Saturday, November 21, 2015

Brian Cashman and the Market for Brett Gardner


The New York Yankees and their GM Brian Cashman are going to have to be aggressive and a bit creative this offseason if they want to make any major moves to the ball club. Without the unlikely additions of payroll from owner Hal Steinbrenner the Yankees salary and roster is all but set for the 2016 season thus forcing Cashman into the trade market for upgrades. Cashman has already pulled off a pair of deals acquiring RHP Ronald Herrera and CF Aaron Hicks in separate deals involving Jose Pirela and John Ryan Murphy and is also rumored to be shopping absolutely everyone, especially closer Andrew Miller and left fielder Brett Gardner.

The problem for Cashman is that it seems like many teams or GM’s simply aren’t impressed with what the Yankees are offering or refuse to deal with Cashman or the team. Whenever Cashman makes a deal it seems like the same handful of teams are always involved. Teams like the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Atlanta Braves, San Diego Padres, the Detroit Tigers under Dave Dombrowski and the Seattle Mariners. If this is true and only a handful of teams will deal with Cashman then the market for Gardner is drying up after the Texas Rangers and Seattle Mariners made a deal this week involving center fielder Leonys Martin.

Using the Martin and Tom Wilhelmsen deal that Seattle just paid for as a guide to what to ask for in the Gardner negotiations you can see that New York can continue getting younger and more flexible with a trade. Jerry Dipoto, the Mariners new GM, gave up right-handed relief pitcher Wilhelmsen, outfield prospect James Jones and a player to be named later. Seattle also received right-handed relief pitcher Anthony Bass in return in the deal. Martin is coming off one of his worst seasons of his career offensively where the Cuban defecting center fielder hit just .219 in 95 games. Martin missed most of August and September after breaking a bone in his right hand. Gardner you would have to think brings more value in a trade that Martin, a substantial more.

Maybe Danny Salazar or Carlos Carrasco? More on that later. 


Finding a suitable trade partner may be tough for Gardner but in a market thin on speedy center fielders that can hit 15 home runs a season his value may never be higher. Gardner has had a couple consecutive disappointing second half stretches now but if Cashman can find a partner he may get two or three Major League ready and Major League useful pieces in return thus opening the door for either Justin Upton, Yoenis Cespedes, Jason Heyward, Aaron Hicks or someone the ninja has in mind that we know absolutely nothing about. Stay tuned. 

6 comments:

  1. Would you trade Gardner and Miller for one of the Mets big 3? We need a young ace more than anything, and it works for them just as well

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    1. I wouldn't trade Gardner and Miller for one of them, but I would trade Gardner and one or two of our most tradeable players, anyone not named: Bird, Lindgren, Sanchez, Severino, Judge, Mateo, Gamel, etc., you get the idea. In other words, anyone not marked as untouchable.

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    2. Shame on your reed. You wouldn't trade two 30-somethings for an established ace?

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    3. So, shoot me! I did blow that one didn't I?
      I was thinking of what I want instead of what is good for the teams future!

      I have nothing against trading for any of those guys and having one of them on the staff would help one heck of a lot in the big pitcher. I always try and look to the future but, I am running over time as it is, and want one more WS win...NOW! I want to see or hear MY 19th WS win!

      Not going to happen again, "there is no "I" in Team", right? Thanks for reminding me of that!

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    4. This is usually the trade the Yankees are on the wrong side of. Would be nice to be on the right side of one for a change.

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  2. Spade,

    Yes 10 times out of ten. Gardner can be replaced and upgrades over on the FA market with J Upton. Miller can be replaced with O Day or a million other. You're not getting a talent like Harvey or the others via free agency

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