MLB Trade Rumors: Fact or Fiction? The Whispers You Should Not Believe

It's June, and that means that trade rumors are starting to fly.  Every year we baseball fans watch with bated breath as we discover what moves our favorite teams (and their rivals) are making.

The trade deadline has become a time that decides who is going to the playoffs and who is not.  Some teams like the Philadelphia Phillies make blockbuster moves, such as landing Cliff Lee the first time.  Other teams trade away their expiring talent and try to look towards the future.  Yet other teams do nothing at all.

The trade deadline carries an enormous amount of weight in deciding how each team does in the season, and with that being the case, there are bound to be some rumors.

Did I say some?  I'm sorry, what I meant is that more rumors fly at the trade deadline than in a high school.

While the trade deadline is still a ways off there are not too many rumors which we can squash just yet, but you can bet come July, there will be too many rumors to keep track of.

For now, there are a few rumors which we need to delegate as being just that, a rumor.  These are the whispers that you shouldn't believe.

Prince Fielder Will Be Dealt

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WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 17: Prince Fielder #28 of the Milwaukee Brewers in the on deck circle against the Washington Nationals during the second game of a doubleheader at Nationals Park on April 17, 2011 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images

We've been hearing about Prince Fielder trades since spring training because he is in his final year of his contract.

Fielder is a great hitter, and there are a lot of teams with the pitching to make it to the postseason but not the hitting.  Fielder could have been a valuable asset to a team looking to make the postseason such as the Mariners in the West.

The reason that Fielder will not be dealt anywhere is that the Brewers are still in contention.  Milwaukee sit just two-and-a-half games back of the St. Louis Cardinals, and they are looking to overtake them now that their team is overcoming their injury problems.

The Brewers are clicking, and they can use Fielder to make it to the postseason themselves.

The only reason that the Brewers would even consider dealing Fielder would be if they fell far out of contention in the NL Central, and I seriously doubt that will happen in the next two months.

Lance Berkman Will Be Traded

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ST. LOUIS, MO - MAY 5: Lance Berkman #12 of the St. Louis Cardinals rounds the bases after hitting the game-winning three-run home run against the Florida Marlins at Busch Stadium on May 5, 2011 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Ima

Lance Berkman has been the most surprising player in the National League this season.  Berkman has been hitting .338 with 11 home runs and 36 RBI.

The Cardinals were looking for just a small amount of production when they signed Berkman to a one-year deal, but they signed one of the best hitters in the league.

The Cardinals have one of the best lineups in all of baseball now with a core of Albert Pujols, Matt Holliday and Berkman.

We thought that the Cardinals would end up being sellers at the deadline because they lost Wainwright because he needed Tommy John surgery, but they are leading the NL Central.

With Berkman doing well and because he is going to become a free agent at the end of the season, there is currently some speculation about him being available at the trade deadline.

With the Cards trying to enter the postseason again, there is almost no way that they will trade Berkman.

Felix Hernandez Will Be Traded to the New York Yankees

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OAKLAND, CA - APRIL 01: Felix Hernandez #34 of the Seattle Mariners celebrates at the end of the eighth inning against the Oakland Athletics during an opening day game of Major League Baseball at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on April 1, 2011 in Oa

Please stop trying to tell us that Felix Hernandez is going to the New York Yankees!

I don't know about you, but I am sick of hearing that the New York Yankees are interested in Felix Hernandez...everyone is!

King Felix is still part of the Seattle Mariners, and he isn't going anywhere.  The Mariners are second in the AL West at 28-27, only one-and-a-half games back of the Texas Rangers.

The Mariners are still in contention, and they will be looking to buy hitters, not sell their ace.  The M's won't be trading Felix Hernandez anytime soon, so can we please stop spreading rumors?

Albert Pujols Will Be Dealt at the Deadline

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DENVER, CO - MAY 27: First baseman Albert Pujols #5 of the St. Louis Cardinals looks on during a break i n the action against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on May 27, 2011 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

Albert Pujols has had a very interesting 2011, starting with contract issues, and now he has been rumored to be on the trading block.

The Rookie of the Year in 2001, and three-time MVP, Pujols is the best first baseman in the MLB (sorry Joey Votto), but he is not having a good 2011.

Pujols is in the final year of his contract, and he has been rumored to be on the block.  Every team in the MLB could use the services, of Albert Pujols, but he will not be dealt.

Pujols and the Cardinals are leading the NL Central.  The Cardinals know that Pujols will turn his season around, and when that happens, they will be an absolute force.  The Cards won't be trading Pujols anytime soon.

The Cardinals Will Trade for Heath Bell

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HOUSTON - APRIL 15: Pitcher Heath Bell #21 of the San Diego Padres throws in the ninth inning against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park on April 15, 2011 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)

The San Diego Padres' reliever Heath Bell is one of the best relievers on the market in 2011.

Bell is one of few proven relievers one the market, and with an ERA under 2.00, and a WHIP under 1.000, he is proving that he is still a good pitcher.

Bell has said that he wishes to remain in San Diego, and that he would even be willing to take a pay cut to stay with the team.  Bell loves the organization in San Diego, and as long as he wants to stay, there is no reason to trade him.

Secondly, Bell's $7.5 million salary in 2011 is pretty large, and the Padres would not want to pay it if he would be dealt.  The Cardinals would not want to pay his salary either because that would put the team over $100 million.

If Bell were to try to be traded to the Cardinals he would voice his unhappiness, and there would be a huge argument over who would pay him.

The Padres and Cardinals will not be able to work out a deal for Bell in 2011, and I see him staying with the team and then taking that pay cut he said he would take in the 2012 season.

Jose Reyes Will Be Traded

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NEW YORK, NY - MAY 22: Jose Reyes #7 of the New York Mets looks on during batting practice prior to the start of the game against the New York Yankees on May 22, 2011 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Im

We all thought Jose Reyes would become a high-priced trading chip at the trade deadline, but that isn't the case anymore.

Reyes is in the final year of his five-year contract, and as such, he was thought to be on the market.  By this point in the season, we thought that the Mets would be too far behind the Phillies and Braves to be considered in the running for the NL East title, but they have surprised us.

The Mets are eight games back of the Phillies and only four games under .500 despite injury problems and not having their ace Johan Santana.

Reyes is having himself a great season, .335 with eight triples and 17 doubles this season.  Reyes is also getting it done on defense, and he has been the spark that has ignited the Mets.  The Mets will be looking to sign Reyes to a long-term deal, not try trading him away.

According to Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com, the Mets are much more likely to trade David Wright than they are Jose Reyes because they are looking to keep Reyes as the face of the franchise.

The Mets won't deal Reyes when reinforcements are coming in when Santana gets back.