Heath Bell

An aging right-hander who has pitched only 40 innings for one of the worst teams in baseball could wind up determining which teams make the World Series this year. Or maybe that honor will go to a gimpy 34-year-old outfielder with two surgically repaired knees whose current team would pay as much as $6 million to get rid of him. Then again, maybe neither will get anywhere close to a pennant race. Such are the vagaries of the week before baseball's July 31 nonwaiver trade deadline, perhaps the busiest and most important seven days of the season.

Reporting from Dallas — Seated at a table in a corner of the media workroom at the Hilton Anatole Hotel, Miami Marlins Manager Ozzie Guillen was informed his team had reached an agreement with free-agent pitcher Mark Buehrle on a four-year, $58-million contract. "Now, how about three more?" Guillen said. Three more, as in three more players. The few dozen reporters around him laughed. Long known for a form frugality that made Frank McCourt's Dodgers look like free spenders, the Marlins turned the baseball world upside down at the winter meetings this week by committing almost $200 million to three players — Buehrle, National League batting champion Jose Reyes and All-Star closer Heath Bell.

This weekend's series between the Dodgers and the Miami Marlins matches last-place teams that took wildly divergent routes to the cellar. New Dodgers ownership splurged for a star-studded roster and the highest payroll in baseball - a $230-million collection of talent that has produced the worst record in the National League West. And yet the Dodgers, despite a 13-20 record before Friday, lead the major leagues in attendance. Meanwhile, after loading up on high-priced free agents to attract fans to his team's new ballpark in 2012, Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria gutted his roster by season's end. The starless Marlins arrived at Dodger Stadium with a 10-25 record, the worst in the National League.

Baseball's average salary increased 3.8% this year to a record $3.2 million. According to final figures released Friday by the Major League Baseball Players Assn., the rise was the steepest since 2007. The boost was helped by an increase in the minimum salary from $414,000 to $480,000. The New York Yankees had the highest average for the 14th consecutive season at $6.88 million, rising after consecutive declines from a peak of $7.66 million when they won the World Series in 2009.

Staff writer Tim Hubbard takes at look at some not-so-likely assets that can help fantasy owners fill the gaps in their lineups. James Loney 1B | Tampa Bay Dodgers fans may not have noticed, or my not want to notice, how productive Loney has been for the Rays. After a mostly disappointing seven years with the Dodgers in which he averaged 10 home runs and 60 RBIs, Loney is leading the American League in hitting at .385. Loney still has low-wattage power, but he has provided solid protection for cleanup hitter Evan Longoria.

Rookie Everth Cabrera hit a grand slam in the ninth inning off closer Francisco Rodriguez to give the San Diego Padres a 6-2 victory over the New York Mets on Friday night. Cabrera, who struck out three times, connected on a 3-and-2 pitch from Rodriguez (2-3) into the right-field stands to give the Padres their 11th win over New York in 14 games. The Padres tied the game in the ninth at 2-2 after Kyle Blanks led off with a walk and scored on fellow rookie Will Venable's double into the right-field corner off Rodriguez.

NEW YORK -- Billy Wagner couldn't close it out. Trevor Hoffman couldn't, either. After two of baseball's best closers flopped again Thursday night, Heath Bell had enough moxie to hang on for his first major league save. Adrian Gonzalez homered in the 10th inning and the San Diego Padres outlasted the New York Mets, 9-8, in a wild game that included blown saves by Wagner and Hoffman. "It's a rarity, that's for sure," Padres Manager Bud Black said. "It just goes to show you closers are human.

Florida 7, at Washington 4: Cody Ross hit the tying homer in the eighth inning, then hit a three-run double in the ninth to give the Marlins their seventh straight victory. Cincinnati 4, at Houston 2: Reds pitcher Micah Owings hit a pinch-hit, two-run double to help Cincinnati rally. Owings is two for three as a pinch-hitter this season. at Philadelphia 5, San Diego 4: The Phillies' Raul Ibanez hit a walk-off two-run homer in the ninth inning off Edwin Moreno.