The trade deadline is rapidly approaching. One could go to MLB Trade Rumors every 15 minutes to check out the rumors, but most of the deadline deals are about common sense. Which teams are in the playoff hunt and which teams are clearly out of the playoff hunt. From there you look at teams needs and places of surplus for the sellers and you can play matchmaker pretty easily.

The second group of shortstops are a coveted group even though their numbers leave a lot to be desired. If you add in the Detroit Tigers (who did not have a qualifying shortstop), there are a grand total of five teams that have shortstops with real offensive values below .200. As you might imagine, any team that has any designs of getting to October can’t survive long with any position that weak. Mind you, the players on the next list may not be world beaters, but teams looking to make it to the playoffs might find something they like.

Last time, we added the differential category that calculates how many more runs a player is producing (RBI + Runs – HR) than they are creating. As you can see, it is natural for any player to produce more, but the question is how much more. Here, we see three players that are producing twice as many runs as they are creating. Obviously, they are benefitting from either good luck or from good support.

Asdrubal Cabrera– Cleveland Indians

The extra wild card has put some teams in no man’s land. After advancing to the playoffs last season, the Indians may be reluctant to give up on this season. The Tigers appear to be running away with the division, but as long as the Indians hover around .500 they may be tempted to add rather than subtract. That being said, there might not be no better time to deal Cabrera since Francisco Lindor is waiting in the wings. Cabrera might be the most overrated shortstop on the board overall, so if you can get a couple of good prospects for him you should probably do it.

Erick Aybar– Los Angeles Angels

Aybar is second among shortstops in runs produced. Let that sink in a little bit when considering his value. Unfortunately, the Angels are like the riverboat gambler that sticks in with a pair of eights. They look around the table to and see some aces and some jacks, but they just can’t throw the cards in. They are on pace to win a wild card now, so they added Huston Street to the roster. In terms of the long-term future, trading Aybar now would make perfect sense. Yet, that would mean folding after they’ve already shucked for a buck.

Jed Lowrie– Oakland Athletics

Lowrie is an enigma wrapped in a riddle. He falls in the middle of the pack in terms of real offensive value, but that also puts him as a below average player in comparison with the rest of the league. Yet, the Athletics chose to deal Addison Russell, so there really isn’t much waiting in the wings. The decision on Lowrie will come in the offseason when it comes time to decide on a new contract. Defensively, he is a bit of a liability, but he is capable of playing second and third. He might be able to survive as one of those super subs.

Jonathan Villar– Houston Astros

The Astros sent Villar down several weeks ago, but he still has enough at bats to qualify as an everyday shortstop. Funny, but he has performed better offensively than some shortstops that play everyday. Go figure. The Astros have one of the deeper farm systems in the game and Marwin Gonzalez seems to be holding down the fort just fine. Maybe Villar gets thrown into a deal towards the deadline for a desperate team. He could also stick around and compete for the job again next season.

Elvis Andrus– Texas Rangers

The stars are aligned perfectly for Andrus to be dealt. Jurickson Profar is the shortstop of the future and was stuck at second base. Rougned Odor seems to have taken to the position in Profar’s absence, so there is a logjam there again. The Rangers are losing, so if they can shed just a little salary in the coming weeks (namely Andrus, Alex Rios and Joakim Soria) then they will be ready to fight another day when their injured brigade comes back healthy in 2015.