Yankees Trade Targets : Matt Garza

The trade deadline is officially in 15 days on July 31st. Like I said in an earlier post the Yankees are going to be linked, whether true or not, to every single starting pitcher available at the trade deadline. The Cubs look to be in rebuilding mode and will be looking for the lower level prospects that we have boat loads of. Let us look at potential trade candidate for the Yankees Matt Garza.

Matt Garza is halfway through a 1 year $9.5 million contract that he signed with the Cubs this offseason. He is under team control for all of 2013 though because of him being arbitration eligible. The Yankees will have some competition for Garza if they choose to get involved because the O's, Dodgers, Tigers, Blue Jays, and Red Sox just to name a few have expressed some serious interest in the Cubs right hander. Garza is having a typical Matt Garza season when you look at FIP, K/9, BB/9, GB%, K's, BB's, BABIP, and WAR. 

I have never really understood why everyone is so high on Matt Garza. Sure he has had some sorts of success in the AL East and all that but the guy, to me, seems wildly inconsistent. I know that kind of contradicts the statement above about Garza having another "Garza like" season but I think that he has always been inconsistent. Garza is nothing more then a #3 or #4 pitcher but has played on teams that needed him to be a #2 pitcher. We do  not need a #3 or #4 pitcher in my opinion, especially if we are going to be paying like he is a #2 pitcher. I say pass on Garza.

Yankees Trade Deadline Targets : Justin Upton

UPDATE:

Justin Upton has told us that the New York Yankees are one of the four teams that are on his no trade list that he can block a trade to. So much for wishful thinking...

Do not get me wrong... In no shape or form do I think we will have the best offer nor do I do think we will have the MLB ready prospects that Arizona wants in order to make a trade. This is more of an obligatory posting since Arizona seems to be willing and ready to trade 24 year old outfielder Justin Upton. 

Justin Upton, as stated earlier, is only 24 years old and has a very team friendly contract. He also plays right field where we will have a big hole after this season. If we could replace Nick Swisher with a younger, better, and cheaper alternative then we could improve the team AND keep on track for the 2014 goal of an $189 million payroll. Here are Upton's payroll obligations for the remainder of his contract:

12:$6.75M, 13:$9.75M, 14:$14.25M, 15:$14.5M

It needs to be said that Upton has limited no trade protection which allows him to block a trade to four teams, four teams that we do not know about. Justin Upton has put up some very nice batting numbers in what is widely considered a pitchers park down in Arizona. Not including the small sample size of the 2012 season Upton has averaged nearly 28 home runs in the last three seasons, averages 20 stolen bases, a .285 average, with nearly a 5.0 WAR.  There is a concern of Upton being lazy though, similar to the same concerns put on his brother BJ Upton, and his sometimes unwillingness to play hard in the field and on the base paths.  For some reason, maybe it is guys like Derek Jeter and CC Sabathia and company, I do not see that being a problem in New York. 

Kevin Towers worked with the Yankees for a season not too long ago so he knows the Yankees prospects quite well. He also has a great relationship with Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman, which cannot hurt in the negotiation process. This is one guy that I think, to an extent, I would empty the farm for. The only way it happens is if we get a third team involved... but I can hope. I am TOTALLY for this trade if we can make it work and not get totally taken in the trade. This is the perfect example of GETTING GREEDY in Yankees land by getting the best guy available and sticking him on an already stacked team... I love it. Not to mention we may see the return of this...

Chad Qualls Future In Our Bullpen

Hey Chad... do you hear those footsteps?

I think you may have sealed your fate for good in the Yankees bullpen this afternoon after giving up hit after hit after hit. I was on the guys side but enough is enough for Qualls. Joba cannot come back soon enough to lock down that bullpen. 

Angels @ Yankees 7/15/12

UPDATE:

After Nova allows two solo home runs in the first inning Alex Rodriguez comes up after a Curtis Granderson single and knocks one out to tie the game. 2-2 Tie

Cano extends his hitting streak to 18 straight games.

Derek Jeter gives the Yankees a 3-2 lead with an rbi single

Nova getting home run happy. He finds himself down 5-3 in the 6th

If the Yankees lose this game they have no one to blame but themselves. The base running mistakes and doubles plays we worked ourselves into made it hard. 

The Grandy Man Can! 5-4 Angels!

Eric Chavez is 3-3 today after hitting his 8th home run of the season, which chased Jered Weaver, and pulled the Yankees within 1 to 6-5. 

Yankees 9th inning comeback falls short.

Yankees lose 10-8

Wow July is already half way over and the Yankees have done nothing , much like their June, but win win win. It is too bad the World Series is not played in June or July because I think the Yankees would probably have about 57 World Series Titles instead of 27. I digress...

The Yankee will look for the sweep today against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim this afternoon in the Bronx. This will be no easy task, as it never is an easy win against the Angels, with Jered Weaver on the mound for the Angels. We remember the last time that Weaver saw the Yankees and I am sure he does too. He gave up 5 runs in the first inning and did not make it out of the first before being placed on the DL. The Yankees will send Ivan Nova to the mound who has already beaten the Angels once this season. The game will be televised at 1:05 pm ET on YES and TBS.

Lineups

Derek Jeter SS
Curtis Granderson CF
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Robinson Cano 2B
Mark Teixeira 1B
Nick Swisher RF
Raul Ibanez LF
Eric Chavez DH
Russell Martin C

Go Yankees!!

I Agree With Cashman... No Big Trades

With the trade deadline looming, and people starting to talk about guys like Ryan Dempster, I was thinking about contract situations that are more important to the Yankees.

More like "Dumpster"... am I right?

I really don't think the Yankees should pay a lot for a rental. Especially a rental that is not really necessary. The Yankees can win without acquiring Matt Garza, so why pay for him? But what if they could trade for a guy to help them this year, and then be in a better spot to re-sign or extend for 2013 and beyond? Like... say... Cole Hamels? 

Well, when it comes to paying a guy $20 million, I think the Yankees could spend their money a bit better. Their chances of getting down to a payroll of $189 million are slim already, and signing a guy like Hamels is going to force them to fill other spots from within. More to the point... how can they bring back Robinson Cano and Curtis Granderson, if they spend $20 million a season on Hamels? In short... they can't, unless they say "to hell with the austerity budget". 

So how should the Yankees spend their money? 

Well, Robinson Cano comes first.

Number 1 on the field, and number 1 in your pretty little heart.

Why? Angelo Gumbs is the only middle infielder in the organization ranked in the top 20 Yankee prospects (19th by River Avenue Blues), and he's only 19 years old. Cito Culver could take over for Cano even though he's a shortstop (Cano is a former SS), but Cito's only 19 too. Then there's Corban Joseph, who is in AAA now, but he's batting .259 this year, and hasn't quite shown the same power that Cano provides the Yanks. I'm not saying Joseph won't ever be a viable MLB starter, I'm just saying that betting on the guy right now is not smart. I could be singing a different tune after next season, but the decision on Cano should come before Opening Day of 2013, not at the end of the 2013 season, due to how extensions affect team payroll for the Luxury Tax.

Then the Yankees need to figure out what to do with Curtis Granderson.

"I may be a nice guy, but I will hurt you if you don't do the right thing."

Why? Mason Williams is really interesting to the future of the team, but he's probably 3 years away (currently in high A ball). The same for Tyler Austin, another good OF prospect. Zoilo Almonte is a possibility I guess, but he's also only got an OBP of .32o above high A ball. Ravel Santana, Ramon Flores, and Ben Gamel are top 25 prospects for the Yankees, but they are all 3+ years away from being MLB-ready. That leaves Ronnier Mustelier.

I'm not a big prospect guy, as I've said in the past, but I'm intrigued with this guy. In 267 plate appearances with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this season Ronnier is hitting .302/.357/.475.  But due to the fact he's not done well in LF (.968 Fielding Percentage), and his experience in CF is extremely limited (6 games), I see him as a possible replacement for Swisher... but not Granderson. 

That leaves the Yankees with an outfield in 2014 consisting of Brett Gardner and... being optimistic... Ronnier Mustelier. Barring a trade, you can see that this situation with Granderson is not so cut and dry. 

I love you, Nick, but you're not irreplaceable.

So, in my oh-so-humble opinion, there is no way the Yankees should pursue Cole Hamels. And seeing as how they don't really need a rental to get them to the "Promised Land" this season, I see no reason for them to make any big moves... unless that move includes an OF that could take over for Granderson (offensively and defensively) in 2014 and beyond.

Yankees Trade Deadline Targets : Ryan Dempster

In 17 days we will all, undoubtedly, be glues to our TVs and computers watching just what your favorite baseball team does at the July 31st trade deadline. Will your team be a seller or a buyer? Is your team a pretender or contender? The Yankees are definite contenders but I am not so sure that they will be buying much of anything.

As we all know the Yankees will be linked to ANY and ALL outfielders and ANY and ALL starting pitchers. The first of those starting pitchers that we are going to cover is Cubs right handed starting pitcher Ryan Demptser.

Ryan Dempster, as of today 7/14/12, has a scoreless IP streak of 33 innings with six shut out innings against the Arizona Diamondbacks. First let us get down to business... There is a reported 10 clubs interested in the Cubs right hander, one of them is reportedly the Yankees, but Dempster is a 10.5 guy which means he can veto ANY trade the Cubs try and make. Reports are saying that the Cubs have been scouting any and everyone's lower levels of their systems which I find interesting and scary at the same time because we have such great talent, probably our best talent, in the lower levels of the system in Charleston and Tampa.

I really do not expect us to, and hope that we do not, trade for 35 year old Ryan Dempster. While he has a great ERA, 1.88, in a pitcher's park the National League is still the National League. I will ALWAYS be weary of a NL pitcher coming to the AL. I will ALWAYS be weary of a guy on a crappy team with no pressure coming to New York. I will also ALWAYS be weary of giving up good prospects for a "luxury" and a rental. Dempster is signed through this year and makes $14 million bucks this year but obviously that money would be prorated.

In closing this rumor gets a thumb down. Although adding his wife to the Wives & Girlfriends section would not be the worst thing that could happen....

Romine & Joba Injury Updates

Joba Chamberlain made his second rehab assignment appearance this afternoon for the Gulf Coast League (GCL) Yankees. Joba pitched two innings and consistently sat at 95 mph, touching 97 mph, and was great with his control. Joba struck out two batters , did not allow a hit or a walk, and every out that was not a strike out was a ground ball. 19 of his 25 pitches that he threw this afternoon were strikes. Granted this is a league where recent draft picks and such play but it is still a great sign to see him at or above pre surgery velocity. 

Joba is slated to pitch another two inning outing in "three to four days" which would be his third of this 30 day rehab assignment. If Joba has no set backs and goes the full 30 days Joba would have to come back up to the majors on August 7th. Brian Cashman does not expect Joba to need the entire 30 days but you never know. 

Remember the guy that was so good and close to the majors that it allowed us to trade Jesus Montero and not blink an eye? Well one significant back injury, missing about half the season, and missing all of spring training later Austin Romine is back! Austin went 0-2 with an rbi and caught the first three innings of the game. Baby steps but I will take them. 

In other news the Yankees two best pitching prospects , via pre season rankings, have both been cleared to start throwing programs after injuries. Manny Banuelos started a throwing program a couple days ago while Jose Campos looks to start his early next week. 

Angels @ Yankees 7/14/12

Robinson Cano extends his hit streak to 17 games and the Yankees win 5-3

Hey I CAN Pitch...

Saturday afternoon baseball at Yankees Stadium in the Bronx. Today Freddy Garcia will be on the mound for the Yanks and will be opposed by Angels Jerome Williams. The Yankees came back from behind to take the lead in the 8th and would not relinquish it last night. Hopefully we see more clutch hitting and fireworks today.

Lineups

Derek Jeter SS
Curtis Granderson CF
Alex Rodriguez DH
Robinson Cano 2B
Mark Teixeira 1B
Nick Swisher RF
Raul Ibanez LF
Eric Chavez 3B
Chris Stewart C

Go Yankees!!

Angels @ Yankees 7/13/12

In Non Related news the Yankees have signed OF Kosuke Fukodome to a minor league deal as insurance for Brett Gardner. He will report to AAA Empire State Yankees.

Welcome back from the break Yankees fans! The Yankees start a three game series tonight at the Stadium against Albert Pujols and the Los Angeles Angels of Orange County of Disney World of Anaheim , not to be confused with Los Angeles or even Oakland California. Anyway...

The Yankees will send Hiroki Kuroda to the mound to try and kick off the first half on the right foot. Opposing for the Angels will be CJ Wilson. The game will be televised at 7:05 pm ET on MY9 and MLB Network.

Lineups

Derek Jeter SS
Curtis Granderson CF
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Mark Teixeira 1B
Robinson Cano 2B
Nick Swisher RF
Andruw Jones LF
Russell Martin C
Jayson Nix DH

Go Yankees!!

Yankees Sign Jose Mesa

Again... so much for the draft spending stopping the big spending Yankees from getting who they want huh?

Jose Mesa said before the draft that if he did not get drafted in the top 10 rounds that he would not be signing with any team. Well the Yankees drafted him 24th overall and well outside the top 10 rounds. The draft pool signing cap for the rounds outside the top 10 is 100K unless you have money left over from the top 10 rounds, which the Yankees have 400K left. No word on what he signed for but he can sign for as much as 500K now after the Hensley sign. 

This may be the first of many guys that seemed not signable due to the new rules that the Yankees get. The Yankees always get their guy.