Sunday, August 26, 2012

Should the Yankees Trade For Shin-Soo Choo?


As we all know the Yankees have some decisions to make not only this off season but next off season as well if they plan to get under the 2014 $189 million luxury tax thresh hold. Nick Swisher will be a free agent after the 2012 season and with him already hinting, whether directly or indirectly, at wanting Jayson Werth money he may already be out of the Yankees plans this off season. The Indians came out and said that they would be willing to listen to offers for Shin-Soo Choo this off season while he will be in the last season of his contract and entering his age 30 season.

Shin-Soo Choo is currently 30 years old and will not turn 31years of age until the middle of July 2013 so he is in the middle of his prime. Choo is considered to be a strong defensive player with an absolute cannon for an arm with a good average, on base percentage, and OPS. Choo has a career 19.0 WAR and 13.9 of that have come in the last four seasons. He also has a career .290 batting average including his rookie season in Seattle where he only batted .056 in 21 plate appearances. Choo has been good for around 15-20 home runs a season with 15-20 stolen bases and over .100 points higher with his OBP then his batting average, which is considered to be well above average.

Choo also would only be on a one year deal since 2013 would be the final year of his contract that will pay him slightly higher then the $4.9 million he made this season in his final year of arbitration. His AAV, even if he were to re sign with the Yankees,would have to be lower then Swisher's AAV if he came anywhere near Jayson Werth money. Also the new Collective Bargaining Agreement for MLB states that you can offer a player a qualifying offer, which he would be expected to decline for a multi year deal, and if ti is declined you can get draft pick compensation. I mean Scott Boras is his agent so I do not see any chance of him accepting that qualifying one year offer.


The problem would be that if we did trade for Choo we would have a 2014 free agency class that would include Shin-Soo Choo, Curtis Granderson, Robinson Cano, Derek Jeter(if he declines his player option), Rafael Soriano (if he does not opt out sooner), and whoever else comes out way between then and now. Joe Girardi will also no longer be under contract but I do not see a situation less then a Bobby V season where he does not come back. The 2014 free agency class highlights Jason Kubel, Martin Prado, Nelson Cruz, Carlos Beltran, Hunter Pence,  Chris Young, Jacoby Ellsbury, and others seen HERE.

Whether the Yankees even have the interest or the pieces after the disappointment in the minor leagues this season is the real question here but I plan on monitoring this closely. This news just took some of the leverage away from Nick Swisher when it comes to the Yankees though and part of me says that Nick will give the Yankees a "home town discount" and sign a three or four year deal worth 12-15 million per. Either way, the shorter deal for Swisher or trading for Choo without emptying the farm, I am down because both put the Yankees in a great position to win.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Sorry for the Capatcha... Blame the Russians :)