Website design By BotEap.comThese 5 offers must be made before July 31st.

Website design By BotEap.comWith the Nate McLouth trade still fresh on our minds, what other deals seem necessary, if not imminent? Atlanta was able to fill perhaps the biggest hole of any team, in their lack of production in the outfield. Here are the five trades that need to be made sooner rather than later.

Website design By BotEap.com5.) Nick Johnson traded to the Boston Red Sox.

Website design By BotEap.comThis doesn’t sound like a blockbuster deal, but the Red Sox don’t need any kind of overhaul, just a little tweaking to really rev their engine. Ortiz seems to be depressed that he may not be able to get out of. At least not this year. In the American League you have to get production out of your designated hitter spot. Johnson would be a nice upgrade and could spot Kevin Youkilis at first base occasionally.

Website design By BotEap.com4.) José Valverde traded to the Toronto Blue Jays.

Website design By BotEap.comScott Downs has performed admirably as the Blue Jays’ closer so far this season. However, if Toronto wants to make a serious run at a playoff birth this year, they need a dominant ninth-inning option to rival Mariano Rivera and Jonathan Papelbon in the AL East. Scott Downs would be a much better option in the eighth and would take even less pressure off of BJ Ryan. In return, the Blue Jays have some good young bats in their farm system that Houston could consider.

Website design By BotEap.com3.) Miguel Tejada was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals.

Website design By BotEap.comI realize the Astros and Cardinals are in the same division, which makes them unlikely trading partners. But the Astros need to see the writing on the wall. They have been very bad this year and they have great commercial chips in Valverde and Tejada that they must take advantage of. Troy Glaus could miss the rest of the year and Khalil Greene just landed on the disabled list a few days ago, leaving behind a weakened left side of the infield. In fact, Tejada has been a bright spot for Houston this year, hitting .355 while managing in 33, and could play SS or 3B for the Red Birds.

Website design By BotEap.com2.) Matt Holliday traded to the Mets.

Website design By BotEap.comEveryone knows that the Yankees, Red Sox and Mets are almost always buyers at the deadline. With division rival Atlanta making the first big stir, the Mets could certainly beat them by acquiring the biggest bat available. Holliday would give the Mets the scariest 3,4,5 of any team in the Majors. Beltran, Wright and Holliday in the middle of the order would make pitchers tremble. It would also allow them to keep Sheffield on the bench and have their bat in crucial pinch situations late in the game.

Website design By BotEap.com1.) Erik Bedard to the Philadelphia Phillies.

Website design By BotEap.comThis is the most important deal to make for a number of reasons. The Phillies lead by 3.5 games as of today and have done so with a pretty lackluster rotation. Here are the ERAs of the four starters who have recorded the most innings for the Phillies.

Website design By BotEap.comCole Hamels – 4.62
Brett Myers-4.66
Joe Blanton-5.46
Jamie Moyer- 6.27

Website design By BotEap.comBedard would give the Phillies one of the Majors’ toughest left-handed duos with Hamels. His mere presence would take the pressure off guys like Blanton and Moyer. Philly clearly has a chance to repeat, but they can’t stick with what they currently have. By consolidating their rotation, a return trip to the World Series would seem much more likely.