Let’s Be Unrealistic, What Happens If The Yankees Sell?

Just like the title says, let’s be unrealistic for a second and imagine what would happen if the Yankees were to start selling pieces off this season? Could the Yankees conceivably pull a Boston Red Sox circa 2014 and sell off major pieces and still be in a better spot to contend in 2015 than they would if they held onto everyone they have? Actually, yes I think they could.

First of all Brett Gardner, Martin Prado, and Stephen Drew have all passed through revocable waivers and can be traded to any team for the remainder of the season. None of the three have a no trade clause to complicate things either which always helps. First things first, I’m not trading Gardner bottom line. I really like what Prado brings to the Yankees for the next two seasons with an ability to play third base, second base, both corner outfield spots, first base is not out of the realm of possibilities, and has even seen time at shortstop in his career. I am not saying I wouldn’t trade Prado but it would definitely take a nice package to pry him away, struggling or not. Drew on the other hand is the most easily replaced with Robert Refsnyder down in Triple-A hitting a home run every other day. If we could find a suitor for Drew I trade him in a heartbeat, stash the prospect down in the minor leagues, and call up Refsnyder. The team may lose a step defensively but when you’re hitting in the .170’s I don’t care if you are Ozzie Smith or Barry Larkin in their primes defensively, you’re hurting the team.

On the pitching side of things the team should sell as high as they can on Hiroki Kuroda. He has not hit his August wall just yet but all the signs are there. Get him out while you still can and can get some value for him. I am sure a team like the Milwaukee Brewers could use him as a rental for their playoff push and could give a decent return on the right hander. If you can find a suitor for Chris Capuano then I would send him off as well after he pitched way over his head in New York. It is inventory time for the Yankees and New York could easily call up Manny Banuelos or Bryan Mitchell to take these spots while we wait on Masahiro Tanaka. I personally keep McCarthy for the sole reason of not wanting to potentially burn that bridge with him being a free agent after the 2014 season and the team possibly wanting him back for 2015.

Speaking of signing someone for 2015 and being like the Red Sox you have to wonder if the Yankees would be willing to trade David Robertson now for a nice package and re-sign him in the winter. If the Yankees could make D Rob a verbal sweetheart kind of deal now and get players back plus his services for 2015 that more than makes sense if the team is out of contention. I can see a plethora of teams giving up quite a bit for a closer with over 30 saves at this point in the season, especially since he will be eligible for the postseason.

Finally, and this doesn’t exactly fit in with the selling mode we have been discussing, bring me Rusney Castillo. The Yankees like him at second base but he is more of an outfielder than anything. Bring him to the Bronx and add to the versatility and options that the Yankees have and place him in right field in a rotation with Prado. As much as it hurts PR wise you DFA or cut Ichiro Suzuki and call it a day. If we can do it to Brian Roberts and we can let Matt Thornton go for nothing then we can improve the team at the expense of Ichiro. Sorry, not sorry.

In closing the team can sell of pieces and still compete in 2015. It’s not exactly the way we imagined sending Derek Jeter off in his final season but neither was missing the playoffs for the second straight season. Make it happen Cashman.