Tom Singer of MLB.com talks about 16 players that could benefit from a change of scenery via the July 31st non-waiver Trade Deadline. He’s dubbed them the Bittersweet 16:

Mike Lowell, Boston Red Sox
No revelations here for the Prisoner of Yawkey Way. He was ticketed out of town when Boston signed free agent Adrian Beltre, and became trapped when a December trade to Texas fell through with diagnosis of a right-thumb ligament injury that required surgery. He has been stuck in limbo ever since, playing little (80 at-bats), with his release requests ignored.

“I think that’s been addressed. I’ve got no say,” said Lowell, who has been uncommonly candid about his plight. “What do you want me to do? Maybe nobody wants me. Maybe there are four that want me. I’ve been hearing a lot of different things.”

Carlos Zambrano, Chicago Cubs
Despite his track record — and his baggage — do you realize he only just turned 29? Get him away from Lou Piniella and “Z” could turn back on the Ks. Piniella would certainly appreciate it.

Brandon Wood, Los Angeles Angels: He has hit 161 home runs in the Minors, but hit .181 in 142 games over parts of four seasons with the Angels, with more than 12 times as many strikeouts (126) as homers (10). By now, he must be completely psyched out by the sight of red. But he is only 25 — much too young for self-doubts. Give him a fresh star

B.J. Upton, Tampa Bay Rays
He has been in harrowing, steady decline since becoming a breakthrough star at 22 in 2007. His on-field lapses have rolled eyes in the Tampa Bay region a little too often. At 25, his immense talents could bring a bounty on the trade market, and he’d be freed from the sense that he needs to convert skeptics.

Seeing it the same way, a scout said of Upton earlier this season: “I think he just needs a change of scenery, and that’s not to imply that Tampa Bay doesn’t create a good place for him. But sometimes you just need a new perspective on things, and I think he might take off if he were someplace else.”

Casey Kotchman, Seattle Mariners
First, Seattle reacquired Russell Branyan, then traded for Justin Smoak. OK, Kotchman gets the idea, and has had only 38 at-bats in the past month. Toss him the league lifeline? Kotchman batted .282 with the Braves in the first half of last season, but .215 with the Red Sox and the Mariners since.

Jeff Francoeur, New York Mets
Who knows? The 26-year-old outfielder could be one of those perpetual new-scenery guys. After hitting .250 in Atlanta the first half of last season, he picked it up with the Mets (.311), but now is back hitting at that same .250 level. Carlos Beltran’s return has reduced him to bench insurance.

Andy LaRoche, Pittsburgh Pirates
He is on the flip-side of the stir the Bucs created a month ago by calling up Pedro Alvarez, the second overall selection in the 2008 First-Year Player Draft. LaRoche has started five games since. There are better uses for a 26-year-old’s bat.

Joba Chamberlain, New York Yankees
He doesn’t want to leave, but can anyone rule out that the Joba Rules and the jig-jag between rotation and bullpen has lowered his once-high ceiling?

Dioner Navarro, Tampa Bay Rays
One of the spark plugs of the ‘08 AL champions is back in the Minors and John Jaso has taken over as the primary backstop in Tampa Bay.

Chris Getz, Kansas City Royals
Someone must be able to use a 26-year-old with a lifetime 89-percent stolen-base success rate. The Royals can’t, even after dealing Mark Teahen to acquire him from the White Sox. An early injury opened to door for Mike Aviles, whose hot bat has kept him at second and Getz in the dugout.

Chris Snyder, Arizona Diamondbacks
A solid, hard-nosed catcher with a throwback style, he lost his starting job to Miguel Montero last season through injury. Snyder did a solid job when given a reprieve early this season by Montero’s own trip to the disabled list. Tough to swallow is that Montero got his job back upon his June 20 return and he’s started 20 games since. That number is seven for Snyder.

Kosuke Fukudome, Chicago Cubs
He got out of Piniella’s doghouse, but the emergence of rookie Tyler Colvin is making it increasingly difficult for him to get out of the Cubs’ dugout.

Jeff Larish, Detroit Tigers
A left-handed hitter with considerable pop — 88 Minor League homers since ‘06 — who won’t get the same chance Austin Jackson and Brennan Boesch have taken advantage of because Miguel Cabrera has a padlock on his position.

Delwyn Young, Pittsburgh Pirates
He is a young player without a position, but with a specialty: He is a viable threat off the bench. Thirty-nine of his 62 appearances have been as a pinch-hitter — a role in which he has gone 11-for-38. Being a switch-hitter makes him even more valuable in a role that could help an NL contender.

Jeremy Hellickson, Tampa Bay Rays
Lights-out in Durham, squeezed-out in Tampa Bay. The 23-year-old righty has gone 17-3 in Triple-A, improving his overall Minor League record to 48-15 with a sharp 2.62 ERA since being a fourth-round pick in the ‘05 First-Year Player Draft. But whose job is he supposed to take with the Rays? Being wait-listed has to be getting to him.

Manny Ramirez, Los Angeles Dodgers
It hasn’t taken nearly as long as it did in Boston, but it may again be time for Manny to move on, if his career still has another layer left in it. His recurring leg problems only underline the fact that his remaining productive days should be spent in the AL as a designated hitter.

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