data-mm-id=”_bl4bn7gd7″>The 2023 MLB trade deadline is less than a week away and teams have positioned themselves to make moves. In what could be one of the best sellers' markets in years, three teams appear ready to move as many players as possible. Here's a look at the three franchises that look prepared to cash in at the deadline. Chicago White SoxThe White Sox have been one of baseball's most disappointing teams this season. A team expected to compete for the AL Central title enters Tuesday night's action at 41-60. They're toast and a number of big names have underperformed. Luckily for Chicago, there's a chance to turn that negative into a positive by moving several pieces to replenish a weak farm system.Righty Lucas Giolito is almost certain to move. The free agent-to-be is a former All-Star and is having a good enough season to be a great rental candidate for a contender. The 29-year-old is 6-6 with a 3.79 ERA, a 1.22 WHIP and 131 strikeouts against 42 walks in 121 innings. Impending free agent relievers Reynaldo Lopez and Kenyan Middleton are almost certain to be moved as well. Other free agents to-be include reliever Joe Kelly, starter Lance Lynn, catcher Yasmani Grandal, and shortstop Elvis Andrus. None of those guys are having great seasons but they could be useful depth pieces for a contender. If the White Sox are truly in "move everything" mode, Tim Anderson — who has collapsed — Dylan Cease and Kendall Graveman could all be gone as well. Luis Robert is pretty much the only guy safe at this point. Expect a lot of action on the South Side over the next week. St. Louis CardinalsThe Cardinals have been another massive flop this season, entering Tuesday at 45-56, 11 games out of first place in the NL Central and nine back of the final Wild Card spot. While we speculated on a possible Nolan Arenado trade, even if the Cards don't go the blockbuster route, they have plenty of pieces to sell. And they're likely to move some of them. Left-hander Jordan Montgomery is having a good season at 6-8 with a 3.37 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP. If the San Diego Padres opt to hold on to Blake Snell, he could be the best lefty starter on the market. Righty Jack Flaherty has been up and down this year (7-6, 4.39 ERA, 1.53 WHIP), but he'll likely be moved as well. Shortstop Paul DeJong hasn't been good (.237/.304/.424), but the Cards would love to dump him and he could catch on somewhere as a bench piece. Right-handed reliever Jordan Hicks has had an up-and-down career but he's been decent in 2023 (3.67 ERA, 1.51 WHIP) and has great stuff. On top of those obvious candidates to move, the Cardinals have the aforementioned Arenado and reigning NL MVP Paul Goldschmidt, who is having a down year by his standards (.285/.371/.473) and only has one season left on his contract. St. Louis could get a massive haul for Arenado or Goldschmidt, but at this point we're assuming neither moves. Still, the Cardinals have a ton of ammo to make some sigificant deals. Chicago CubsThe Cubs have surprised this season by being close to contention. A team that has rebuilt over the last few years finally appears on the cusp of being a perennial playoff participant. But it's unlikely that happens this season. After foolishly holding on to Willson Contreras last season and only receiving draft pick compensation when he walked away, it's likely the Cubs smarten up and move their impending free agents this year. Marcus Stroman could get a haul as the best righty on the market. The 32-year-old is 10-7 with a 3.09 ERA, a 1.14 WHIP and 105 strikeouts against 46 walks in 122.1 innings. He has been excellent and still has a lot in the tank. Stroman holds a 2024 player option for $21 million but seems likely to opt-out and chase more cash on the open market. Cody Bellinger has had a nice rebound in Chicago, slashing .319/.369/.549 in 68 games. He carries a mutual option for $12 million for 20214 and is likely to opt-out to seek a longer deal. He could fetch a solid return as a rental. Guys like Yan Gomes ($6 mil club option), Drew Smyly (owed $8.5 mil), Kyle Hendricks ($16 mil club option), could be available and all are under contract cheaply for 2024. They could all help contenders but it's more likely the Cubs hang onto them to help for a 2024 playoff push. Trey Mancini has been awful this season (.237/.300/.342) and holds a $7 million player option for 2024, so the Cubs would love to move him. It'll be hard to find a buyer, though.While those are the three teams certain to sell, keep an eye on the New York Mets. They have pieces to move and the biggest payroll in baseball. They might opt to hang onto the big pieces for 2024 and attempt to right the ship, or they could admit defeat and sell everything for pennies on the dollar. It should be an interesting week in Queens.
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Odds: 7/10 @
Hoping to make up some ground in the play-off chase this weekend, Coventry will make the trip to a struggling Huddersfield on Saturday afternoon.
Starting with the hosts, while Huddersfield might have claimed a much-needed 2-1 victory against Birmingham on February 18th, Neil Warnock s new squad came crashing back down to earth last weekend. Putting in a nightmare display last weekend as they were hit with a 4-0 drumming at the hands of Burnley, the one-time Cardiff boss knows that he has an almighty tussle on his hands in 2023. Still sat four points adrift of Championship safety and tipped as a leading relegation pick this year, the Yorkshire-based outfit have now claimed just a single win from their previous 10 meeting…
Fernando Torres showed that anything his fellow striker David Villa can do he can do too with the precious goal that gave Spain victory over Germany in Sunday s Euro 2008 final.
Villa had stolen most of the limelight away from the Liverpool forward at Euro 2008 up to Sunday night with his four goal harvest making him the competition s leading scorer.
But injury in the first half of the Spaniard s semi-final success over Russia left the big stage clear for the Premier League star.
Torres was deployed by coach Luis Aragones as a lone striker served by a five man midfield featuring his Premier League rival Cesc Fabregas.
And after a hesitant start he made himself known to the German defence in the 20th minute with a looping header which went high.
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Megan Rapinoe has urged Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, as well as other leading male superstars, to be more outspoken on social issues including racism and sexism.
United States international Rapinoe won the women s Ballon d Or this week, joining Messi on the stage at the annual awards gala as the Barcelona great claimed the men s prize for a record sixth time, one more than rival Ronaldo.
But Rapinoe, who has long been vociferous in her opposition to discrimination, does not believe her male counterparts are doing enough.
I want to shout, Cristiano, Leo, Zlatan [Ibrahimovic], help me , she told France Football. These big stars do not engage in anything when there are so many problems in men s football.
Do they have the fear of losing everything? T…
It was reported in The Sun last night (11 July 2008) that Manchester United have made a 20 million bid for Tottenham HotspurÂ’s Bulgarian striker Dimitar Berbatov.
Berbatov is likely to add fire power to the likes of Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez up front.
United have missed a target man since Ruud van Nistelrooy left the club for Real Madrid in 2006.
While Juande Ramos has not been keen to sell his prized asset he may be forced to do so to offset the nearly 50 million that he has already spent this year on players and renovations.
…
Markus Gisdol has been dismissed by Hamburg after rock-bottom Cologne inflicted a fourth successive Bundesliga defeat on them.
The German was hired in September 2016 after Hamburg had failed to win any of their first five league games of the season and he ultimately helped them avoid the drop, finishing 14th.
Suitably impressed with his impact, Hamburg gave Gisdol a new contract until the end of June 2019 in March last year.
However, they have gone backwards so far this season and sit second from bottom with just 15 points from their first 19 matches.
Following yesterday s 2-0 defeat to 1. FC Koln, the board and sporting director Jens Todt have made the decision to relieve head coach Markus Gisdol and his assistants Frank Frohling and Frank Kaspari of the…
New Aston Villa manager Roberto Di Matteo has warned his squad they must stay in line or face heavy punishment.
Villa were relegated from the top-tier of English football for the first time in almost three decades in 2015-16, winning just three league games all season.
The club faced a number of off-field issues to go with their on-field troubles, with promising 20-year-old Jack Grealish being banished from the first team for clubbing after a 4-0 defeat to Everton, while Gabriel Agbonlahor was suspended for reportedly partying following the club s relegation.
Di Matteo, who was officially unveiled as the new Villa boss on Wednesday, said: We are going to have our rules, our code of conduct and if someone steps outside there are certainly going to be consequence…
Swansea City goalkeeper Gerhard Tremmel has signed a new two-and-a-half-year deal with the Premier League club.
The 34-year-old s contract was set to expire at the end of the season but he has now committed to the Swans until the end of the 2014/15 campaign, with the option of a further season.
Tremmel has often played second fiddle to first-choice keeper Michel Vorm since joining in 2011 but a succession of injuries to the Netherlands international has seen him make 18 appearances this term.
The former Bayern Munich man is keen to be part of the ever-improving fortunes of the Welsh outfit.
Since the first day I joined this club, I knew something special was happening, Tremmel told the club s official website.
I have been at a number of clubs b…
Rafael Benitez has defended misfiring Chelsea striker Fernando Torres following another ineffective performance against Sparta Prague.
Rafael Benitez has defended misfiring Chelsea striker Fernando Torres following another ineffective performance against Sparta Prague.
Torres missed several chances in the Europa League match at Stamford Bridge on Thursday, as Chelsea were forced to rely on a goal from Eden Hazard to reach the round of 16, seeing off Sparta 2-1 on aggregate following a 1-1 draw in the second leg
A 50 million-pound signing from Liverpool in January 2011, Torres has failed to perform consistently during his time in west London, but interim Chelsea coach Benitez stood by the Spain international.
He (Torres) didn t play badly tonight, Benitez said.
You …
Liverpool are greedy for more after advancing to the last 16 of the Champions League as Group E winners by beating Salzburg 2-0 on Tuesday, said Andy Robertson.
Two second-half goals in the space of 100 seconds from Naby Keita and Mohamed Salah ensured the holders finished ahead of Napoli, who beat Genk 4-0, in their section.
Keita headed home following a brilliant run and cutback from Sadio Mane, while Salah slotted home from an acute angle at the edge of the box after rounding Cican Stankovic.
Of course, we re greedy for more. We ve got people saying we ve struggled through and we ve got four more points than we did last year, Robertson told BT Sport.
Top of the group and now we go on to the last 16. We know what we can do there and it s all about us …
Best odds: 2/9
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Officially, Atalanta play Sassuolo at home in the last round of the 2018/19 Serie A season, although in truth it will be Sassuolo who will be welcoming Atalanta to their Stadio Citta del Tricolore, due to Atalanta s stadium being demolished and the new one under construction, expected to open in 2021.
Atalanta
Despite having no home at the moment, Atalanta are going strong. They are undoubtedly the biggest and nicest surprise of the season; not just in Italy. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has put together a truly formidable team.
They go into the season finale sitting third, behind champions Juventus and runners-up Napoli, but with the same number of points as Inter Milan in fourth (66) and one more than AC Milan in fifth.…