We have done quite a few of these "If the fill in the blank team starts selling" posts this offseason including one for the San Diego Padres already. The thing about the offseason is this though, you have to constantly keep up on these things. Things are constantly changing and so are team's directions and plans as moves are done and plans are revealed. Many probably thought the San Diego Padres would go for it again in 2016 much like they did in 2015 but that doesn't seem to be the case anymore. The Padres have already traded Yonder Alonso and others while the team is also losing Ian Kennedy, presumably, to free agency leaving many to wonder who is next?
We've already written a post wondering if James Shields would make sense for the Yankees but honestly I cannot see that happening anymore. The Yankees have added payroll in the Aroldis Chapman trade and the Starlin Castro trade meaning that Hal Steinbrenner's checkbook is tucked away in his purse for the winter making the deal unlikely. The good news for New York is that San Diego has the young pitching that the Yankees desire this winter, and they may be selling.
It would make sense for San Diego to sell. They aren't a complete team, far from it in fact, and teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants and Arizona Diamondbacks have surpassed them in the division. San Diego should look at trading the likes of Yangervis Solarte, Dustin Norris, Matt Kemp, Will Myers, James Shields, Odrisamer Despaigne and the two that would interest New York the most, Andrew Cashner and Tyson Ross.
New York would not be able to pull off a four "C" type prospects for either Cashner or Ross but I don't believe they would cost the team Jorge Mateo, Aaron Judge or Luis Severino types either. Ross is just 28-years old and would be under team control for the 2016 and 2017 seasons while Cashner enters the 2016 season in his age 29 season with just one year left of team control. Cashner would come cheaper for obvious reasons and could be offered a qualifying offer after the season to counteract the price tag but Ross is obviously the more ideal candidate. He's under team control for longer, he's younger and truth be told he's probably the better pitcher of the two.
Cashner is coming off a 16 loss season to be honest, although his peripherals are much better than his traditional stats, while Ross continued to struggle with his command. Ross walks a lot of guys and throws a lot of wild pitches but with a 2.98 FIP (in 2015) and 212 strikeouts you can live with that. If the Yankees give up a lot they should also find a way to get the once promising Brett Wallace in the deal as well. Wallace was once a top prospect that can play both first base and third base, both needs for the Yankees, despite the fact that he hits left-handed.
San Diego is probably selling, maybe not as aggressively as they were buying at this time last season, and the Yankees need to take advantage of that. They want young and cheap starting pitchers that can be controlled beyond this season and San Diego has at least one of them. Make the call, get the job done and don't give up too much. Sounds easy, right?
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Sorry for the Capatcha... Blame the Russians :)