As we approach the final days before the non-waiver trading deadline on July 31st, the trade winds have began to swirl with seven deals already done this week. So, here is a brief rundown on how the trades will affect the playoff races. The Giants got another bat and a first baseman all in one deal after acquiring Shea Hillenbrand, along with reliever Vinnie Chulk in exchange for reliever Jeremy Accardo. The Giants now have another bat in their line-up and have now solidified themselves as the best team talent wise in the National Leauge West. They lose Accardo, who was a valuable member of their bullpen, even closing for a little while, but there loss is Toronto?s gain. They now just add another piece to their bullpen, which is probably the weakest part of their team at the present moment. An even deal that earns the Giants an A- for their ability to add a bat, and Toronto a B+ because they were able to get something for Hillenbrand and get him out of the American League. The next day, National League West combatant San Diego went about shoring up their bullpen with the trade for Scott Williamson from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for pitchers Joel Santo and Fabian Jimenez, both in Low A Ball. Williamson has battled injuries throughout his career, but he is a veteran arm who should help the Padres hold onto more games, which could be a division title. San Diego gets an A- for picking up a veteran arm, while the Cubs get a C- for not getting much in return, something that they have to be careful of if they trade off more of their parts. The White Sox have also been busy this past week, and it doesn?t involve Alfonso Soriano. Chicago picked up reliever Mike MacDougal from the Royals and catcher Sandy Alomar Jr. from the Los Angeles Dodgers in two separate deals. To make these trades, general manager Kenny Williams sent pitching prospects Tyler Lumsden and Daniel Cortes to the Royals, as well as B.J. LaMura to the Dodgers. The White Sox gets a B+ for adding veteran leadership in Alomar and much needed help to the bullpen, while the Royals get a B- for adding two nice prospects to a farm system that new general manager Dayton Moore is trying to rebuild. The grade is lower because I thought MacDougal could have been part of their long-term plans. The Dodgers get a C+ is a deal that will neither hurt nor help them in 2006. The Dodgers weren?t done though as they swung a deal with the Royals to acquire veteran reliever Elmer Dessens for banished starter Odalis Perez and High Class A pitching prospects Blake Johnson and Julio Pimentel. The Dodgers have also agreed to pay about $8 million of the remaining salary of Perez?s contract. The move will help the Dodgers in the bullpen, which has been shaky all year, but they gave up a lot for a guy who might not be worth much if they continue this post All-Star game slide, which results in their grade of a C+. The Royals on the other hand are hitting all the marks with Dayton Moore at the helm, as he adds a major league starter, as well as more pitching for the farm system to build on. Moore and the Royals get an A on this deal because of the cash they received to pay Perez, who still can be a productive starter. It is now clear that the Brewers think they have a chance at the playoffs with the addition of infielder Tony Graffanino in exchange for pitcher Jorge de la Rosa to the Royals. The move will shore up the middle infield for the Brewers and the Royals get yet another arm to build on for the future. Both teams get A- in this deal because the Brewers get the immediate help they need and the Royals get a nice arm for a player that isn?t in their long-term plans. In the Great Northwest, we also have another team who thinks they are a contender in the Seattle Mariners, who just picked up Cleveland first baseman Ben Broussard and cash for Triple-A outfielder Shin-Soo Choo. The deal is a bit of a head-scratcher for Seattle, who is in a logjam in the American League West and don?t seem like true contenders with the likes of Oakland and Anaheim ahead of them. They also gave up a up top prospect, who was rated as the seventh best in their system prior to this season by Baseball America. Seattle gets a D on this deal because it is the second first baseman they got from Cleveland and they trade like a contender, even after trading away their closer in Eddie Guardado. Cleveland gets a B+ for adding another nice prospect in their quest to rebuild, which is a strength of general manager Mark Shapiro. Finally, the Yankees added back-up catcher Sal Fasano from the Phillies in a move that barely added a ripple in the transaction sheet. For Brain Cashman?s sake, lets hope this isn?t their only move as it does nothing for either team, except add a prospect to Philadelphia. As we approach the final days before the non-waiver trading deadline on July 31st, the trade winds have began to swirl with seven deals already done this week. So, here is a brief rundown on how the trades will affect the playoff races. The Giants got another bat and a first baseman all in one deal after acquiring Shea Hillenbrand, along with reliever Vinnie Chulk in exchange for reliever Jeremy Accardo. The Giants now have another bat in their line-up and have now solidified themselves as the best team talent wise in the National Leauge West. They lose Accardo, who was a valuable member of their bullpen, even closing for a little while, but there loss is Toronto?s gain. They now just add another piece to their bullpen, which is probably the weakest part of their team at the present moment. An even deal that earns the Giants an A- for their ability to add a bat, and Toronto a B+ because they were able to get something for Hillenbrand and get him out of the American League. The next day, National League West combatant San Diego went about shoring up their bullpen with the trade for Scott Williamson from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for pitchers Joel Santo and Fabian Jimenez, both in Low A Ball. Williamson has battled injuries throughout his career, but he is a veteran arm who should help the Padres hold onto more games, which could be a division title. San Diego gets an A- for picking up a veteran arm, while the Cubs get a C- for not getting much in return, something that they have to be careful of if they trade off more of their parts. The White Sox have also been busy this past week, and it doesn?t involve Alfonso Soriano. Chicago picked up reliever Mike MacDougal from the Royals and catcher Sandy Alomar Jr. from the Los Angeles Dodgers in two separate deals. To make these trades, general manager Kenny Williams sent pitching prospects Tyler Lumsden and Daniel Cortes to the Royals, as well as B.J. LaMura to the Dodgers. The White Sox gets a B+ for adding veteran leadership in Alomar and much needed help to the bullpen, while the Royals get a B- for adding two nice prospects to a farm system that new general manager Dayton Moore is trying to rebuild. The grade is lower because I thought MacDougal could have been part of their long-term plans. The Dodgers get a C+ is a deal that will neither hurt nor help them in 2006. The Dodgers weren?t done though as they swung a deal with the Royals to acquire veteran reliever Elmer Dessens for banished starter Odalis Perez and High Class A pitching prospects Blake Johnson and Julio Pimentel. The Dodgers have also agreed to pay about $8 million of the remaining salary of Perez?s contract. The move will help the Dodgers in the bullpen, which has been shaky all year, but they gave up a lot for a guy who might not be worth much if they continue this post All-Star game slide, which results in their grade of a C+. The Royals on the other hand are hitting all the marks with Dayton Moore at the helm, as he adds a major league starter, as well as more pitching for the farm system to build on. Moore and the Royals get an A on this deal because of the cash they received to pay Perez, who still can be a productive starter. It is now clear that the Brewers think they have a chance at the playoffs with the addition of infielder Tony Graffanino in exchange for pitcher Jorge de la Rosa to the Royals. The move will shore up the middle infield for the Brewers and the Royals get yet another arm to build on for the future. Both teams get A- in this deal because the Brewers get the immediate help they need and the Royals get a nice arm for a player that isn?t in their long-term plans. In the Great Northwest, we also have another team who thinks they are a contender in the Seattle Mariners, who just picked up Cleveland first baseman Ben Broussard and cash for Triple-A outfielder Shin-Soo Choo. The deal is a bit of a head-scratcher for Seattle, who is in a logjam in the American League West and don?t seem like true contenders with the likes of Oakland and Anaheim ahead of them. They also gave up a up top prospect, who was rated as the seventh best in their system prior to this season by Baseball America. Seattle gets a D on this deal because it is the second first baseman they got from Cleveland and they trade like a contender, even after trading away their closer in Eddie Guardado. Cleveland gets a B+ for adding another nice prospect in their quest to rebuild, which is a strength of general manager Mark Shapiro. Finally, the Yankees added back-up catcher Sal Fasano from the Phillies in a move that barely added a ripple in the transaction sheet. For Brain Cashman?s sake, lets hope this isn?t their only move as it does nothing for either team, except add a prospect to Philadelphia.