Sliding can make the difference between being safe -- or out of the playoffs

Rumors: <a name="&amp;lpos=story_in" href="http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/features/rumors?addata=2009_insdr_mod_mlb_xxx_xxx">Lack of options for John Lackey
Keith Law: <a name="&amp;lpos=story_in" href="http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/hotstove09/insider/columns/story?columnist=law_keith&id=4647444&addata=2009_insdr_mod_mlb_xxx_xxx">The top 50 free agents
Olney: <a name="&amp;lpos=story_in" href="http://insider.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?entryID=4681683&name=olney_buster&addata=2009_insdr_mod_mlb_xxx_xxx">Joe Mauer's unclear future
KEG: <a name="&amp;lpos=story_in" href="http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=4481536&addata=2009_insdr_mod_mlb_xxx_xxx">Early 2010 look-aheads

Updated: September 11, 2009, 1:19 PM ET

It's a dirty job ...

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By Jeff Bradley
ESPN The Magazine
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This story appears in the Sept. 21 issue of ESPN The Magazine.

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