offseason will mean much more to the Diamondbacks, who should look to acquire a top-dollar free agent at that time.

Colorado Rockies (40-59): Acquire Pitching Prospects in Trades

The Rockies clearly have the hitting to be a contender, but the desperate need for pitching of all varieties is apparent. With the need to build pitching prospects in their farm, the Rockies should also look toward the offseason to acquire a free agent pitcher as well.

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