In Episode 16, baseball is back and so is The Baseball Diaspora!  Brock & Dan look back at the first half of the 2012 season and look forward to the July 31st trade deadline, focusing specifically on the A’s and the Cardinals.  Topics of discussion include:

- How the A’s have defied predictions to finish above .500 in the first half and just 1.5 games out of the AL Wild Cards

- Revisiting the A’s offseason in light of the production the team has received from Josh Reddick, Jarrod Parker, Tom Milone, Ryan Cook and Derek Norris

- The manner in which the Cardinals have overcome the losses of Albert Pujols, Tony La Russa, Dave Duncan and Chris Carpenter to contend in 2012

- How injuries have impacted the Cardinals, but not in the ways everyone expected

- Assigning 1st half MVP, Cy Young, Rookie and “Thanks for Nothing” honors for both the A’s and the Cardinals

- What direction each of the two teams will go at the trade deadline, buyer or seller

- Whether the playoffs are in reach for either the A’s or the Cards and where each team figures to end up at season’s end

- Which of baseball’s major potential trade pieces – Cole Hamels, Zack Greinke, Justin Upton – will move before the deadline and where

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Tags: Adam Wainwright, AJ Burnett, AJ Cole, Albert Pujols, Allen Craig, Andrew Bailey, Andrew McCutchen, Arizona Diamondbacks, Bartolo Colon, Billy Beane, Brad Peacock, Brandon McCarthy, Brian Fuentes, Brock Towler, Bud Selig, Carlos Beltran, Carlos Martinez, Chris Carpenter, Chris Carter, Cincinnati Reds, Cliff Pennington, Coco Crisp, Cole Hamels, Colin Cowgill, Craig Breslow, Cy Young, Dan Lipkin, Daniel Straily, Dave Duncan, David Freese, Derek Norris, Eduardo Sanchez, Erik Bedard, Fernando Salas, first half, Francisco Liriano, Gio Gonzalez, Grant Balfour, Jaime Garcia, Jake Westbrook, James McDonald, Jarrod Parker, Jason Motte, Jemile Weeks, Joe Kelly, Jon Jay, Jonny Gomes, Josh Reddick, Justin Upton, Kevin Towers, Kolten Wong, Kurt Suzuki, Kyle Lohse, Lance Berkman, Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers, Mark Rzepczynski, Matt Holliday, Miles Head, Mitchell Boggs, MVP, New York Mets, Oakland A's, Oakland Athletics, Octavio Dotel, Oscar Taveras, Pittsburgh Pirates, Rafael Furcal, Rookie, Ryan Cook, Ryan Sweeney, San Francisco Giants, Seth Smith, Shelby Miller, Skip Schumaker, St. Louis Cardinals, Texas Rangers, Thanks for Nothing, The Baseball Diaspora, The Baseball Diaspora Podcast, Tom Milone, Tony La Russa, Trevor Cahill, Wandy Rodriguez, Washington Nationals, Wild Card, Yoenis Cespedes, Zack Greinke