If San Diego is Willing to Sell....

During the winter before the 2015 season I predicted, after a couple early offseason trades and moves, the Tampa Bay Rays were going to have a bit of a fire sale. Many, many trades later (although Evan Longoria, James Loney and Chris Archer did stick around so it wasn't a full-fledged fire sale) the Tampa Bay Rays had a fire sale. I see a similar trend forming this season with the San Diego Padres, especially after sending both Craig Kimbrel and Joaquin Benoit in separate trades to the American League, and if the Padres and their GM AJ Preller are willing to start selling I think Brian Cashman should start calling.

The Yankees and Padres have made one move already this season, a relatively minor one that sent 20-year old minor league pitcher Ronald Herrera to the Bronx for infielder Jose Pirela, and a second move could already be in the works for all we know. The trend for Brian Cashman during his tenure is when a trade is coming we will not hear about it, hence the nickname Ninja Cashman. Which players could intrigue the Yankees if another deal was already in the works?

Well you have to think the Yankees would like Yonder Alonso, Cory Spanenberg, Tyson Ross or Andrew Cashner but all signs seem to point to San Diego holding on to that part of their core. Alonso is trade bait in my eyes but only in the right deal while the team was pleasantly surprised with Spanenberg at second base in 2015. Ross and Cashner are the anchors of that starting rotation and aren't going anywhere unless the team goes full blown fire sale, and they won't.

What about Matt Kemp? A right handed corner outfield with the speed and range to play center field. If the Yankees acquired Kemp it would have to come after a Brett Gardner trade in my opinion as there isn't room for "Beast Mode" currently on the roster, especially after the team acquired Aaron Hicks. San Diego would also have to likely kick in a significant amount of payroll to facilitate this trade, well that or take a bad trade back in the deal.

What about Jedd Gyorko? The Yankees were willing to take on his contract last season when the two teams discussed a Jorge Mateo (and others) for Craig Kimbrel trade and could be interested in his services again. The Yankees could especially be interested in Gyorko after proving to the Padres that he could at least hold his own at the shortstop position, although he is a second baseman by trade.

Finally, what about James Shields? Shields has seen the Yankees plenty in his career as a member of the Kansas City Royals and the Tampa Bay Rays and is no stranger to the AL East or Yankee Stadium. Shields bounced back with his switch to the NL and once again threw 200 innings, something the Yankees need desperately in their starting rotation, and led a rotation in San Diego that under achieved overall. Shields wouldn't have to be the ace and the anchor in New York, he'd have to keep the team in games for five or six innings and keep the ball on the ground. Shields can do that, but would Brian Cashman pull the trigger?

I don't have the answers to any of these questions or scenarios, stay tuned.