Daily Sports: The MLB Trade Deadline Hits Wednesday

Wednesday is a quiet day in daily sports when it comes to finding something on TV, but it’s going to be a big day on impact, as we approach the MLB non-waiver trade deadline at 4 PM ET. And the one game on national television is a big one, as the Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Cardinals play the fourth game of their five-game set from PNC Park (7 PM ET, ESPN).

You can also get NFL coverage from training camps, with live look-ins throughout the day on NFL Network, and then an 8 PM ET recap of all the day’s notable events.

But the big news is the trade deadline, and there’s always a flurry of action in the closing hours on this day. At 6 PM ET, I’ll be podcasting at Prime Sports Network, as host Greg DePalma and I go over all the moves made—including the impact of earlier deals, like Texas picking up Matt Garza and Detroit adding closer Jose Veras—and determine how this affects the division races. For those who prefer to read, rather than listen, check back here later this evening, as a column summarizing my thoughts will be posted.

We’ll also revise our predictions for the playoffs and World Series if necessary. Although since I’ve already picked the Angels, Rangers and A’s, in that order, to win the AL West, I think my quota of changes is more than used up.

And the plans for football, here at TheSportsNotebook are taking place. Starting next week, NFL analysis will look at two divisions per week, as we build to the September 5 opener between the Baltimore Ravens and Denver Broncos, a rematch of their epic playoff game in 2012. College football coverage will be a  little more accelerated since the season begins on August 29, so we’ll look at anywhere from three to four conferences each week, including the mid-majors.