With the Rockies still struggling, will they consider moving Todd Helton? Robert Beck/SI

The old adage says if a team can finish in last place with you, it can finish in last place without you. This philosophy has become the mantra of small-market teams that have financial problems and fall out of contention.

However, just like dump deals in fantasy baseball, some very valuable players get moved when their teams tank. Unfortunately, for those of you who play in AL- or NL-only leagues, you'll lose their services if they get traded out of your league. So it might be time to err on the safe side and deal some of the stars of this season's worst teams.

Cincinnati Reds

With D'Angelo Jimenez reporting to Class AA and Danny Graves awaiting his destination, with the Reds having just over a week to field trade offers for the right-hander, there are a couple of other Reds who should start looking at breaking their leases.

Joe Randa is a professional hitter and would make a good reserve for a pennant contender. With Edwin Encarnacion hitting above .300 with seven home runs for Class AAA Louisville, Randa, who began the season on fire, becomes extremely expendable.

While the Reds are cleaning house a bit, look for them to try to alleviate the logjam in the outfield by dealing either Wily Mo Pena or Austin Kearns. Adam Dunn is too valuable, and Ken Griffey Jr. costs too much and wouldn't fetch enough in a trade. Therefore Kearns and Pena are in play as is much of the bullpen (Kent Mercker, David Weathers, Ben Weber).

Kansas City Royals

No manager, virtually no talent and no hope of competing sums up the 2005 Royals, which wins them the title of LFVT (Least Fantasy Valued Team). Kansas City has been in a constant state of rebuilding for years, but for some reason they chose to pepper their lineup with veterans this season.

Since you should already have very few Royals on your team to begin with, you have very little to worry about here, but those who own Mike Sweeney, rest easy: Should he be traded, it's virtually a lock that he'll go to an AL team (Texas is the most popular rumored destination). Other Royals who could move on include the disappointing Eli Marrero (.165, four HRs, nine RBIs), the entertaining but incredibly hittable Jose Lima (0-3, 8.13 ERA), and perennial fourth or fifth outfielder Terrence Long.

Tampa Bay Devil Rays

No team has more trade rumors swirling around their valuable players than the Devil Rays. With right fielder Delmon Young and shortstop B.J. Upton on the verge of major league careers and center fielder Rocco Baldelli slated to return in July, the Rays will have chips to deal, with Aubrey Huff and Danys Baez the most popular targets.

Should he be dealt, there's very little chance that Baez will stay a closer as he's more suited for setup work on a contending team. Apparently there's been some interest in Huff from the Rangers, but if I were to guess, he strikes me as a player the Braves would like to see playing right field and batting between the Joneses, which means that you should be entertaining offers for the versatile hitter.

Houston Astros

How quickly the mighty have fallen. The defection of Carlos Beltran and injuries to the biggest Killer B's (Jeff Bagwell and Lance Berkman) have rendered the Astros one of baseball's worst teams, although their roster really isn't that bad.

With the exception of the Roger Clemens-to-the-Yankees rumor (a very feasible deal), don't look for much dealing in Houston. In 2006, having a healthy Berkman, Roy Oswalt, Adam Everett, Brad Lidge and Andy Pettitte to go with youngsters like Chris Burke, Willy Taveras, Luke Scott, not to mention a little luck, could turn the 'Stros into wild-card contenders again.

Colorado Rockies

Virtually everyone on the current roster fits into two categories: prospect getting acclimated to life in the big leagues or veteran space holder collecting a paycheck until the prospect groomed to replace him is ready to be promoted.

The two exceptions are Preston Wilson and the greatest player in team history, Todd Helton. The Rockies have been actively shopping Wilson for months, and there's virtually no chance he'll remain with the team for the whole season if he stays healthy. Helton is the toughest call of the season. The face of the franchise for nearly a decade, most folks believe that the first baseman no longer fits in the Colorado's long-term plans. There's less than a 50 percent chance, however, that the Rockies will deal him this season.