OK, pretend (or if it's Sunday, don't) you are the General Manager of the Florida Marlins, Larry Beinfest. Improbably, every team in the NL went 1-1 in their last two games so the standings are the same GB wise. You're 5.5 games back of Atlanta in the East (4 in the loss column) but only 2.5 games back of either Chicago or the struggling Nationals in the Wild Card race. At the least, you are in the race for two playoff spots. The problem is, you're one of seven teams fighting for those two spots.
It's 3:00 PM and you're on the line with both Theo Epstein (BOS) and Kenny Williams (CHW). Both GMs are still steady on their offers from a few days ago reported nationwide. Boston's willing to give up SP Bronson Arroyo and Prospect Anibal Sanchez while Chicago (AL) is willing to deal RP Damaso Marte and Prospect Brandon McCarthy. Sanchez is ripping up AA hitters and McCarthy has dipped his feet in the MLB waters. All you have to give up is A.J. Burnett and neither team will take Mike Lowell on.
A.J. Burnett's status is this: He will not sign an extension for anyone. He knows he will test the market and with pitching as it is, he's not giving up 10 million dollar potential to make your trading life easier. You know if you don't trade him, all you'll get is a draft pick from the team who signs him. However, without him, the odds of your team making the playoffs take a dive with Dontrelle struggling and Beckett being an injury risk in the past few years. And who knows how long Moheler stays up anyway? If you trade him, you can almost kiss the playoffs goodbye.
You have an hour until the deadline falls as you're keeping both ears on the phones for GMs and one eye each on the HoF proceedings and the game below you as the Marlins are winning their rubber game versus the Nats and trying to pull within 1.5 games of the WC. The question is, as Larry Beinfest, do you pull the trigger on one of the two Burnett deals (either BOS or CHW) or not. If you do, do you then proceed to try and deal a few other Marlins to interested teams at the last minute, such as Encarnancion and maybe even Lowell or do you just keep the rest of the team, also, which deal do you take? If you decide not to trade Burnett, then do you trade for help depleting your farm but giving yourself the best shot possible or stick with the team you have, which many people believe to be underachieving.
What do you do?