It was only a week ago or so that one NL executive compared the MLB trade market to the weather in terms of unpredictability: "It can change really quickly, because all of a sudden you could have some teams decide they're going to be sellers," he said. "The standings will dictate a lot of this."

This is how, in a short time, a thin starting pitching market has quickly thickened with options -- not all of them great, but options nonetheless -- for teams in search of starting pitching. And this is how a flush market for outfielders is suddenly saturated to the degree that it may be difficult for teams to extract value in a trade.

Back in the spring, the Reds were in a good bargaining position with right fielder Jay Bruce, and that probably was still the case in May and June, especially after he got off to such a good start. But now there are a bunch of outfielders available, with far fewer apparent buyers.

The outfielders currently dangling in the market, according to general managers are: Oakland's Josh Reddick; San Diego's Melvin Upton Jr., who is headed to Toronto assuming the deal is pushed across the finish line; Carlos Beltran and Brett Gardner of the Yankees; the aforementioned Bruce; Melky Cabrera and Adam Eaton of the White Sox; Carlos Gonzalez and Charlie Blackmon of the Rockies; Atlanta's Nick Markakis; and the Dodgers' Yasiel Puig, among others.

Which teams appear to be buyers in the market for outfielders?