Understanding August Waiver Trades

The July 31st trading deadline has come and gone but that does not mean team's are done making traded. Trades can be done for the rest of the season they are just a little trickier and harder to understand. That's why we're here, you're welcome.

Any player that is traded needs to clear revocable waivers first. Either the player is claimed by a team or he clears waivers. Teams want their players to clear waivers because once they clear once they can be traded to any team for the rest of the season. If the player is claimed the team has three options, they can pull their player back, work out a trade with the team who claimed him, or simply give the player and his contract away to the team that claimed him.

The waiver claim period lasts 47 hours and goes by worst record to best record in the players league (American or National) and then record worst to first in the other league. Teams can block other teams from claiming without any repercussions. When a player is claimed the team has two full days to trade the player or pull him back off waivers regardless of what day of the week it is.

A team can place their player on waivers a second time if they pull him back the first time but this time the waivers are not revocable. In terms even a Boston Red Sox fan could understand the second time around whoever claims him gets him. Players on the disabled list cannot be placed on waivers so therefor cannot be traded.

Finally, for all the playoff teams, any player acquired after the 31st of August is not eligible for the postseason. Now you know, carry on.

This Day in New York Yankees History 7/28: David Cone is a Yankee

David Cone had a very interesting tenure as a member of the New York Yankees that all started on this day in 1995 when the Yankees gave up Marty Janzen and two minor leaguers, Jason Jarvis and Mike Gordon, for his services. The trade was considered early to be one of the best deals in franchise history as Cone was an integral part of the dynasty and World Series championships in the late 90's.

Cone hit a wall in 2000 though and on this day was sent to the team's minor league camp in Tampa by Yankees owner George Steinbrenner. Cone was demoted after not being able to pick up a win in over four months. The struggling Cone was placed under the supervision of Billy Connors, the Yankees vice president of player personnel.

The Yankees grabbed David Cone on this day on 1995 and they also grabbed Ruben Sierra and Jason Beverlin from the Oakland Athletics for Danny Tartabull. The Tartabull era started when the Yankees signed him a deal worth over $5 million a season after the 1991 season but he never lived up to the hype like he did as a Kansas City Royal.

Finally on this day in 1983 the American League president Lee MacPhail decided that George Brett's "Pine Tar" home run should be allowed. The game will be finished on August 18 and the Royals would win the game 5-4.

This Day In New York Yankees History 7/26: Yankees Acquire Alfonso Soriano

Saying that the New York Yankees offense struggled in 2014 is probably the understatement of the year so New York needed a savior. On this day they got one when they acquired Alfonso Soriano from the Chicago Cubs for minor league relief pitcher Corey Black. The 37 year old came back to New York with come cash from Cubs after making his major league debut with the Yankees way back in 1999. The Yankees ultimately traded him to the Texas Rangers before the 2004 season for Alex Rodriguez. Soriano would go on a tear and almost brought the Yankees all the way back to the postseason before falling just short in late September.

Also on this day in 1961 the Yankees made some history with the home run ball but it had nothing to do with Roger Maris surprisingly. Instead it was the Yankees Johnny Blanchard as he hit his fourth consecutive home run over three games to set a new major league record. The backup catcher of the Yankees hit two home runs on this day to help New York beat the White Sox 5-2.

Also on this day in 1939 the Bronx Bombers earned their names by scoring in every inning to beat the St. Louis Browns 14-1. This is only the second time in franchise history that the Yankees have achieved this feat.

Finally on this day in 1933 Joe DiMaggio showed the Yankees brass that he was made for long hitting streaks. As a minor league player Joe D saw his 61 game hitting streak come to an end in a PCL game against the Oakland Oaks. DiMaggio played for the San Francisco Seals as a 19 year old when he set a new minor league record destroying the mark of 49 consecutive games with a hit set by Jack Ness in 1914.

Don't Let Us Down, Cash

It's time for you to really step it up, Cash.

It was reported this morning that Brian Cashman is interested in acquiring Mike Moustakas.

In a word... "good".

The 2018 New York Yankees are special. Never before, in my 40 years on this Earth, have I felt this way about the Bombers.

Perhaps it has to do with the Wild Card one-and-done playoff game. Or maybe it's the lackluster starting rotation. I suppose it could be the team has gotten little production from their catchers and first baseman. It probably has to do with them having the second-best record in Major League Baseball, while the team with the best record is in the same damn division.

Who am I kidding? It's all of those things!

As awesome as this team is they can be better. And seeing how the Red Sox and Astros have been playing they probably need to get better.

I get so angry just thinking about this team being relegated to the Wild Card game, and losing due to a sub-par showing. Which absolutely can happen. The Seattle Mariners, as of right now, would be the second Wild-Card team and that lineup of theirs can do some real damage.

But when Brian Cashman has so much firepower at his disposal, something must be done to improve. The farm system is loaded, while almost all of them are blocked at the big league level. Along with plenty of room under the Luxury Tax threshold, the Yankees can get whatever player they want.

I'd love to give Greg Bird a little more time to see if he can get settled and hit like so many people think he can, but if options to upgrade at first base start to dwindle then make a move. Avoid having a hole in the lineup for guys like Verlander, Sale, and Bauer to exploit.

I would say the same for the catching spot, but I just don't believe that Gary Sanchez is going to go from a great hitter one year to a below average one the next. That's the one sore area that I'm cool sticking with.

Oh, and that starting rotation... it's the shits. You have Luis Severino (214 ERA+), CC Sabathia (140 ERA+), and everyone else (below average, except Loaisiga who  I just don't trust to start a big game). How can you possibly stick with that? Especially when the Red Sox have Chris Sale (181 ERA+), Rick Porcello (122 ERA+), and Eduardo Rodriguez (113 ERA+). Or the Astros have Justin Verlander (176 ERA+), Charlie Morton (148 ERA+), and Gerrit Cole (140 ERA+). And the Indians have Trevor Bauer (179 ERA+), Corey Kluber (166 ERA+), and Mike Clevinger (141 ERA+).

That rotation is absolutely unacceptable.

And for the record, JA Happ would be nice, but if that's the team's "big" acquisition I'm not going to be blown away at all. Happ just got shelled by the Tigers (he gave up 7 runs, on 10 hits, in 5.2 innings), and since pitching gems against the Red Sox and Rangers on April 24th and 29th, the only times he's looked really good were against the Mets and Orioles (you could look good against those lineups).

Who cares if it's the cross-town Mets that get to enjoy Clint Frazier, or whatever other young future stars? At least they are in the National League, and the Yankees would only have to worry about facing those players a handful of times a year during interleague play (I don't seem them being World Series contenders for a while). So do whatever it takes to get deGrom.

Luis Severino (214 ERA+)
Jacob deGrom (207 ERA+)
CC Sabathia (140 ERA+)
Masahiro Tanaka (meh)
Sonny Gray (ugh)

Doesn't that rotation look sick?

Plus, Tanaka is not that far away from the pitcher we saw 2016. He simply needs to walk fewer batters and keep the ball in the park more often. That may be easier said than done, but the point is it's certainly possible.

And Sonny Gray is not done for, either. I really think he has to go back to what worked for him so well in Oakland and use the fastball more often. It's not like his velocity has dropped, and he needs to figure out another way to be effective (like Sabathia did).

Again... this 2018 Yankees team is special, and they have a chance to be so much better. And if Brian Cashman doesn't get it done, then in this writer's opinion, he's very much tarnished his legacy.

Don't let us down, Cash.

The Possibilities Are... Nearly... Endless.

This one goes out to Scott...

The Yankees should trade for Chris Archer.

He'd look great in pinstripes, wouldn't he?

With that said, I don't believe the Yankees will strike a deal with Tampa to acquire Archer. It's not that we wouldn't be able to put together a package of players good enough to do so, I just don't see a deal that big happening between division opponents.

I had the same thought when there was talk of Baltimore trading Manny Machado during the offseason.

Even though I highly doubt either the Rays nor Orioles will compete for the AL East crown this season, I'm sure there are teams outside of the division... heck, outside of the American League... that could put a package of players together impressive enough to deal for Archer.

So while I don't believe the Yankees and Rays will get together and make a deal involving Chris Archer, I'm 99.9% certain that before August roles around the Yankees will trade for a big-time starter.

You remember when the Yankees dealt for Sonny Gray last season? Yeah... what's to come will be bigger than that.

One name that's been throw out there a bunch of times is Cole Hamels. The club option on Hamels' contract could become guaranteed, however he'd not only have to avoid the disabled list with either shoulder or elbow trouble at the end of the season, Cole would also have to throw 252 innings as well. Yeah... that's not happening. So knowing that Texas is unlikely to be a contender in a division including the Astros and Angels, and Cole's contract ends after this season, dealing away Hamels is almost a certainty.

But if what we've seen from Brian Cashman recently holds true, he's not going to trade away good to great prospects to rent a player for half a season. Brian is going to trade for somebody as good as Cole, if not better, who is also under team control for at least another year.

Let's start by looking at a list of players that could be traded...

Gleyber Torres - Honestly, I find this unlikely. Neil Walker was only signed for one year, so Torres still has a path to MLB for next season. But keep in mind that the possibility isn't zero.

Justus Sheffield - Another unlikely option, but an option none-the-less. The guy the Yankees trade for may very well be the pitcher some envision Sheffield could become. The only difference is the guy the Yankees trade for would be a year or two ahead of Justus, and already getting it done in the big leagues.

Miguel Andujar - I can see the Yankees extending the 28 year-old Didi Gregorius for two to three more years, locking up shortstop through the 2021 season. Add Gregorius with Brandon Drury (not a free agent until after the 2021 season), Gleyber Torres, and Tyler Wade, and that doesn't leave a clear spot for Miguel to get promoted into. Plus there's another guy, but I'll talk about him in a moment.

Estevan Florial - Another player I don't believe Cashman wants to part with, as he could be the heir apparent to center field and the leadoff spot in the lineup, but a possibility still. After all, Estevan may only play part of this season above A ball. And being that far away from Major League Baseball means he's far from a sure bet.

Chance Adams and Dillon Tate - While they aren't as highly touted as Justus Sheffield, both of these guys have high value, especially thanks to them being ready to step into a MLB starting rotation this year or next. And with Sheffield and the next guy I'm going to list around, neither man seems to have a clear path to a starting gig with the Yankees.

Albert Abreu - Albert may be two to three years away from the Majors, possibly making his loss more palatable than pitchers like Adams, Sheffield, and Tate. But a team looking to compete in two to three years would love to have a pitching prospect the caliber of Abreu.

Tyler Wade - Wade has shown during Spring Training that he's ready to start at the MLB level right now. Unfortunately that is unlikely to happen, at least regularly, on Opening Day. And it may never happen with the Yankees thanks to Gregorius, Drury, Walker, and Torres. Even a spot on the bench isn't certain due to Ronald Torreyes.

Thairo Estrada - There are many people, both in the organization and it's fanbase, that would hate to see Estrada dealt away. But he's in a similar situation as Tyler Wade... he has no clear spot to be promoted into.

The only two players out of those I just listed that are likely to still be with the organization after the trade deadline are Torres and Sheffield. No... they won't be the only ones, it's just that the other six could be elsewhere.

And let's not forget that Brian Cashman may absolutely love Manny Machado (the guy I was referring to when speaking of Miguel Andujar), and has already put together a contract to offer Manny as soon as Game 7 of the World Series is over with.

The point is the Yankees can very easily put together a package of players that can't be matched. The Padres, White Sox, and Braves systems may be better, but they don't have a young core like the Yankees have with Judge, Sanchez, Bird, and Severino. Oh, and they don't have a Giancarlo Stanton, either. So, unlike the Yankees, those other teams need to keep some of the big prospects they have.

Oh... and money. Those other three teams don't have the ability to buy players like the Yankees do.

So you may be able to cross off great young pitchers from contenders like the Red Sox, Indians, Astros, Nationals, Cubs, and Dodgers. And you can probably cross off great young starters from the rest of the teams in the American League East. But it's likely that any other pitcher in Major League Baseball is in play.

Anyone.

So I'm not going to give you a list of targets, because the fact is that list is way too large. Just imagine a great young starter from any team not listed above, and smile because they could be on their way to the Bronx soon.

Turning My Attention To The Trade Deadline

Remain calm! All is well!

It's been said that the Yankees will want to leave about $10 million available for possible mid-season acquisitions, which tells me two things...

1. The team would be willing to spend around $12 million before Opening Day.

2. They have their eyes on somebody that may cost up to $10 million if he were acquired at mid-season. Which means that, due to the fact that the acquiring team would only pay said player's pro-rated salary, the player to deal for currently makes about $20 million a season.

As for the first point... the Yankees are not going to spend on a pitcher.

Yu Darvish is not going to sign for less than $20 million, especially since I believe there are a handful of teams that are willing to go significantly higher than that (at this point I think it's the years that are holding things up, not so much the money).

As for other top of the rotation free agent starters, Jake Arrieta is unlikely to come cheap as I'm sure all the teams that don't get Darvish will offer Jake $20+ million a season to come their way. Alex Cobb would also be a nice get, but he will likely be offered a contract paying him just under $20 million a season... or just a bit too rich for the Yankees.

Furthermore, the Yankees are not going to sign a pitcher that would accept a deal worth just $12 million a season.

For proof, look at things one year ago. Back then the Miami Marlins signed Edinson Volquez to a two-year deal that paid him $11 million a season. That was after Volquez threw to a 5.37 ERA. Also, during the last offseason, the Atlanta Braves signed Bartolo Colon to a one-year deal that paid him $12.5 million, and that was after Bartolo's age 43 season. Volquez looked like someone the Marlins could count on to throw 190-200 innings (sadly, that didn't quite happen), while Colon could also throw around 190 innings with solid production (that also did not happen).

However, the Yankees already have enough starters to fill innings, so they don't have to sign an "Edinson Volquez" or "Bartolo Colon". Should anyone currently seen as a starter go down they have Luis Cessa and Domingo German that are already on the 40-man roster, or Chance Adams is ready for the call. Would you feel better about someone like Edinson Volquez starting instead of Cessa, German, or Adams?

Taking things further, I don't believe the Yankees will use that $12 million to sign someone to play third or second base, either. There's nobody out there that should get Cashman and Company excited enough to hold back Miguel Andujar or Gleyber Torres, or avoid playing the Tylers or Torreyes. I seriously think they will give Andujar the third base job on Opening Day, and fill second base with one of Tyler Wade or Ronald Torreyes until Gleyber Torres is promoted to the big leagues after a month or two in AAA.

Sure, I've talked about Todd Frazier returning to the Yankees, but I'm at a point in which I think "why?" Todd could give the team league-average production, and I see no reason why Andujar couldn't at least do the same. The key part of that being "at least". The Yankees aren't the only ones that are very high on Miguel, therefore I see no way they let an average player stop them from finding out just what Andujar can do for them.

"Thanks, bro!"

So onto the second point...

The Yankees may not spend the entire $10 million they set aside on a pitcher. Greg Bird could get hurt... again, making them want a first baseman. Gleyber Torres may aggravate his elbow and not be there to help the team out this season, making them want a second baseman. I could go on and on with possible position player needs. The point is that the team may want to make more than one move at mid-season, which makes holding onto that other $12 million a smart move.

With that said I will talk about infield targets later should the need arise, but since the Yankees seem keen on a starter at some point, how about we look at possible mid-season targets?

EDIT: I don't mean to step on Daniel's toes, who has brought up Trade Deadline targets. I just wanted to add a few ideas is all.

Jeff Samardzija
The Yankees have been connected to Samardzija many times over the years, so it's not "out there" to guess he would be on their radar yet again. Jeff signed a contract with the San Francisco Giants for five years at $90 million, making his pro-rated salary at the mid-point of the season a shade under $10 million. Personally, I'm not a big fan of Samardzija. I mean, he's not a bad pitcher, but if the Yankees have to depend on him to start a game in a postseason series, we're in a tough spot.

Scott Kazmir
Kazmir missed all of 2017 due to injury, but he's in the last season of a three-year deal that pays him $16 million a season, and I'm sure the Braves will look to get something for him before he becomes a free agent. He was a good to very good starter for the Oakland A's in 2014 and 2015, and before he was dealt to the Braves he was okay for the Dodgers last season. If he has a good first half of 2018 then we're likely to hear his name quite a bit in trade rumors.

Danny Duffy
I talked about Duffy earlier this offseason as somebody the Yankees could acquire now. Danny just signed a five year contract worth $65 million, which is a bargain for somebody as good as Duffy is. There should be no question about Duffy's effectiveness, as can be seen by his career ERA of 3.73. The question here is in regards to his durability. 2017 was his first season as a starter only, having been a starter and reliever the previous three years, but he did go on the disabled list twice for an oblique strain and elbow impingement in his pitching elbow. I don't anticipate the Royals selling somebody under control for three more years at below-market money, but if they will listen Brian Cashman should be calling.

Wei-Yin Chen
Let's get this out of the way... Chen was diagnosed with a partial UCL tear last year, which in many cases leads to Tommy John surgery. However, his doctor said he'd only need a PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) injection, and would be ready by Spring Training. If he is healthy by mid-season there's no doubt he will be talked about in trade rumors as he currently plays for the Miami Marlins, who seem to be shedding payroll as much as possible, and would certainly want to avoid Chen picking up his player options for $42 million over the 2019 and 2020 seasons. By the way, when he's healthy, Chen can be a good to very good pitcher, as seen by his career ERA of 3.90. And while those last couple of years would be a little expensive (there is a vesting option for 2021 based on health, too), his deal being worth $16 million a season puts him under that $10 million mark at mid-season.

In order to trade for a top starter mid-season it's not going to be cheap, especially since the Yankees are probably not going to be the only team looking. Which is why I think Cashman decided weeks ago to keep trade bullets like Clint Frazier. I've said it dozens of times before, and I'll say it again... prospects like Frazier are to be dealt for a team's need, not a team's want. And the fact is the Yankees don't need a starter right now. But since that may change by mid-season, it's imperative to hold onto as many trade bullets as Cashman can.

We have to get it out of our heads that a lack of news is a bad thing. I see so many fans clamoring for a trade, or to sign Darvish, and it's not necessary. If we acquired Giancarlo Stanton last month I'm sure nobody would mind going into Opening Day as is. But the lack of moves/news has people going insane. And the last thing the Yankees, who are World Series contenders, need to do is something insane.

Setting Our Sites On Another Trade Target

Not long ago I said that the Yankees should trade Clint Frazier for a good, young, starter such as Gerrit Cole or Michael Fulmer. The reaction to that piece has been a little mixed. Some thought like me and agreed that Clint Frazier was no longer necessary, and his value should be used to improve the rotation both now and for the future. Others didn't like the idea of trading Frazier at all, as they believe he has a bright future, and the Yankees may need a regular left fielder other than Stanton or Judge after all.

As a follow up to that post I started to write about teams that would like to add Frazier, as their own left fielders leave a lot to be desired. The first team that I started to research was the Kansas City Royals.

Back in January of 2016 Kansas City signed Alex Gordon to a four year deal that would pay him $72 million, and included a mutual option for a fifth year. The average annual value of the deal was a bit high, but certainly not ridiculous seeing that Gordon had been a very good player for the Royals over the previous five seasons.

Unfortunately Alex's offensive productivity took a nosedive right away. While Gordon hit .281/.359/.450 between 2011 and 2015, since then he's hit .214/.302/.346. I'm sure the Royals, and their fans, have gone from thinking left field was covered through the rest of the decade, to thinking "how do we get through this?"

That is where Clint Frazier would fit in very nicely. If they had to, the Royals could pay a chunk of Gordon's contract to trade him away, and pay Clint the league minimum to take over.

Thanks to plenty of talk about him, the name Danny Duffy came to mind. I started thinking, "is this a perfect match?"

Duffy's ERA+ was a very nice 117 last season, his first season in which he started in every appearance. Sure, he may have started 26 games in 2016, but he appeared as a reliever in 16 other games.

Another nice stat I saw on Danny's Baseball Reference page was his home run rate, which actually went down from 1.4 in 2016 to 0.8 in 2017. While that number is nice on it's own, when you realize that there were 495 more home runs hit in 2017 than 2016, that home run rate drop is even more impressive.

So it goes without saying that adding Danny Duffy to the Yankees' rotation would be pretty cool. But here's where it gets better, and ties into the Clint Frazier thing...

The Yankees wouldn't have to include Red Thunder in a trade for Duffy.

Before this past season Kansas City signed Duffy to an extension that pays him $60 million over the next four years (it was originally a five year extension for $65 million, but it only paid him $5 million in 2017). And that's why Frazier would not have to be included in a trade here.

Think about it... the Yankees have discussed using Frazier to get guys like Gerrit Cole, who will make around $7.5 million (his projected salary according to MLB Trade Rumors), while Duffy will get $14 million.

"Okay, you won't give me Clint Frazier. So now what?"

So what would it take to trade for Danny Duffy? Well, let's move on...

Now $15 million a year isn't a ton of money, but when you see that Kansas City had a total payroll just over $140 million in 2017, finished two games under .500, and had the 4th worst offense in the American League, saving that money could make life with Alex Gordon much more livable while allowing them to give somebody else a shot out there.

Furthermore, the Royals have some nice pitching prospects that are ready to debut in the big leagues now or very soon. Their #5 prospect started 19 games for AAA Omaha in 2017, their #6 prospect started 18 games in AA, and their #9 prospect started 15 games at AAA Omaha.

I'm sure the Royals would get a young, controllable starter in return for Duffy, too. No, I don't think it would take somebody like Justus Sheffield, Chance Adams, Domingo Acevedo, or Albert Abreu. But perhaps KC would like to add Dillon Tate, who saw some starts in AA last year. Heck, include another young starter who may be a bit further away from MLB, like Freicer Perez, Matt Sauer, or Clarke Schmidt.

What about a position player to add to the deal? The Royals may very well lose Eric Hosmer to free agency, so what about offering Tyler Austin?

With the Yankees having enough room under the Luxury Tax threshold to pay Duffy $13 million (the AAV of his deal), Danny being under team control through his age 32 season, and being able to hold onto Clint Frazier and other top prospects like Sheffield, Adams, and Esteven Florial, this trade seems like a no-brainer.

The only question remaing is would the Royals do something along the lines of Tyler Austin, Dillon Tate, Matt Sauer, and another small piece for Danny Duffy? sa

This Day in New York Yankees History 11/3: Enter Paul O'Neill

It was on this day in 1992 that the New York Yankees finally acquired right fielder Paul O'Neill. The Cincinnati Reds traded O'Neill and minor league player Joe DeBerry to the Yankees for Roberto Kelly. This trade works out for the Yankees as O'Neill was an integral part of four World Series championships before retiring after the 2001 season.

Also in this day in New York Yankees history that we probably don't want to remember a pair of World Series milestones happened against the Yankees in the World Series. On this day in 2001 in Game 6 of the World Series the Arizona Diamondbacks collected 21 hits in the first six innings establishing a new record for most hits in a World Series game. Also on this day in 2009 Chase Utley tied Reggie Jackson's 1977 record with his 5th home run of the World Series.

This Day in New York Yankees History 7/28: David Cone is a Yankee

David Cone had a very interesting tenure as a member of the New York Yankees that all started on this day in 1995 when the Yankees gave up Marty Janzen and two minor leaguers, Jason Jarvis and Mike Gordon, for his services. The trade was considered early to be one of the best deals in franchise history as Cone was an integral part of the dynasty and World Series championships in the late 90's.

Cone hit a wall in 2000 though and on this day was sent to the team's minor league camp in Tampa by Yankees owner George Steinbrenner. Cone was demoted after not being able to pick up a win in over four months. The struggling Cone was placed under the supervision of Billy Connors, the Yankees vice president of player personnel.

The Yankees grabbed David Cone on this day on 1995 and they also grabbed Ruben Sierra and Jason Beverlin from the Oakland Athletics for Danny Tartabull. The Tartabull era started when the Yankees signed him a deal worth over $5 million a season after the 1991 season but he never lived up to the hype like he did as a Kansas City Royal.

Finally on this day in 1983 the American League president Lee MacPhail decided that George Brett's "Pine Tar" home run should be allowed. The game will be finished on August 18 and the Royals would win the game 5-4.

This Day In New York Yankees History 7/26: Yankees Acquire Alfonso Soriano

Saying that the New York Yankees offense struggled in 2014 is probably the understatement of the year so New York needed a savior. On this day they got one when they acquired Alfonso Soriano from the Chicago Cubs for minor league relief pitcher Corey Black. The 37 year old came back to New York with come cash from Cubs after making his major league debut with the Yankees way back in 1999. The Yankees ultimately traded him to the Texas Rangers before the 2004 season for Alex Rodriguez. Soriano would go on a tear and almost brought the Yankees all the way back to the postseason before falling just short in late September.

Also on this day in 1961 the Yankees made some history with the home run ball but it had nothing to do with Roger Maris surprisingly. Instead it was the Yankees Johnny Blanchard as he hit his fourth consecutive home run over three games to set a new major league record. The backup catcher of the Yankees hit two home runs on this day to help New York beat the White Sox 5-2.

Also on this day in 1939 the Bronx Bombers earned their names by scoring in every inning to beat the St. Louis Browns 14-1. This is only the second time in franchise history that the Yankees have achieved this feat.

Finally on this day in 1933 Joe DiMaggio showed the Yankees brass that he was made for long hitting streaks. As a minor league player Joe D saw his 61 game hitting streak come to an end in a PCL game against the Oakland Oaks. DiMaggio played for the San Francisco Seals as a 19 year old when he set a new minor league record destroying the mark of 49 consecutive games with a hit set by Jack Ness in 1914.

This Day in New York Yankees History 7/15: Dan Uggla Makes Three Errors in All-Star Game

The last time the New York Yankees hosted an All Star Game was in 2008 when we said goodbye to Yankee Stadium II. The House that Ruth Built was torn down at the end of the season but not before the Yankees had one more All Star Game and one last hoorah. In true Yankee Stadium fashion history was made on this day as Dan Uggla became the first player in the history of the All Star Game to make three errors in a game.

The Marlins second baseman had two errors in the 10th inning and one in the 13th inning while helping the American League win the game 4-3 in 15 innings. Uggla wasn't any better at the plate as he went 0-4 with three strikeouts while grounding into a double play with runners on first and third in the 10th inning for his fourth at bat.

I believe Uggla was probably the first out of Yankee Stadium that night and it would suit him just fine if he never went back.

How Far Away Is The Trade Deadline?

"My wallet's in my pocket, why do you ask?"

Recently Hal Steinbrenner has made comments that lead us to believe the Yankees be buyers at the trade deadline, which is not really a surprise. Any team that's in contention for a postseason berth is going to try and improve. But I'm not 100% sure where the team will look to get better.

Sure, Chase Headley is not going to get any All Star votes, at least outside of those Yankees fans that will simply vote for Yankees players. But Headley is not that bad. His OPS+ of 98 this season tells us he's pretty much average at the plate, and he's basically average in the field too. So the team could certainly improve here, but I just don't see it happening.

The team has also gotten below average production from the first base spot. But with Greg Bird healing up I doubt we see anything happen there, either.

The only place I can see the Yankees looking to improve would be in the starting rotation. And when I say that I'm not talking about them looking to acquire a starter that's simply "good". Michael Pineda, Luis Severino, and Jordan Montgomery are "good". At the same time I still believe Masahiro Tanaka will turn things around and be ace-like. CC Sabathia? Meh, he can at least eat innings.

Keep in mind, too, that the Yankees are not going to get under the Luxury Tax threshold this season. Therefore, it's quite possible they acquire a fairly expensive rental at the deadline. But seeing what Cashman and Co. have done lately I believe they will look at this season as well as the future.

The Yankees starting rotation after this season will, yet again, be a big question. Michael Pineda and CC Sabathia will be free agents, while Masahiro Tanaka will likely opt-out of his contract and join the free agent market as well. I suppose Tanaka could be re-signed if the Yankees don't have another top of the rotation starter going into 2018. Pineda may be re-signed if he continues to be as effective as he's been. CC Sabathia? Again... "meh". To be blunt, I wouldn't count on any of those three wearing Yankees pinstripes in '18.

When it comes to free agency the Yankees will have nearly $95 million come off the books after this season (joining the aforementioned three in free agency will be Alex Rodriguez, Matt Holliday, and Tyler Clippard), so the team can actually spend without worrying about going over the Luxury Tax threshold again. But Tanaka and Pineda may actually be the best two starters on the market, seeing as how Jake Arrieta looks lost on the mound anymore and Yu Darvish has battled injuries lately (most notably having Tommy John surgery in 2015).

Even though the starting rotation for the Yankees seems just fine for now, I think they'll look to deal for a starter to pair with 'Hiro at the top of the rotation to make a strong postseason push. Of course that leaves the question of which of the five starters would be removed from the rotation, but that stuff tends to work itself out.

Looking at teams that may very well be selling at the trade deadline, five pitchers stuck out to me. Now, I'll admit ahead of time that some of the names listed are far from surprises or bold predictions, but I believe they are real possibilities so I wanted to put it out there.


1. Jose Quintana - Chicago White Sox
Yeah, yeah, yeah... We've all read and heard all there is to know about Mr. Quintana.


2. Gerrit Cole - Pittsburgh Pirates
Gerrit is just 26 years old and won't be a free agent until after the 2020 season. Even with the elbow issues he faced last season, Gerrit still posted a sub-4.00 ERA thanks to nice strikeout and walk rates. I felt stronger about Cole being dealt before Jameson Taillon was diagnosed with testicular cancer, as Jameson would be the Pirates' new ace. But it's not like Pittsburgh doesn't have other nice pitching prospects like Tyler Glasnow and Mitch Keller.

"Okay, I'll become a Yankee this time, but I'm still not going to cut my hair."

3. Sonny Gray - Oakland Athletics
Gray is a year older than Gerrit Cole, but he too won't be a free agent until after the 2020 season. Between his debut in 2013 and 2015 Sonny's ERA+ was an outstanding 133. Unfortunately his 2016 season was riddled with injuries to his trapezius muscle and forearm, leading to him starting this season on the disabled list as well. But if Gray can get healthy I could easily see him earning "ace" status in MLB.

Plus, Oakland is stacked with young pitching talent in Jharel Cotton, Sean Manaea, Kendall Graveman, Jesse Hahn, and Andrew Triggs. So it's not like they should feel the need to hang onto Sonny Gray.


4. Julio Teheran - Atlanta Braves
We've heard Julio's name come up in trade rumors before, and I'm guessing we'll hear that name come up just as much this time around as well. Teheran is 26 years old, and like Cole and Gray won't be a free agent until after the 2020 season (that's shaping up to be a very nice starting pitcher class).

The fact is Julio is as dependable as they come. He's started 30 or more games in each of the past four seasons, posting solid strikeout and walk rates, while also limiting the long ball.

The Braves may be willing to deal Teheran away, thanks to them having some top of the line pitching prospects coming up. Sean Newcomb is killing it at AAA, while the team also has Koly Allard, Mike Soroka, Ian Anderson, and Max Fried in the pipeline too.

But Atlanta would likely want a dependable starter for 2018, as they are set to lose three of their current starters to free agency (Bartolo Colon, RA Dickey, and Jaime Garcia). That could mean at least including guys like Luis Cessa or Bryan Mitchell in a trade. Then again, those losses wouldn't be a real problem IMO.


5. James Paxton - Seattle Mariners
Paxton is a little older than others on this list, but at 28 he's not what I'd call "over the hill". And even though he's older, James won't be a free agent until after the 2021 season. I'm not sure Seattle would be willing to deal Paxton, but he will be arbitration eligible for the first time next season so they may want to save money. If so, the Yankees should take a hard look here.

James Paxton's strikeout rate of 9.2 per 9 innings in 158.2 innings since last season shows he's very good at missing bats, and he is good at limiting the home run too. Mind you, his ground ball rate has dropped this season, but that seems to be more of an anomaly than a trend.

And the Mariners may be open to trading away Paxton thanks to a handful of good to very good pitching prospects that includes Andrew Moore and Ryan Yarbrough, both of whom are in AAA and could join the big league rotation as early as this year.


Okay, seeing that it's only May 18th it's probably way too early to even be thinking about the trade deadline, but after hearing Hal Steinbrenner I couldn't help myself. I should note, too, that Hal has said he isn't looking to trade away any top prospects. That means Clint Frazier and Gleyber Torres should still be in the Yankee farm system come August.

"Yes! I love those guys!"

I'd love to hear about other pitchers, or hell... anybody for that matter, that you think the Yankees could acquire to make a strong run in the postseason. If anything, we can say we mentioned certain players first. And who doesn't like to brag?

It's My Turn To Chime In On Quintana

No.

There's my very simple response to the idea of trading for Jose Quintana. If you care to know why I think that way then read on. Otherwise, have a nice night.

Okay, for those that are curious as to why...

Jose Quintana is signed through 2018. He has two team options for 2019 and 2020, but keep in mind that 2019 will be his age 30 year. Pitchers at age 30 are not usually what they were at age 27.

I know this is hard for some fans to admit, but the Yankees are not built to win this year or next. Hell, there are many "experts" that barely have the Yankees finishing this upcoming season above .500.

In reality, their next true shot at another World Series title is in 2019. In case you suffer from poor short-term memory, that would be Quintana's age 30 season (assuming the Yankees were to pick up his option for that season).

So making a trade for Quintana would be closer to a "win-now" move, than one made with the future in mind. If trading for Quintana wouldn't likely cost players like Aaron Judge and James Kaprielien I'd be all for it. But giving up that type of young talent, who the team could build their lineup and rotation around, doesn't strike me as a great decision.

Meet a Prospect: Luis Cessa

Luis Cessa knows a thing or two about minor league baseball and New York and it’s a good thing after the Detroit Tigers sent him to the New York Yankees before the 2016 season in the Justin Wilson trade. This marks the second time that Cessa was traded this calendar year as he was also traded to the Detroit Tigers by the team who drafted him, the New York Mets, in the Yoenis Cespedes deal. Now Cessa, along with teammate Chad Green, head to New York to give the Yankees some Triple-A starting pitching depth at the very least and could possibly slide back into the rotation come Opening Day 2017, let’s meet him. This is Meet a Prospect: The Luis Cessa Edition.


Cessa is 21-years old and has a natural right-handed pitcher’s build. Cessa stands 6’3” and weighs 190 lbs. with plenty of room to grow and fill out his frame. Cessa was considered an underrated prospect while pitching in the same rotation as Steven Matz and Gabriel Ynoa but is still considered to have less upside than a frontline starter. Cessa is the type of pitcher to aggressively attack the zone and relies on his excellent pinpoint control to survive. Cessa keeps batters off balance with his developing curveball and is still considered raw since he was converted from the infield. The Mets drafted Cessa as an infielder in 2008 and converted him to a starting pitcher in 2011 so the 2016 season looks to be just his sixth professional season as a pitcher. That equals upside.


Cessa’s downfall may be his durability and the fact that he loses velocity the deeper he goes into games. Cessa doesn’t have electric stuff by any means but he gets the job done and could be an excellent relief pitcher eventually. Cessa is truly raw and the sky is the limit.


I was scouting around on a Mets Minors and found these grades from before the 2015 season:

Fastball: 45/55 Change-Up: 55/60 Curveball: 35/50 Control: 55/60 Mechanics: 60/60

Cessa is not going to change an organization by any means but at age 22 you never know. Justin Wilson was replaceable either inside the organization or via free agency so it’s not the biggest loss. At worst Cessa could become a serviceable relief pitcher, at best a decent starter. If last year was an indicator it showed us that Cessa needs to add another pitch to be an MLB pitcher but the guy can still get guys out, so who knows?

This Day in New York Yankees History 1/16: Nothing, Again

Nothing, again. I didn't forget you guys and I'm not dead, just nothing happening today on this day in Yankees history. Maybe Brian Cashman can make this day worth my while next season by signing a free agent or making a trade or breaking his leg sky diving or something.

This Day In New York Yankees History 1/1: Exit Manny Banuelos

On this day in 2015 the New York Yankees traded Manny Banuelos to the Atlanta Braves for relief pitcher David Carpenter. The deal worked out well for the Braves as Banuelos has been seen on many of the club's top prospects lists while Carpenter was designated for assignment halfway through the 2015 campaign.

Also on this day in 1941 Babe Ruth spends $50,000 for defense bonds in support of the U.S. mobilization effort. The $50,000 is the maximum amount allowed by law for one person to purchase and was considered to be a big chunk of money back then.

Finally on this day in 1923 Wee Willie Keeler died as a result of heart failure. Keeler pRomised his fans and former teammates that he would live to see 1923 and lasted until New Years Day, as promised. Keeler played for the Superbas (now the Dodgers), Orioles, Giants (New York), and the Highlanders (now the Yankees) in his Hall of Fame career. Keeler is known for his quote "keep your eye clear, and hit 'em where they ain't."

This Day in New York Yankees History 12/22: Javier Vazquez... Again

On this day in 2009 the World Series champions acquired Javier Vazquez from the Atlanta Braves for outfielder Melky Cabrera. The last time we saw Vazquez in Yankees pinstripes he was giving up that grand slam to Boston Red Sox Johnny Damon in Game 7 of the 2004 ALCS.

Also on this day in 2008 the New York Yankees signed Chien Ming Wang to a one year deal worth $5 million to avoid arbitration. The 28 year old right hander had missed half the season after an injury running the bases in Houston ended his season.

Finally on this day in 1982 Lee Mazzilli was traded for the third time this season as the Yankees trade the first basemen and outfielder to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Tim Burke and three minor league players. Mazzilli was acquired in New York that August for Bucky Dent from the Texas Rangers.

Ranking Brian Cashman's November Trade/Acquisition History

Brian Cashman in the past has wasted no time preparing for the upcoming season as the Yankees GM so I decided to take a quick look at what he has done in the month of November in recent years. If the past is any indicator of the future should we expect a trade sometime soon this month?

2008 - Wilson Betemit, Jeff Marquez and Jhonny Nunez to the Chicago White Sox for Nick Swisher and Kanekoa Teixeira.

2014 - The Justin Wilson for Francisco Cervelli trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates definitely benefited both teams as both teams traded from a position of depth and power to fill a need. The way trades are designed to be.

2007 - Cashman sent Gary Sheffield to the Detroit Tigers for Humberto Sanchez, Anthony Claggett and Kevin Whelan. None of these prospects ever made the roster but Sheffield wasn't conspiring with Kenny Lofton about the "racist" Joe Torre either. Win/win.

2001- Cashman signs Melky Cabrera as a 16-year old out of Venezuela.

2015 - The Yankees sent John Ryan Murphy to the Minnesota Twins for Aaron Hicks and the team also acquired Ronald Herrera from the San Diego Padres on this day.

This Day in New York Yankees History 11/3: Enter Paul O'Neill

It was on this day in 1992 that the New York Yankees finally acquired right fielder Paul O'Neill. The Cincinnati Reds traded O'Neill and minor league player Joe DeBerry to the Yankees for Roberto Kelly. This trade works out for the Yankees as O'Neill was an integral part of four World Series championships before retiring after the 2001 season.

Also in this day in New York Yankees history that we probably don't want to remember a pair of World Series milestones happened against the Yankees in the World Series. On this day in 2001 in Game 6 of the World Series the Arizona Diamondbacks collected 21 hits in the first six innings establishing a new record for most hits in a World Series game. Also on this day in 2009 Chase Utley tied Reggie Jackson's 1977 record with his 5th home run of the World Series.

…But Fire Cashman for Trading Montero for Pineda

“I want Brian Cashman’s head on a stake! How could he trade away our top prospect Jesus Montero for an arm like Michael Pineda?” That’s a dramatization of what many Yankees fans were screaming when news broke that the Yankees had indeed traded their top prospect away for Michael Pineda of the Seattle Mariners but it’s not an exaggeration by much. Many wanted Cashman fired despite attitude, maturity and defensive problems that were always surrounding Montero as a catcher and as a ball player in general. Many wanted Cashman fired for making the trade but as we stand here now four years later I think you can say without any doubt that the New York Yankees won this trade hands down. Especially after the latest bit of news involving Montero.

Montero, now a prospect with the Toronto Blue Jays after falling out of grace with the Mariners, was suspended for 50 games this week for, you guessed it, a failed steroid test. Montero, who tested positive for dimethylbutylamine, has now failed two drug tests in his MLB career including his inclusion in the Biogenesis scandal back in 2013 when he was with Seattle. That was before Montero got suspended again by the Mariners in 2014 after a heckler asked an overweight Montero if he wanted an ice cream sandwich while he was down in the Minor Leagues rehabbing. I found it funny, Montero apparently did not.

Anyone still think the trade and who “won” is still up in the air? I don’t. Anyone still think Brian Cashman should be fired for that trade? Me either.