Ten Signs of a Trade Deadline Obsession

he final day of July is a special time of year for baseball fans, as it marks the final day of the non-waiver trade period.  As teams scramble to make last minute moves to improve their rosters and make a push for the playoffs, fans are enthralled by the swirling rumors surrounding the players and their teams.  Possible trades are exciting, but some fans can get carried away.  Here are 10 signs that your interest in the July 31st trade deadline might be a full-blown obsession:

1. You're watching more televisions and computer screens than you have eyeballs.

2. You suspect you may end up being a “player to be named later”.

3. You end every sentence with #tradedeadline or other Twitter hashtags, even when speaking out loud.

4. You can’t figure out the plot of Inception, but have no trouble figuring out how a multi-team deal involving Roy Oswalt, Jorge Cantu, Jeff Francoeur and Octavio Dotel would work.

5. You try to pay for everything with “cash considerations”.

6. You refer to your wife’s pregnancy as a “rebuilding year”.

7. Your have a shrine dedicated to Billy Beane… in every room of your house.

8. Your wife can’t leave you for someone else because she agreed to your no trade clause.

9. You own 6 different Fred McGriff jerseys.

10. When your wife overhears you talking about a three-way, she knows it’s actually about baseball.

Dan Port has been a writer and article editor for Baseball Press since the fall of 2009. He's a Wisconsin native and Los Angeles resident, as well as an aspiring novelist, moderately successful gambler, and avid craft beer aficionado. You can reach him at [e-mail] or on Twitter @danport.