Game Thread: New York Yankees @ Kansas City Royals 8/31

Here we go again ladies and gentleman as the New York Yankees once again make the trip to Kauffman Stadium to take on the Kansas City Royals in the finale of their three game set. We have had some explosive offensive and some awesome pitching matchups in this series and we should be treated to another tonight as the Yankees send one of their rookie arms in Luis Cessa to the mound to face off with an arm they drafted and brought to the Major Leagues in Ian Kennedy. The game will be played at 8:15 pm ET inside Kauffman Stadium and can be seen on the YES Network and MLB TV.

Follow along during this game and every game left this season by liking our page on Facebook and by giving us a follow on Twitter @GreedyStripes. The Yankees head to Baltimore after this game to take on the Baltimore Orioles, a team they are chasing in both the AL East division race and the 2^nd Wild Card race, so be sure to check those games out as well this week and into the weekend.

Cessa vs. Kennedy. Let’s get to it. Go Yankees!

Game Preview: New York Yankees @ Kansas City Royals 8/31

One last time here inside Kauffman Stadium, let’s go. Today the New York Yankees and the Kansas City Royals finish off their three-game set in what should be another great pitching matchup and another great contest. On the pitching side of things the Yankees are set to send their rookie starter Luis Cessa to the mound as he looks to continue to impress as a starter in the Bronx this season while the Royals will counter with Ian Kennedy. Should be interesting, let’s get to it.

Cessa has made two starts in the Major Leagues in his career and has won both of them after shutting down the Baltimore Orioles and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Cessa did give up a pair of Manny Machado home runs in his last start but for the most part he kept the ball on the ground and had an easy six innings of work en route to a victory.

Kennedy continued to struggle with the long ball in his last start giving up two runs in 5.1 innings of work. Kennedy had five straight quality starts before that last start and a 1.14 ERA in his last six starts though so this may be a tough one for his former club tonight.

The game will be played at 8:15 pm ET inside beautiful Kauffman Stadium and can be seen on the YES Network and MLB TV. Every time the Yankees look dead in the water this season they bounce right back stronger than ever and I expect nothing less from the boys today. Get it done and get out of town with a victory and let’s keep this thing moving right along. Go Yankees!

Meet a Prospect: Ike Davis

The New York Yankees are currently weathering the storm that we will call the “First Base Curse” after losing Mark Teixeira, Chris Parmelee, Greg Bird and Dustin Ackley to injuries already this season. New York has flushed Robert Refsnyder into the position and while his bat has been surprisingly quiet his defense has been more than adequate for a man just learning the position in my opinion. Despite this and despite naming Refsnyder as the everyday first baseman the Yankees couldn’t help themselves when they saw an outcast veteran on the free agent market and they signed Ike Davis to a deal over the weekend. Let’s meet him.

This is Meet a Prospect: The Ike Davis Edition. Isaac Benjamin “Ike” Davis was born on March 22, 1987 and has spent time on the major league roster with the New York Mets, the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Oakland Athletics before being signed by the New York Yankees. Davis was born in Edina, Minnesota to Millie and Ron Davis and was born with baseball in his blood. Ike’s father, Ron, pitched 481 games in his 11-year Major Leaguer career as a power relief pitcher and even had a 1981 All-Star Game appearance under his belt with the New York Yankees. Davis, senior and junior, have the fighters instincts in their blood as one of Ike’s great aunts on his mother’s side was a Holocaust survivor while Davis’ grandfather on his father’s side was a paratrooper for the United States army and was one of the brave souls who stormed the beach in Normandy on D-Day in 1944.

Davis spent his high school years at Chaparral High School in Scottsdale, Arizona where he won three state titles from 2003-2005. While there Davis set the school record for batting average in a single season hitting .559 as a sophomore beating out Paul Konerko by the slimmest of margins who hit .558 in 1994. Davis also broke Konerko’s single season doubles record with 23 in a season all while doubling as a pitcher as well. In 2003 while still in High School David pitched for the USA Youth National Team who won a gold medal in the International Baseball Federation World Youth Championships in Taiwan. Winning was in Davis’ blood and he took that winning mentality and spirit to Arizona State University where he continued his amateur career.

While with Arizona State Davis played DH, first base and corner outfield while pitching on Friday nights (traditionally the ace of the staff pitches on Friday night) as a freshman and continued that throughout his Junior year. Davis finished his collegiate career with a .353 batting average, 244 hits, 33 home runs, 69 doubles and 202 RBI as a hitter. As a pitcher and the Sun Devils closer Davis totaled a 7-5 record with 4 saves and 78 strikeouts while winning two Pac-10 Championships with a trip to the 2007 College World Series thrown into the mix as well. In the 2008 MLB First Year Players Draft the New York Mets selected Davis with the 18^th pick overall and Davis decided to sign rather than return to ASU for his senior season thus beginning his professional career.

Davis was not long for the minor leagues as he spent half a season in 2008 with the club before being invited to spring training before the 2010 season by the Mets. Despite leading the team in hitting with a .480 average and three home runs Davis was optioned back to the minor leagues at the end of spring but by April 19^th Davis was back in the Mets set to make his MLB debut despite only 65 games above A-Ball in his career. Davis debuted against the Chicago Cubs and wasted no time hitting a single in his first MLB bat before finishing with a 2-4 night in a Mets victory. Davis had a pair of multi-hit games in his first four games and showcased an underrated and strong glove at first base for New York.

Davis was back for his sophomore season in the majors in 2011 and he picked up right where he left off in 2010 with at least one RBI in nine of his first 10 games of the season. An ankle injury was the only thing that could slow Davis down and one did just that on May 10, 2011 limiting him to just 36 games. Injury and disease was holding Davis back again in 2012 as well as Davis was diagnosed with valley fever, a rare dust-borne fungal infection endemic that was seen mainly in the American southwest. Davis started slow after the diagnosis before waking up in July just in time to become only the 9^th Met in their history to his three home runs in a game against a former Yankee and current Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Ian Kennedy. Davis eclipsed the 30 home run plateau in 2012 but one again started slow in 2013 prompting him to be demoted to Triple-A in June of that year.

Davis would come back in July of 2013 but he never again reached the marks he did previous in his career which was highlighted by his benching in 2014. Davis found himself playing in the backup role to Lucas Duda in New York until the Mets traded Davis to the Pittsburgh Pirates on April 18^th in exchange for Zack Thornton and a player to be named later. Davis enjoyed a good season in Pittsburgh but he was ultimately designated for assignment by the club in 2014 and traded to the Oakland Athletics in exchange for bonus slots for use in signing international free agents. How far the mighty have fallen.

Davis had a lackluster 2015 campaign with the A’s that ended with a torn hip labrum and another season ending surgery for the former ASU star and another offseason where Davis found himself on the free agent market. This time the Texas Rangers came calling signing him to a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training before releasing him once again on Jun 12, 2015. Now Davis is looking to latch on with the Yankees after signing a Major League deal and looking to harness some of the potential that made him so special for so long. Welcome to the organization Ike and most importantly welcome to the family.

Game Thread: New York Yankees vs. Kansas City Royals 5/12

The New York Yankees against the Kansas City Royals one last time this week in the Bronx. I don’t know about you but I’ve had some fun watching these two teams fight it out head-to-head and I have a feeling I may like the outcome of tonight’s contest as well based off the pitching matchup. Tonight the Yankees will send Nathan Eovaldi to the mound fresh off easily his best start of the young season while the Royals counter with a former Yankees draft pick and prospect Ian Kennedy. The game will be played at 7:05 pm ET inside of Yankee Stadium and can be seen on the YES Network, MLB Network and of course MLB TV.

The Yankees stay home this weekend to welcome one of the hottest teams in all of baseball to town in the Chicago White Sox. Chris Sale takes the mound inside Yankee Stadium on Friday night so if you want to see him and Luis Severino face off live click the Yankees tickets link at the top of the blog and snag your tickets now. If you can’t make it live then you can always follow along on Twitter and interact with us during each and every game this season by shouting us out at @GreedyStripes.

Former Yankees prodigy in the making vs. current Yankees prodigy in the making. Let’s do it. Go Yankees!

Game Preview: New York Yankees vs. Kansas City Royals 5/12

The New York Yankees have faced off head-to-head with the Kansas City Royals three times already this week so what’s another. It seems like for whatever reason despite the Royals dominance in the standings and utter dominance in the postseason the past two or three seasons it always seems like the Yankees have their number during the regular season. That may be an entirely different story if these two teams were to meet in the postseason but her, one step at a time. That next step and the final step this series is tonight in the finale with yet another great pitching matchup to entertain us. Taking the mound for the Yankees will be Nathan Eovaldi while a former Yankee opposes him for the Royals in Ian Kennedy.

Eovaldi went into his last start with a huge burden on his shoulders. The Yankees bullpen was taxed and Joe Girardi needed all the innings he could get and Eovaldi gave him just that hurling eight innings of two-run ball in a victory over the Boston Red Sox.

Kennedy, the former Yankees player, gets the start tonight after shutting down a tough Cleveland Indians offense in his last start. In the start Kennedy pitched seven innings while allowing just four hits with six strikeouts in a victory for Kansas City.
 

The game will be played at 7:05 pm ET inside of Yankee Stadium and can be seen on the YES Network, MLB Network and MLB TV. I don’t have to tell you how huge a win would be tonight for the Yankees to finish this series before the Chicago White Sox come to town. Hopefully I don’t have to tell the Yankees that either. Go Yankees!

Attention All Parents: Teach Your Kids How to Pitch

As a parent to two future MLB All-Stars and hopefully two future members of the New York Yankees I consider myself to be one of the most blessed individuals on this planet Earth. Whether they grow up to be baseball players, doctors, lawyers or business executives (five bonus points to the first person to get the reference) I will be proud and honored to be their father as long as they are happy and as long as they do it the right way. That doesn't mean I won't slightly nudge them as early as I can and as often as I can towards the baseball goal, especially after this offseason. Growing up I was always a shortstop with little interest in playing any other position but I may start teaching my children how to pitch.

If this offseason has told us anything it's that if you can get guys out at a decent clip at the Major League level you are going to get PAID. Look at the numbers handed down this winter already. David Price set the tone with the largest contract ever handed down to a pitcher with $217 million while Zack Greinke got the highest average annual value out of his $206.5 million contract that allows him to pull in well over $30 million every calendar year. Jordan Zimmermann got $110 million after a down season in Washington while Johnny Cueto got $130 million with elbow concerns and seemingly an inability to recreate his dominance from the National League to the American League. Jeff Samardzija was possibly the worst pitcher in the American League in 2015 and will begin a contract in 2016 that will pay him $90 million over the next five years while Mike Leake will get $80 million for being a middle-of-the-rotation type starter. Wei-Yin Chen got $80 million also with a sixth year option deal with Miami while Ian Kennedy, who was home run prone in MLB's equivalent to Yellow Stone Park in Petco, got $70 million.

Owners are either crazy, desperate or out of control. Or maybe it's all three. There is an absolute ton of money coming into the game right now and these owners are not scared to spend it on starting pitching right now. If my son's want to play baseball, great. If they don't that's great too but if they do I am teaching them how to pitch, and pitch left-handed at that. I want an early retirement.

Ian Kennedy Signs With Royals

Ian Kennedy didn't exactly "kill it" for the Yankees. Mind you, he didn't get much of a shot a the MLB level during his time in pinstripes, but in those 59.2 innings his ERA was 6.03 and WHIP was 1.676.

So some people may be surprised to find out that IPK just signed a five year contract, worth $70 million, with the Kansas City Royals.

Ian has thrown better since leaving New York, putting up an ERA of 4.25 and WHIP of 1.326, but this contract goes to show you how much pitching is worth these days. So any Yankees fan out there upset that Brian Cashman has yet to make a deal for a young starter should chill out.

Predicting the Rest of the Top Free Agent Destinations

Before the MLB Hot Stove season began I predicted all the top free agent destinations with varying degrees of success. When I say varying degrees of success I mean I did terrible, see HERE. I have seven correct and none of them were the top free agents on the list, so is life I guess. There are plenty of these top guys remaining including Justin Upton, Yoenis Cespedes, Wei-Yin Chen, Chris Davis, Ian Desmond, Yovani Gallardo, Ian Kennedy and Howie Kendrick. I predicted them once without a single free agent coming off the board but we have a much clearer picture now so I'm going to take a second stab at it.



Justin Upton

Original Prediction: San Francisco Giants
New Prediction: Baltimore Orioles



Yoenis Cespedes

Original Prediction: Chicago White Sox
New Prediction: Chicago White Sox



Wei-Yin Chen * predicted before he signed, left up to show I'm humble :)

Original Prediction: Boston Red Sox
New Prediction: Washington Nationals



Chris Davis

Original Prediction: Washington Nationals
New Prediction: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim



Ian Desmond

Original Prediction:New York Mets
New Prediction: San Diego Padres



Yovani Gallardo

Original Prediction: Texas Rangers
New Prediction: Texas Rangers



Ian Kennedy

Original Prediction: Baltimore Orioles
New Prediction: San Diego Padres



Howie Kendrick

Original Prediction: Chicago White Sox
New Prediction: Arizona Diamondbacks

The Starting Pitching Market is Still Stacked

The big boys are starting to come off the free agency board from the starting pitching department and most of the huge checks have been handed out. The Boston Red Sox have already given David Price the largest contract for a pitcher in Major League Baseball history and the Arizona Diamondbacks gave the two largest contracts in the history of their franchise to Zack Greinke, who also has the highest average annual value in MLB history, and Johnny Cueto but that doesn’t mean all the big names are gone. For every Jeff Samardzija taken off the board there are two or three guys left to replace him, do any of them intrigue the Yankees?

By my unofficial count at least 10 teams are still looking for top of the rotation type starters and want to contend in 2016. That list includes the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Miami Marlins, the St. Louis Cardinals, the Baltimore Orioles, the Boston Red Sox (as scary as that is for Yankees fans to hear), the Detroit Tigers, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, the Seattle Mariners and New York Yankees. There are probably another ten or so teams that are still looking for another starter to fill out their rotation before spring training while teams like the Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds and Milwaukee Brewers to name a few will let their prospects battle it out in spring training competitions. That’s a whole lot of competition for New York who are said to be in the market for another starter, the good news for Brian Cashman is there are still plenty to choose from.

It was almost a foregone conclusion that the Yankees would acquire Mike Leake at the trading deadline last season. That didn’t happen and he ended up going to the San Francisco Giants where he pitched well despite an injury. Since Leake was traded he will not be linked to draft pick compensation and he’s still on the right side of 30-years old. Leake is not your ace and is not likely going to lead your team to the World Series but if you need a durable guy that can keep an offense like the Yankees in every single game and give you 200 innings over the course of a season, Leake is your man.

The same can be said for the free agent market, the Yankees and former Baltimore Orioles starter Wei-Yin Chen. Many linked the Yankees to Chen and expected them to sign the lefty away from their AL East rivals but New York seems willing to hold onto what they have in order to keep their (currently) 20^th overall draft pick in the 2016 draft. Chen was the ace of the Orioles and according to reports he wants to be paid like an ace both in terms of years and dollars but he wouldn’t be the ace in New York. At best, at very best mind you, he is a #2 starter with the Yankees. No thank you, not for five or six years and not for $100 million plus a draft pick.

Scott Kazmir is the left-handed starter that the Yankees have been coveting the past couple of seasons. The starting rotation has become very right-handed heavy, especially when (not if) CC Sabathia is injured, and Kazmir could be the perfect complement in the rotation. Kazmir would not require draft pick compensation and would likely lead the second-tier of available starting pitching. He’s been durable with the Houston Astros and Oakland Athletics but I wonder if pitching in traditionally pitcher-friendly ballparks may have been inflating his stats just a tad. I worry about him inside Yankee Stadium, but he may be a risk worth taking if the Yankees are willing to open up their purse strings just a bit.

Ian Kennedy, the former Yankees farm hand turned 20-game winner with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Kennedy has not been able to replicate his 20-win success with either the DBacks or the San Diego Padres but he has been durable and has given his team consistent innings over the years at the top of every rotation. Kennedy is not an ace though, not lately and definitely not in New York, but he would be intriguing back in the Bronx. Kennedy was thought of as the 3^rd best starter in the group with Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes and may have turned out to be the best of the three, it may be time for Brian Cashman to right a wrong here.

Cliff Lee has been cleared to pitch in 2016 and his elbow has finally been donned as healthy. Brian Cashman and the Yankees have coveted Lee for quite some time now and almost acquired him multiple times during his career either in free agency or via the trade market. There were hiccups along the way, Lee worried about him and his wife in the New York environment and Cashman didn’t want to part with certain prospects in another trade but Lee is a free agent once again. The Yankees have a tendency of getting their man a few years too late, see Carlos Beltran, and lightning may strike twice with Lee.

Mark Buehrle is likely going to retire but until he does he remains an option with all teams. How ironic would it be for Buehrle to join the team that has kept him up at night for his entire career? Ironic, yes, but likely? No.

I’m going to be frank and honest here, I never saw the fascination for some with Yovani Gallardo. He’s consistent but he’s never great. He’s durable but overall has been unreliable. Despite it all he received a qualifying offer from the Texas Rangers this season. The fact that he is linked to a draft pick is an automatic “no” for me. I’ll happily give up the pick for an ace, Gallardo just isn’t an ace to me.

Twitter Poll: Does Dombrowski To Boston Scare You?

@GreedyStripes Not really.

— 0 and counting (@_EduVL) August 19, 2015

The New York Yankees GM seems to play favorites when it comes to which teams and opposing GM's he will trade with at any given time. One team Cashman has on speed dial is the Arizona Diamondbacks while another is the Seattle Mariners and Mr. Jack Z. Cashman's favorite GM to call and probably his "I.C.E" contact in his personal cellphone was former Detroit Tigers GM and current Boston Red Sox President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski. Should the Yankees and their fans be worried?

@GreedyStripes Yes. Good leadership made them the most successful team 04-13, no reason they can't do it again. Have the $$ & fans to do it.

— Chas (@chassIII) August 19, 2015

@GreedyStripes Hell no. Last time Tigers won the Series? 1984. Good luck Boston.

— Bywatergal (@Bywatergal) August 19, 2015

@GreedyStripes no

— Bryan Sibbitts (@BSIBBY11) August 19, 2015

@GreedyStripes not a chance. He turned Detroit's farm system into the worst in baseball

— Bryan McKnight (@bryan_mcknight) August 19, 2015

@GreedyStripes He's sort of hamstrung by the 400 million Sox have already spent the past calendar yr. Cant see them getting ANOTHER bailout

— AspiringCultLeader (@newkingofmedia) August 19, 2015

This is a hard question to answer personally. Dombrowski has won everywhere he has been but he has also fleeced Cashman, in my opinion, on more than one occasion. The three team trade that saw Curtis Granderson come to the Yankees, Ian Kennedy and others heading to the Diamondbacks and Max Scherzer, Phil Coke, Austin Jackson and others heading to Detroit. Sure 40 home run power hitters are hard to find and Granderson had his good years with the Yankees but Scherzer, Jackson and Coke led that Tigers team for years. That group almost led Detroit to a World Series victory in 2012 and did lead the team over the Yankees in a sweep in the ALCS.

To be involved in our next Twitter Poll head over to the app and give @GreedyStripes a follow. Once you're following us simply keep you eyes out for our next Twitter Poll tweet. We will not use your responses without letting you know first!

Is it time for the Yankees to make a move?

Okay, folks, the annual MLB trade deadline is upon us. What are the Yankees up to? Not much, if you are paying to attention to Brian Cashman, who has strongly indicated that the Yankees will stand pat, instead of making a move. But rival executives seem to believe the Yanks are working on something.

One Yankees target – Ben Zobrist – was traded to the Kansas City Royals today. The Yankees will not trade any of their untouchable prospects, so Cole Hamels won’t be in pinstripes.

As far as this observer is concerned, the Yankees have a need at starting pitching, as only Masahiro Tanaka and Michael Pineda are sure things. The Yankees could upgrade their bullpen to make it a super pen by acquiring Craig Kimbrel and/or Aroldis Chapman.

More realistic targets would be acquiring David Price or Jeff Samardzija. Maybe reuniting with old friend Ian Kennedy is an idea. Even though the Yankees have a comfortable lead right now sin an uncharacteristically weak AL East, it would be wise for them to improve the team. The rigid New York Mets even made a couple of moves!

The baseball world was stunned last night when the Toronto Blue Jays and Colorado Rockies swapped shortstops. Let’s see if the Yankees have their own stunner in the works…

Looking Back at 10 Years of Yankees #1 Draft Picks

2006 – Ian Kennedy RHP

Round- 1st

Overall Pick- 21

MLB Debut: 2007 

2007 – Andrew Brackman RHP

Round- 1 

Overall Pick- 30

MLB Debut: n/a

2008 – Gerrit Cole - RHP (did not sign)

Round- 1st

Overall Pick- 28

MLB Debut: 2013 (Pittsburgh)

2009 – Slade Heathcott - OF

Round- 1st

Overall Pick- 29

MLB Debut: 2015

2010 – Cito Culver SS

Round- 1st

Overall Pick- 32

MLB Debut: n/a

2011 – Dante Bichette Jr. 3B

Round- Compensation A

Overall Pick- 51 

MLB Debut: n/a

2012 – Ty Hensley RHP

Round- 1st

Overall Pick- 30

MLB Debut: n/a

2013 – Eric Jagielo 3B

Round- 1st

Overall Pick- 26

MLB Debut: n/a

2014 – Jacob Lindgren LHP

Round- 2nd

Overall Pick- 55

MLB Debut: 2015

2015 – James Kaprielian RHP

Round- 1st

Overall Pick- 16

MLB ETA: Late 2016/Early 2017

The Short History of the Yankees & Diamondbacks Trading

I watched the YES Network’s Hot Stove episode the other night with Didi Gregorius being interviewed by the great and very humble Jack Curry and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was a great interview and it really cemented my beliefs in Gregorius that he is humble as well, a hard worker and in love with the game of baseball. While watching I got thinking of the now numerous times that the New York Yankees and the Arizona Diamondbacks have hooked up in trades since their inception and decided to showcase them here just for fun. I may even judge a trade or two, who knows. Also I will simply hit the high spots, I will not delve into every single minor transaction between the two teams because frankly that would be boring and it would take all day. Anyway, about those trades…

Remember when the Yankees traded Raul Mondesi to Arizona and cash for Jon-Mark Sprowl, David Dellucci and Bret Prinz? Yeah me either but apparently it happened on July 29, 2003. I remember the name Prinz but I truly do not remember Dellucci wearing pinstripes, I guess I’m getting old.

Remember the big three team trade between Arizona, New York and the Detroit Tigers that saw pieces like Curtis Granderson come to New York, Ian Kennedy and other head to Arizona and Austin Jackson and Phil Coke head to Detroit? As hard as 40 home run power is to find these days it’s hard to watch Kennedy win 20 games in Arizona and make a Cy Young Award attempt while Granderson gets hit by two pitches and misses most of the 2013 season.

The Peter O’Brien and Martin Prado trades are still up in the air because O’Brien is still in the minors and Prado has been traded away, with others, for Garrett Jones and Nathan Eovaldi. Obviously the Didi Gregorius trade is still getting an incomplete grade and will for at least three to five more seasons.

For some reason Brian Cashman loves hooking up with Arizona in a trade and I don’t expect that to change any time soon. Paul Goldschmidt, just saying. 

My Thoughts on the Winter Meetings

Just a few random thoughts on Day One of the Winter Meetings as I think out loud a little bit.

• The Chicago White Sox are in on David Robertson and that worries me. The team has right around $68 million in committed money in 2015 and have the revenue to go well above that. Not to mention the team looks ready to add veteran pieces to their young core to aid in the rebuilding. I fear Chicago more than I do the Houston Astros or the Detroit Tigers.

• Earlier in the offseason I mentioned bringing Jason Hammel in as either a 5^th starter candidate or a backup plan to Brandon McCarthy if he didn’t sign. Hammel signed a two year deal worth a $9 million AAV with the Chicago Cubs after the club traded him to Oakland this July. Maybe he asked for a no trade clause this time around.

• Why in the world does San Diego want to acquire an outfielder so bad and why does it have to be Matt Kemp? I understand the “addition by subtraction” from the Dodgers but does he really help? Are the Padres that close to winning that they would reach for an injury plagued player with five years and in excess of $100 million left on the books?

• Speaking of the Padres the team has also floated a Ian Kennedy for Yoenis Cespedes trade with the Boston Red Sox and Ben Cherington is at least considering it. The Sox think they can get a better pitcher than Kennedy for Cespedes, and I agree with that line of thinking, but the deal does make some sense for both teams. It’s the classic my strong suite and depth for yours kind of trade.

• The New York Yankees did not sign anyone significant today, fire Brian Cashman. That is all. 

Potential Trade Targets For New York Today

Here is a quick list of who the Yankees could realistically acquire today before the trading deadline at 4:00 pm ET. This is pure speculation and based on trade rumors, not inside sources, so take this with a grain of salt. The Yankees tend to keep their trade rumors quiet when they actually make a deal so I will likely whiff on all of these but you have to be in it to win it.

Marlon Byrd of the Phillies, Justin Ruggiano of the Cubs, and Dayan Viciedo of the White Sox all look like potential trade candidates for the Yankees outfield. Josh Willingham has been thrown around a lot in rumors but the Yankees need a right fielder and Willingham has never played right in his career. It's also worth mentioning that his arm would be below average in right field. Alex Rios is a right fielder and could fill the void that will be there in 2015 as well making him attractive.

Asdrubal Cabrera could be a potential target at second base that I like a lot over Brian Roberts.

The marginal upgrades at starting pitcher include Jorge De La Rosa of the Rockies, Brett Anderson of the Rockies, Cliff Lee of the Phillies, and Ian Kennedy of the Padres.

Bullpen help could come with an Antonio Bastardo trade with the Phillies, Joaquin Benoit from the Padres, and James Russell of the Athletics.

The pipe dream list includes Troy Tulowitzki of the Rockies, Cole Hamels of the Phillies, David Price of the Rays, and Jon Lester of the Red Sox.

Trade Deadline 2014: Yankees Hot Stove Rumors 7/30

Just a quick catch me up for you guys:

The Phillies asked the Yankees for their top three prospects for Cole Hamels. I'm not sure I could swallow Luis Severino, Gary Sanchez, and Aaron Judge for Hamels but Hamels does bring a lot himself. I'm torn.

The Yankees are interested in the Rockies pitcher Brett Anderson. This is interesting because the Rockies are interested in Francisco Cervelli. Match made in Coors Field?

The Yankees are talking to the Padres about Ian Kennedy and Joaquin Benoit but nothing is serious at this point.

Starting pitching just got majorly expensive as Justin Masterson and a 5.51 ERA for a rental on the disabled list just fetched the Cardinals top outfield prospect.

Yankees Still Considering Trading For John Danks

The Yankees are still thinking about trading for White Sox' Starter John Danks, CBSSports.com's Jon Heyman reports. 

Over the last few weeks, as you probably already know, the Yanks have been checking on guys like San Diego's Ian Kennedy and Philadelphia's Cliff Lee, although considering the Padres' asking price is a little high and Lee's struggled lately it's unlikely New York will pursue those two any further.

So, three days from the deadline, Danks appears to be the team's best available option, as Chicago currently looks more than willing to deal the 29-year-old lefty.

No, Danks isn't the kind of guy who'll fix their rotation problems immediately, but yes, he does give the impression he's better than Shane Greene, New York's rookie fill-in who's struggled in his first two starts of the second half.

Granted, Greene wasn't terrible on the Yanks' recent homestand, only allowing a total of 7 earned runs in 11 frames. 

Nonetheless, since the eight-year Sox veteran's gone 9-6 with a solid 4.40 ERA in 131 innings of work this season the Yankees do have to make a judgement call by Thursday, one that could change the course of the summer if Greene continues to labor.

Yankees Hot Stove Update

Yankees also in discussions with Rockies involving Jorge De La Rosa who is red hot 3-0 with a 1.78 ERA and 1.105 Whip in July #Rockies #NYY
— JIM BOWDEN (@JimBowdenESPNxm) July 25, 2014

The New York Yankees and Brian Cashman are extremely active this week as we head towards the trading deadline of July 31. Instead of writing 100 posts detailing all the potential deals I thought one nice and neat little post would be more efficient.

The Yankees are said to be discussing a trade with the Colorado Rockies for Jorge De La Rosa.

yankees are interested in kennedy but not in clarkin plus jagielo for kennedy.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) July 25, 2014

New York is discussing an Ian Kennedy trade with the San Diego Padres

Both the Colorado Rockies and Chicago White Sox have shown some interest in acquiring backup catcher Francisco Cervelli. I have seen the names of De La Rosa, Brett Anderson, and Wilin Rosario thrown around from Colorado and John Danks name mentioned from the White Sox.

Yanks are currently not in on Matt Kemp, according to a source.
— Andrew Marchand (@AndrewMarchand) July 25, 2014

The Yankees are not said to be interested in Matt Kemp. That's a shame, his talent would be amazing in New York.

Yankees Scouting Padres' Ian Kennedy

Going into next Thursday's trade deadline, it's obvious to us all that the Yankees need another starting pitcher.

Currently, their rotation consists of known-to-struggle-late veterans Hiroki Kuroda and Brandon McCarthy, with the seemingly-reliable David Phelps, Shane Greene, and Chase Whitley rounding things out.

Now overall, that group does look pretty good, but since Whitley and Greene's collapse could be inevitable the team is being cautious, scouting Padres right-hander Ian Kennedy yesterday.

According to Fox Sports 1's Jon Morosi, the Yanks had someone on hand for Kennedy's outing last night, in which the 29-year-old tossed 6 innings of three-run ball against the hometown Cubs.

No, that kind of performance isn't amazing, but considering that the ex-Bomber does have a 3.66 ERA in 135 1/3 IP he is pretty likable, something underrated yet important.

This year's trade deadline, as does every year's, falls at 4:00 pm ET on July 31, leaving a mere seven days for Yankees GM Brian Cashman to add more pieces to his club.

Remember, going into this last week Cashman has to acquire another arm and probably another bat, no easy task when two of your top major-league trade pieces (Vidal Nuno and Yangervis Solarte) have already been dealt.

The "Best" Of What's Left On The Trade Market

After the Oakland Athletics soaked up all the good starting pitching we had a legitimate chance of acquiring by trading for Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel the Yankees find themselves in a not so great predicament. I personally don't believe that the Yankees can acquire David Price, not from the Rays anyway, so the "best" of the rest is really scary to look at.

I do not have links or sources that say these guys are actively available but I simply looked at the 2015 and 2016 free agent classes for starting pitching and looked at the non contending teams specifically. I compiled a short and no so sweet list of pitchers the Yankees could look at this July.

Edinson Volquez (Padres): 30 years old, 4.07 ERA, 87 ERA+, 4.39 FIP, and 1.242 WHIP.

Kyle Kendrick (Phillies): 29 years old 30 in August, 4.12 ERA, 89 ERA+, 4.12 FIP, and 1.326 WHIP.

AJ Burnett (Phillies): 37 years old, 3.92 ERA, 93 ERA+, 4.00 FIP, and 1.359 WHIP.

Jhoulys Chacin (Rockies): 26 years old, 5.40 ERA, 78 ERA+, 4.80 FIP, and 1.437 WHIP.

Ian Kennedy (Padres): 29 years old, 3.87 ERA, 87 ERA+, 2.88 FIP, and 1.235 WHIP.

Jorge De La Rosa (Rockies): 33 years old, 4.86 ERA, 86 ERA+, 4.81 FIP, and 1.335 WHIP.

Cliff Lee (Phillies): 35 years old 36 in August, 3.18 ERA, 115 ERA+, 2.67 FIP, and 1.279 WHIP.

Cliff Lee isn't healthy which really complicates things, complicates things that got real complicated when Billy Beane cornered the starting pitching market. It may be worth selling pieces this season and building towards 2015.