In All His Knuckleballing Glory.

Here at The Baseball Freak, we try to stay completely unbiased, but we've never made our love of the New York Yankees a secret. And while this has been one of the more interesting stories of the 2012 season, it pains me to praise anyone that dons a Mets uniform. But it's just become blatantly unavoidable, so here it is:

R.A. Dickey is the best pitcher in baseball right now.

Giants, Tigers and Phillies fans, let the hate mail flow in. But first, let me explain.

If you guessed this man would be the hottest hurler in the game before the season started, everyone would have thought you were nuts.

Dickey, a 37 year old hurler from Tennessee, has been in the majors for 11 seasons now, spending time with the Rangers (who drafted him in 1996 with the 18th overall selection), the Mariners and the Twins before landing in Queens. He missed the 2002 season, as well as spending all of 2007 with the Triple-A affiliate of the Brewers, the Nashville Sounds (conveniently located in his hometown), and had a losing record up to this season, 41-50, with a career ERA flirting with 5. He only had 2 winning seasons prior to 2012, and his low strikeout numbers before signing with the Mets made it seem like he was forever destined to toil in obscurity without making much of an impact. After all, he had shown flashes of brilliance a few times, but how good could a pitcher really make himself once his age starts approaching his jersey number?

Damn good, apparently.

2012 started a little differently than most seasons have for the Mets: with a win, against their longtime rivals, the Braves. Dickey was tabbed as the number 2 starter, and pitched a low-key 4-2 win against Atlanta. He pitched 6 innings, with 3 strikeouts, and garnered a 3.00 ERA to start the season. Then, something strange happened...he kept winning. He kept throwing strikeouts. In the month of June alone, he threw as many or more strikeouts than he had in 6 different seasons in his career. He started racking up the innings, going less than 6 innings only twice to date and throwing 3 complete games, all shutouts. Not only was he dominanting, he was untouchable: his scoreless inning streak of 32 2/3 set a new franchise record, and he made it look so effortless with that knuckleball of his.

Doesn't look too difficult, right? Think again.

The knuckleball is notorious for prolonging the careers of pitchers while still keeping them somewhat competitive. It's not supposed to be solely relied on, but rather used as a stopgap, when a breaking ball or slider just won't fool the batter. It's meant to be slower than a changeup, moves weirder than a curve, and is more difficult to track than a fastball. While it can be a pitcher's best friend, it can also be a nightmare, especially for the catcher to handle (some catchers have taken to using a first baseman's glove, which is larger than other fielders', to accomodate its unpredictability). The vast majority of pitchers don't seem to even know how to throw a proper knuckleball, and those that do don't use it often. Only one pitcher in the Hall of Fame used it regularly, Phil Niekro, and the second most famous knuckleballer, Tim Wakefield, proved to be another exception and managed to prolong his career to age 45 thanks to the confusing properties of the pitch. Bottom line, it's true that batters can't seem to handle it, but most pitchers believe the cons outweigh the pros here.

But somehow, Dickey has utilized the pitch so masterfully, and with such precision, that he's pitched to a 13-1 record to date, with 132 strikeouts, a 2.72 ERA, a WHIP of 1.01, and 125 innings pitched. He's shattered most of his career bests, and projects to obliterate the rest of them before the end of the year. He got snubbed in the All-Star Game, with San Francisco hurler Matt Cain (who, admittedly, has been more consistent, dominant, and threw an absolutely beautiful perfect game several weeks earlier) getting the starting nod, but his first apperance was nonetheless memorable, when he struck out Mark Trumbo and got Miguel Cabrera to ground into a double play in the 6th inning as he helped preserve the NL's lead in a battle they won handily, 8-0. It may not have been what many Mets fans were hoping for, but it was characteristic of his year, and career, so far: not perfect, but pretty close.

Will Dickey continue to be a stud pitcher for the next 4 or 5 years? Probably not. Will he even be good the rest of this year? Not likely. But from where we stand right now, with Justin Verlander, Roy Halladay and Tim Lincecum all looking more like awful scrubs than All-Stars, and with no clear Cy Young candidate outside of New York, this could end up being one of the finest seasons a Mets pitcher has ever put together, and it couldn't happen to a more deserving guy.

What To Expect When You're Expecting (To Win): Trade Deadline Edition.

It's been quite some time (over a year and a half, to be exact) since the last entry in our What To Expect series, but we're bringing it back with a quick overview of the teams currently in playoff contention, and what they need, if anything, to make the final stretch count as we race toward October.

A note: obviously, this being the middle of July, the standings aren't finalized, so we're only going to focus on teams that are either leading the division as of today, or are currently holding onto a Wild Card spot. The standings can always change, and we will update them as necessary.

New York Yankees: Wow, the Yankees are leading the division? They're poised to make the playoffs? WHAT A SHOCKER!! While they've been linked to big free agents to be, the best thing for the Bombers would be to get Andy Pettitte back, while holding out hope that Mariano Rivera and Michael Pineda might see some action in '12. Also, it couldn't hurt for them to figure out their outfield situation, after another setback to left fielder Brett Gardner. Other than that, they should stay the course and easily cruise to the postseason. But you probably already guessed that.

Chicago White Sox: Not even a full year removed from the Ozzie Guillen era, rookie skipper Robin Ventura has the South Siders in a position they haven't been in since 2008: first place in the Central division. With the Indians and Tigers snapping at their heels, though, they'll need a little more space in the standings to feel secure. As long as Paul Konerko, Adam Dunn (in the most stunning Comeback Player Award campaign ever witnessed) and Dayan Viciedo can keep hitting bombs, and the rotation can steady itself, they'll be back in October.

Texas Rangers: After a second crushing defeat in the World Series last year, Ron Washington and his boys aren't looking to burn out at the end of the season. Josh Hamilton is still on track for a monstrous season, Yu Darvish is still dazzling hitters in his rookie year, and even Roy Oswalt, far from a favorite here at TBF, is still somehow effective. If Ian Kinsler can regain his form, Matt Harrison can keep winning, and Adrian Beltre doesn't get injured, they'll win the division handily. Can they make a third straight trip to the Fall Classic? All signs point to yes.

Detroit Tigers: Prince Fielder is making his valiant return to the Tigers count this year with an impressive slash line, and Justin Verlander is still racking up the wins and strikeouts, but surprisingly, Motown's only got a tenuous hold on one of the Wild Cards. This is mainly due to the rotation behind Verlander failing to create any kind of consistency on the bump. It doesn't help that closer Jose Valverde, after a perfect season in 2011, has blown 4 saves this season. Their bullpen could end up being the deciding factor later in the season, but with Fielder and Miguel Cabrera, power alone may get them into the playoffs.

Los Angeles Angels: Albert Pujols, who made the jump to the AL along with Fielder, is having an incredibly underwhelming season, but rookie phenoms Mike Trout and Mark Trumbo are more than making up for a shoddy pitching staff past Jered Weaver and CJ Wilson. If Dan Haren and Ervin Santana can regain control over their pitches, maybe their rotation can stand a chance like we all thought they would this offseason. Their bullpen has been improved exponentially by ex-Padre Ernesto Frieri, and while they may not win the West, they could be wranglin' in a playoff berth.

Washington Nationals: Well...this was unexpected. Capitalizing on the floundering Phillies' woes early in the year, the Nats took the lead in the East and have not let go. Stephen Strasburg and Gio Gonzalez have been lights out for the pitching, and outrageously hyped rookie Bryce Harper has shown flashes of brilliance while Ryan Zimmerman and Michael Morse have yet to get their power swings back. Once Jayson Werth and Drew Storen return from the disabled list, there might be October baseball in the nation's capital again for the first time in decades.

Cincinnati Reds: Like the Nationals, the Reds took charge in the first few months of the season while last year's NLCS tandem (Brewers and Cardinals) fell behind, and they want to give Joey Votto justification for signing his lucrative, 10-year extension. Jay Bruce and Brandon Phillips continue to produce in the field and at the plate, and while the pitching staff, led by newly-acquired Mat Latos, has yet to fully deliver, the Cincy crew has been dominant in the same fashion as 2010. For all his pitching and legal troubles, fireballer Aroldis Chapman could either be starting or closing postseason games this year.

San Francisco Giants: While they continue to flip-flop with the red-hot Dodgers for control of the division, the Giants have seen major extremes in their rotation. Matt Cain threw an absolutely masterful perfect game and started the All-Star Game, while Tim Lincecum seems to forgotten how to throw a strike and is currently at a 3-10 record. But with MVP hopeful Melky Cabrera and a healthy Buster Posey, as well as a bullpen headed by closer Santiago Castilla in the absence of Brian "The Beard" Wilson, they seem ready for their second postseason appearance in 3 years.

Pittsburgh Pirates: In a season full of surprise contenders, there's no contest that the Bucs are by far the most surprising. Led by a determined Andrew McCutchen and a potential-fulfilling Pedro Alvarez on offense, and a revitalized AJ Burnett (as well as shockingly good hurler James McDonald) heading a rotation that is somehow continuing to keep the team afloat, the Pirates only need 30 more wins in their remaining 71 games to have their first season at or above .500 since 1992, the longest losing streak in American professional sports. You can't make this up.

Atlanta Braves: Failing to make an early run like the Nationals did, the Braves still find themselves in contention in the final year of third baseman Chipper Jones's legendary career. The rotation has been less than stellar, with future ace Brandon Beachy out for the year, but fielders like Michael Bourn and Martin Prado have managed to keep the team in the running, especially in an offense where their two best hitters (Brian McCann and Dan Uggla) can't seem to outperform a 40 year old. Regardless, it seems like Chipper may have one more shot at his second ring.

Will these be the 10 teams vying for a championship title come October? While there's always a chance the unexpected will happen (and you don't have to go back any further than last season to know that), most of these teams can take solace in the fact that their playoff spot is all but reserved...for now.

That Wheelin' And Dealin' Feelin'.

Every July brings a special wrinkle to the already heavily creased face of any given season: the trade deadline. It's that magical time of year when players you've grown to know, love and root for get sent away to other teams, either for other established players that may both fill a need on their new teams or for prospects that may one day grow into spectacular stars...or get traded again the following day for someone else. It's a business boiled down to a science, and this year should be more interesting than ever before.

The added wild card in both leagues means that more teams will be in the MLB playoffs this October than ever before. 10 of the 30 teams will be playing in the fall, which means that being in 3rd place in August no longer means that your team has no hope of making the postseason. In trade deadlines past, there have been clear buyers and sellers. For the most part, this hasn't changed: the Astros, Athletics and Padres tend to be sellers more often than not, and the Cardinals and Yankees normally buy rather than sell. However, teams hovering at or around .500, like the Tigers, Angels, Mets, Reds, and every team in the AL East will no longer be fence sitters, content to watch the dealings but not necessarily getting involved. Now they want in.

So, let's take a quick look at some of the players who could be dealt and begin playing with another team before we reach the last third of the 2012 season. Just to note, this is all purely speculation based off of the most persistent trade rumors and the subjects of those rumors...there's a good chance none of them get traded, and just as good of a chance they all do, so don't send any hate mail if these aren't true:

Zack Greinke - After playing with two sub-.500 organizations, Greinke is no stranger to trade rumors. He came to the Brewers from the Royals following the 2010 season, and while he has shined both in the regular season and during the Brewers' surprising NLCS run last season, the trade talks never seem to die down around him. A free agent following this season, Greinke will most likely garner the Brewers a slew of good prospects that may be able to support Ryan Braun throughout the remainder of his 10-year extension that he signed in '10, so moving Zack may not be the worst move the Brew Crew has made in the past few months. Potential Landing Spots: Rangers, Orioles.

Cole Hamels - It's almost unthinkable that we're sitting here at the All-Star break, and Hamels is seriously on the trading block. The Phillies, 5-time NL East Division champs, have taken a massive fall from grace, losing their 50th game of the season to the Braves to finish the first half (for some perspective, the 2011 club lost 60 games in the entire season). So there has been relentless talk about where Hamels may go and for what. As you may assume, Cole will either get the Phils prospects out the nose, or Major League-ready talent, in a trade, or he may elect to wait it out and test the free agency waters (he recently said in an interview that he was open to absolutely anything). Only time will tell. Potential Landing Spots: Dodgers, Phillies.

Matt Garza - Garza, who threw the first no-hitter in Rays history back in 2010, has been the target of trade rumors almost since the day he was traded to the Cubs nearly 2 seasons ago. And for good reason: while his record hasn't reflected it, Garza's seen a career renaissance since joining the North Siders, and posted a career high in strikeouts with 197 while pitching to a career low 3.32 ERA. Garza has stated many times that he likes playing for the Cubbies (go figure), and would prefer to sign an extension rather than get traded. Still, after Theo Epstein's proclamation that the entire roster, save Starlin Castro and possibly Jeff Samardjiza, can be had in a deal, it seems unlikely. Potential Landing Spots: Red Sox, Tigers.

Shane Victorino - The Flyin' Hawaiian is still viewed as a hot commodity as a semi-power hitting speedster, just entering his real prime at age 31. Regardless of his close relationship with manager Charlie Manuel, it almost seems certain that Victorino won't be playing in the City of Brotherly Love come next April. His hot feet could benefit a number of speed-challenged teams, and Victorino would love to go to a team that's contending, what with his 5-time NL East champion Phils 12 and a half games back as we begin the second half of the season. While the Phillies still claim that they won't give up Victorino and his teammate Hamels so quickly, it appears that their time in Philadelphia is rapidly coming to a close. Potential Landing Spots: Indians, Pirates.

Justin Upton - Wait, really? Justin Upton, who placed 4th in MVP voting last year while helping the Diamondbacks reach the playoffs in a worst-to-first season, is up for grabs? I wish that was true in my fantasy league, but somehow, this is real life. Upton has had a less than spectacular season, going .273/7/37 through the first half, which wouldn't necessitate any consideration for the MVP award this year, but he's only 24 and is one of those players who are still viewed as huge potential/upside players. We hear a lot about his older brother, B.J., every summer as a possible trade candidate...it's pretty shocking to suddenly hear the same about Justin. No matter: if he does get traded, it will cost the receiving team some great prospects and, possibly, MLB-ready players, which the Snakes would not be unhappy about. Potential Landing Spots: Giants, Marlins.

Carlos Quentin - Traded to the Padres from the White Sox this offseason, Quentin has been one of the few highlights for a dismal San Diego team. So, of course, the buzz around him is not that they'd try to retain him for years and build around him, but that they ought to trade him to a contender. Go figure. Quentin started the season on the disabled list, and didn't play in a game until May 28th, but since then, he's gone .268/7/17, numbers that won't be garnering him any MVP awards, but respectable enough to have him leading the Friars in nearly every one of those categories. If he does get traded to a contender, he most likely wouldn't be an impact player, but more likely just an offensive boost. Potential Landing Spots: White Sox, Pirates.

Peter Bourjos - There's a good chance you may not even know who Peter Bourjos is. If that's the case, let me fill you in: Petey is one of the amazing young outfielders currently struggling to find playing time with the Angels. Because of the albatrosses Vernon Wells and Torii Hunter, he seems to have drawn the short straw between himself, Mike Trout and Mark Trumbo on how often he gets into the lineup. There's no doubt that he would certainly have no problem elsewhere in finding time on the field, as his potential and mechanics make him a surefire star outfielder. A deal that almost sent him to the Nationals this offseason progressed somewhat, but never materialized. There's a chance Washington could try again soon. Potential Landing Spots: Nationals, Braves.

Alfonso Soriano - Every year, we hear whispers that the Cubs are trying to move Soriano and his giant albatross of a contract, and every year, he remains in a Cubs uniform. Is there reason to believe this year could be different? Probably not, but that hasn't stopped us yet. Alfonso's production has declined in the past few seasons (shocking for a 13-year veteran who is 36 years old), but he still puts up moderately respectable numbers: 65 homers, 215 RBI and an average OPS of .798 is nothing to turn your nose up at, and most teams have been sniffing around him for months, not just this season but last season as well. Unless the Cubbies are willing to absorb a massive amount of his remaining salary, he will probably remain in Chicago. But he's played for 4 teams in his career, and number 5 may be on the way. Potential Landing Spots: Rays, Astros.

Chase Headley - Again, there's an excellent chance you have never heard of Headley, but solely because he's spent his entire career with the Padres. Even more so, his career numbers are nothing impressive at all: .268 career average, 44 home runs and 246 RBI along with a .741 OPS means Headley won't be enshrined in Cooperstown any time soon. However, he can be clutch at the plate, and he is considered to be one of the better defenders at the hot corner in the game today. While he probably wouldn't go straight to a powerhouse team, an organization that's on the outside looking in right now may pick him up for a little insurance. Potential Landing Spots: Orioles, Diamondbacks.

Felix Hernandez - Just like Soriano, there's always mention of King Felix when July begins as a possible trade candidate for the perennial cellar-dwelling Mariners. Even though general manager Jack Zduriencik has made it incredibly obvious that they're not interested in fielding calls inquiring about Hernandez, they will invariably come a-callin' for Felix's services. Hernandez, the 2010 AL Cy Young winner, is currently 6-5 with a 3.13 ERA and 128 strikeouts, numbers that make many front office employees for most organizations salivate. Even more enticing is his age (26), but his contract is a turn off to most potential suitors (he is owed $18.5 million this year, $19.5 million next year and $20 million in 2014). Potential Landing Spots: Yankees, Mariners.

There's never any telling just when the trade winds will start blowing. But once they do, the whirlwind of players is always fantastic to watch. Stay tuned for any updates regarding players and teams on the move.