Trade Options

The Yankees are always rumored to be involved in trades, whether they’re blockbusters or minor deals, the team is always linked to a variety of pitchers and hitters. All that means is that Brian Cashman is doing his job and is exploring his options (while driving the prices up for competing ball clubs like the Red Sox or the Rays). For fun, here’s a list of players that the Yankees have been linked to as the trade deadline approaches, along with a quick description.

1. Xavier Nady: Could happen, but the price will have to drop
2. Jason Bay: Probably won’t happen, but he’d be a great addition
3. Damaso Marte: Currently closing for the Bucs; doubtful but possible
4. John Grabow: A decent lefty that could be had on the cheap from the Pirates
5. Matt Holliday: No chance here; the Phillies were close, but unless the Yankees are willing to part with Joba or Phil Hughes, this is a pretty unrealistic option
6. Brian Fuentes: The Rockies have reportedly been scouting Humberto Sanchez; could happen but he’s not necessary and therefore the Yankees won’t be willing to part with too much, making Grabow and Marte more attractive options
7. A.J. Burnett: I don’t think it will happen; his contract is scary and his performance is erratic; let’s not forget about his health and that he plays for the Jays
8. Bronson Arroyo: K rate is up, but his performance has been poor; if the Reds are looking to dump his salary then he could be an option that won’t cost much talent in return
9. Adam Dunn: Jon Heyman thinks he’d be a good fit since he won’t cost much outside of money (like fellow teammate, Bronson Arroyo); however, a lot of people are weary about his love for the game and there hasn’t been much on the Dunn front beyond Heyman’s mention
10. Jarrod Washburn: J-Dub looks like the guy the Yankees are shooting for, but there have been conflicting reports about the actual interest as well as Washburn’s desire to play for NY; If the Mariners try to pass Vidro in a Washburn deal to the Yanks, I think the team would pass
11. Derek Lowe: No chance; The Dodgers want a bat and the Yankees don’t have any to spare; plus, the Dodgers are right at the top of the standings and they won’t part with solid pitching for nothing
12. Paul Byrd: There have been brief mentions about Byrd since he is available, but right now, I doubt the Yankees are seriously looking at him since he doesn’t offer all that much
13. Freddy Garcia: Ozzie Guillen, one of Freddy’s better friends in the game, doesn’t even think Garcia will be ready to contribute to a team, so why should the Yankees?
14. Casey Blake: Heyman also noted that the Yankees may pursue Cleveland’s versatile player, although there hasn’t been much beyond his rumor; he would offer some much needed versatility though, which would provide Damon, Giambi, A-Rod and others ample opportunities to DH (and rest)
15. Gerald Laird: He’s a solid catcher but the Rangers aren’t ready to let Salty take over, especially when you consider how he is behind the plate (is he a catcher or a 1B?)
16. Miguel Olivo: Why bother?
17. Paul Lo Duca: See Miguel Olivo’s description x2

These are some of the names we’ve heard. I tried to get all of them, but if I missed any, please feel free to discuss them in the comments section. I’ve also suggested Raul Ibanez on this blog, but I haven’t seen much interest expressed in any mainstream media outlets. The team’s top officials will convene tomorrow in order to discuss possible trade scenarios along with their internal options (Alfredo Aceves?). In a few days, one or more of these guys could be on the team.

Posada Still Thinking

Jorge Posada will wait to make a decision about season-ending surgery. For now, he’ll rehab his shoulder while on the 15-day DL and if he can hit without pain, he says that he’ll try and return. He’ll likely be relegated to DH if he does return, however, you have to wonder why the Yankees would allow this. Their investment in Posada runs well beyond this season, so having a healthy Jorge to start next season seems like it would be the main priority (especially since surgery is required). PA at the LoHud Blog speculates that team pres, Randy Levine, is trying to recoup on Posada’s contract and is promoting Posda’s return, but Levine, himself, calls that notion “silly”.

UPDATE (7:50) — Also, there are reports from Jon Heyman and Ken Rosenthal which state that the Yankees are looking for another starting catcher. Basically, while it seems like it would work to have Molina/Moeller start games in Jorge’s absence, sometimes practicality doesn’t allow that. They’re both backup catchers, by trade, and therefore, they may not have the stamina to split regular duties (especially with Molina taking up most of the duties). The Yanks are reportedly looking at Gerald Laird (Rangers), Miguel Olivo (Royals), and Paul Lo Duca (Nationals). I like Laird, and he’s had a good year. Of course the Rangers are going to want some pitching talent for his bat (and his defense). There are rumors (via Ken Davidoff) that the Rockies are looking at our boy Humberto Sanchez (for Brian Fuentes, I presume), so why not just trade Sanchez for Laird if you deem him expendable? At this point, while I like Fuentes, do we even need him?

Could It Be?

Mike Mussina just earned win number 13 (capping off a sweet Minnesota sweep) and he still has the entire second half ahead of him. Could that elusive 20-win season be possible for the Moose in 2008? You can be sure that, if he gets there (it’ll be difficult), you could also hear some Cy Young talk as well. Of course, we never doubted him, even after last year’s debacle… uh, yeah.

Complex Washburn

While the Yankees are certainly looking at Jarrod Washburn as an option for their rotation, Ken Rosenthal reports that Washburn can veto a trade to NY (he has no-trade protection) and that could complicate matters. He also notes that the Mariners are looking for young pitching but the Yankees aren’t willing to give up much if they have to take on Washburn’s hefty contract in its entirety. Also, Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated states that the Mariners are trying to lose the horrible Jose Vidro (a DH!) in the Washburn deal, so the Yankees would have to acquire him as well. If that’s the case, the Yankees should balk. Vidro is a useless hitter and I wouldn’t expect him to contribute anything to the Yankees.

But, here’s an idea. Our good friend Buster Olney (ESPN) mentions that the Mariners, who are basically willing to trade a lot of their players since their year is done, are also going to look at possible deals for their best RBI man, Raul Ibanez. Ibanez is a solid lefty (.278/.345/.451) which would be the only problem if he were acquired by the Yankees, particularly because Cashman has been rumored to be searching for a right-handed bat. Either way, left or right, Raul can hit and he’s similar to Hideki Matsui. He actually may have more HR pop than Matsui, at this stage in his careeer. Also, his defense is poor enough so Johnny Damon and Bobby Abreu are better in the OF. This would allow Ibanez to slot in at DH, no questions asked, but he could also alternate with Damon at LF to give Damon a day off.

That scenario, a Washburn-Ibanez package (Abreu-Lidle?), would be a nice fit for the Yankees. However, the Mariners would be hesitant to give up Ibanez since he’s a Seattle favorite and he puts people in the seats at Safeco. Then again, Ibanez isn’t getting any older (36), and by the time the team is able to make a legitimate run, his career may be over. It seems in their best interest to trade him now, but, the Mariners will probably ask for a lot for him and Washburn (more than Igawa and cash).

Wednesday’s Bits: CC, Posada, Trade Deadline, Aceves

Here’s a quick batch of bits before I head to bed:

• Jon Heyman has an interesting read out. According to Heyman, while it’s no secret that CC Sabathia loves the west coast (he lives there), that doesn’t mean that he’s willing to forgo his payday. A few baseball figures believe that Sabathia will chase the money (probably to the east) instead of following his heart, however noble that may seem. To be honest, if he were to follow his heart he would have stayed in Cleveland. Yes, CC loves the west coast but he’s not going to provide any discounts to the Dodgers or Angels (he didn’t even do that for Cleveland). Heyman also notes that the Yankees are gearing up to woo CC in the offseason (tell us something we don’t know Jon).
• Next up, Jorge Posada needs surgery on his shoulder. He has a torn labrum and a tear in his rotator cuff. That’s some serious stuff and he’ll need at least 6 months of rehab after the surgery is completed, so obviously his season is in jeopardy. Jorge is currently pondering what he should do and what’s best for the team, either rehab or have the surgery. He wants to help the ball club this year but knows that surgery would remove him from the 2008 season. Jorge thinks that if he rehabs for a few weeks, he could possibly return as a DH or a 1B. While I’m impressed by Jorge’s resiliency and his desire to help his team, I think it would be best for him to swallow his pride and have the surgery, now. He has to understand that he has signed a 3-year deal and he needs to be at 100% next year. Also, Posada won’t be able to go on and off the DL every few weeks. It makes no sense at all. Go home, have surgery and get ready for next year. The team will survive without you.
• Moving on, Jon Heyman actually included some interesting tidbits in his article about CC. In that article, he suggest that the Yankees could take a look at Adam Dunn, especially since he’s owed a lot of money and will be a FA after the season. Therefore, the Reds can’t really ask for too much. It’s a similar situation for Jarrod Washburn (except for the FA part), who the Yankees are reportedly interested in because he’s so cheap (a salary dump for Seattle) and would require a package that supposedly includes Kei Igawa (take him, please). However, George King III also says that the Yankees aren’t too impressed with Washburn, so we’ll see how that turns out. Heyman also notes that the Yankees could target Casey Blake of the Indians, who is hitting well with RISP. Regardless of who the Yankees may try to acquire, you can believe that the Yankee brain trust is working hard on bettering the team.
• Maybe the answer isn’t via trade? The Yankees are currently grooming Alfredo Aceves in AAA and he’s been doing a good job. I’ve written about Aceves before and he could be an answer to the Yankees’ pitching problems if Rasner or Ponson implode (likely).
• Finally, may I commend Robinson Cano (who owes a lot to his father) and our stellar bullpen? Both have been phenomenal for the Yankees and will probably continue to impress. What a great feeling for Yankee fans. We’re finally proud of our bullpen and won’t cry or curse when we see one of those BP arms trot to the mound.

Guess What?

The Yankees are winning and they’re doing it with gutsy outings from their starters. Oh yea, let’s not forget how much they’ve been hitting. Who knew? Now here we sit, 3.5 games out of first place. That’s all I’ve got to say for tonight (until I post again a bit later…).