Saturday, January 5, 2013

Lance Berkman Off The Board, Signs W/ Tex

The Yankees were said to be interested in a reunion with Fat Elvis Lance Berkman but that will not be happening since today he signed with the Texas Rangers. The Rangers have not confirmed the deal but reports say Lance signed for one year on a Major League contract with a vesting option for 2014. More details when they are available.

Brian Cashman's Last 6 Years Of Trade History - 2008


Continuing our look at the last six seasons of trades and reactions under the Brian Cashman regime we look at a very busy 2008 year that brought the Yankees in many trades. Let's take a look at what Cashman had under his sleeve way back in 2008.

7-26-08

Yankees get Damaso Marte and Xavier Nady
Pirates get Ross Ohlendorf, Jose Tabata, Daniel McCutchen, and Jeff Karstens


I was against this trade from the beginning and Jose Tabata has not made me feel any better about the trade since. Sure we probably might not have gotten that 2009 ring without Damaso Marte remembering how to pitch for a month or two but Nady was a flop and Tabata has fit in nicely with Pittsburgh.

7-30-08

Yankees get Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez
Tigers get Kyle Farnsworth


The Yankees had a banged up Jorge Posada and needed a defensive catcher so the match with Pudge was an obvious one. Kyle Farnsworth was finally harnessing his potential under Joe Girardi so I hated to see him go but the trade did not work out for either team so I guess there is always that.

11-13-08

Yankees get Nick Swisher and Kanekoa Teixeira
White Sox get Wilson Betemit, Jeff Marquez, and Jonny Nunez


This was an absolute steal of a trade for Ninja Cashman as he stole Nick Swisher after an awful season for three pieces of nothing. Four seasons later under Swish's watch and a World Series ring later the Yankees are struggling to fill the void and the clubhouse personality left behind by Nick.


Brian Cashman's Last 6 Years Of Trade History - 2007


It seems very likely that if the Yankees are going to compete in both 2013 and 2014 that we are going to have to rely on Brian Cashman pulling his ninja suit out and making a trade or two. I wanted to take this opportunity to look at the last six seasons of Ninja Cash working his magic in hopes of maybe showing us if we should be excited about that fact or not. Here goes...

1-9-07

Diamondbacks get Randy Johnson
Yankees get Alberto Gonzalez, Steven Jackson, Ross Ohlendorf, and Luis Vizcaino.


The Yankees basically had all of the advantage here because Randy requested a trade to Arizona but we still got basically scraps for the Big Unit. Luis Vizcaino was helpful out of the bullpen and Ross Ohlendorf helped us net Xavier Nady and Damaso Marte two seasons later but other then that this trade was nothing worth jumping for joy over.

7-21-07

Yankees get Jose Molina
Angels get Jeff Kennard


This is one Cashman trade that flew way under the radar and was actually helpful. Jose Molina was the defensive wizard that we always wanted behind the plate and made Jorge Posada look like an amateur defensively. We basically gave up someone that I, an admitted prospect hugger, haven't even heard of in Kennard. Great trade for Cashman and company.

7-31-07

Yankees get Wilson Betemit
Dodgers get Scott Proctor


The day that Joe Torre cried was the day that Scott Proctor got sent to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Wilson Betemit. I have to admit that I was crazy excited for this trade when it happened because I thought he could help us give A Rod days off and  would be the super utility guy we have always been looking for. Betemit was not great in pinstripes but then again neither was Proctor.





Yankees Interested In Lance Berkman For DH


The Yankees are still continuing their search for a right handed outfielder and/or DH and that search has brought them to a potential reunion with Lance Berkman. Granted Lance is a switch hitter and much better from the left side then the right but he can still hit lefties at a decent pace, given whats left on the free agent market. The biggest concern is obviously his health and whether he will be able to play more then the 32 games that he appeared in last season. Also can he even still play the outfield in a pinch or would he be a first base back up and primary DH? After two separate knee surgeries that ended his season last year the concern will always be there, especially in his age 36 season. The Astros, Rangers, and Orioles are also said to be interested in "Fat Elvis" for the 2013 season so there is a little bit of competition there.

Still No Date Set For Alex Rodriguez's Hip Surgery


The Yankees had to scurry and find a replacement for Alex Rodriguez, thus doing so with the Kevin Youkilis signing, after we found out that he would need a second hip surgery in five seasons. The fist one was back before the 2009 season on his right hip and this one will be on his left hip. I find it amazing that we are in January and we still do not have a date set for Alex's surgery. I do not know if we should consider this a set back or necessarily something to worry about or not so I guess we will just have to wait this one out.