The Mets will soon decide whether to keep Mike Cameron or trade him for help in other areas. John Iacono/SI
	Five That Should Stand Pat White Sox Yeah, they have flaws. Doesn't everyone? Braves If pitching is healthy, they'll be good in October. A's Do not mess with this team right now. Astros Best pitching among NL wild-card hopefuls. Indians Could use a bat, but not worth trading an arm.
	Five That Could Do Anything Marlins Talking a lot, but may be good enough as is. Cardinals Best record in NL, but need OF help. Nationals Should fold up shop, but probably won't. Tigers Should bail, but how often are they this close? Brewers They want .500, so they won't sell big.

Twenty-three teams are within five games from a spot in the postseason. There are so many teams thinking playoffs right now, with two months left in the season, that it's a lot easier to list the clubs that absolutely, positively have no chance at playing in October than it is to rattle off the contenders.

So in case you were wondering, the Devil Rays, Royals, Mariners, Pirates, Reds, Giants and Rockies have no chance.

The other 23 have some decisions to make in the couple of days before Sunday's 4 p.m. ET trade deadline. The questions they must ask themselves are relatively easy. The answers ... not so much.

Are we really in it? What do we need to do? Who can help? What can we afford to give up? What are the other guys doing? Are we SURE we're really in this thing?

No one knows what will happen in the hours to come. Heck, there isn't a single general manager in the game -- and those are the guys dealing these cards -- who knows what's going to take place before the deadline.

That's where we come in. We're here to help.

Seven who absolutely have to be buyers

Boston Red Sox
Why they're buying: Their pitching is tattered and tattooed, especially with Curt Schilling's uncertain health and Matt Clement out for an indefinite period after that liner off his noggin. Of course, Boston never can simply sit and watch anyway, because the Yankees certainly won't.

What they're buying: Starting pitching, a closer, a bigger bat at third base and maybe another one at first.

What they have to offer: First baseman Kevin Millar or third baseman Bill Mueller; maybe, if you believe the rumors, starter Bronson Arroyo. But don't expect general manager Theo Epstein to give up too many high-level minor leaguers. This team isn't that far away from repeating.

New York Yankees
Why they're buying: Because that's what the Yankees do, of course. And because if they don't hang with the other teams feverishly trying to get better, the Bombers easily could find themselves out of the postseason for the first time since 1993.

What they're buying: When you're banking on retreads Hideo Nomo and Al Leiter and on the health of Carl Pavano and Kevin Brown, starting pitching is at the top of the shopping list. Some long relief, to get to Tom Gordon and Mariano Rivera, would help, too. And there's been a lot of talk about replacing center fielder Bernie Williams. But it starts and ends with the rotation.

What they have to offer: The good minor-leaguers the Yanks have -- and, yes, there are some -- are untouchables, as is young second baseman Robinson Cano. On the big club, if someone wants to take Williams or (snicker, snicker) Tony Womack, the Yanks would be happy to oblige. The best currency the Yanks have is the ability to take on salary.