Potential Yankees Trade Targets

The calendar has turned to July, which means summer is in full force and we are under a month away to the MLB trade deadline. The Yankees (44-39) currently sit six games behind Boston in the AL East and are three games behind Oakland and Baltimore in the wild card.

The Yankees need to be looking for offensive help immediately before they fall out of the race. 3rd base, shortstop, catcher, and 1st base are the biggest Yankees needs. Even if the Yankees fell out of the race they do not have many pieces to sell. Nobody will want the contracts of Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira and CC Sabathia. Hiroki Kuroda has a no-trade clause and Joba Chamberlain, Phil Hughes and Curtis Granderson have either under performed or been injured this year. Here are the players I think the Yankees should target in trades:

Jonathan Lucroy C Brewers:
The Brewers are big time sellers and the Yankees should certainly place a call to them about Lucroy. Lucroy, 27, is still in his prime and has a great contract that would have him under team control through 2016, so he is more than a rental. He has a slash line of .267/.313/.432/.745 this season, which is down from last year (.320/.368/.513/.881), but still very solid for a catcher. Lucroy has shown much more power this year, as he has hit 12 home runs already this year and he hit 12 all of last season. He is 8th among MLB catchers in wOBA (.321) and wRC+ (103). Lucroy would represent a huge upgrade for the Yankees.

Kendrys Morales 1B Mariners:
Morales is having a solid season for the Mariners and he would be a good player for the Yankees to get on a rental. He would be a big upgrade over Lyle Overbay, who has been terrible recently. Morales’ slash line this year is .277/.334.433/.768. He has nine home runs, but Safeco Field probably has kept that total lower than it should be. Morales is a switch hitter, which is always great and the only current switch hitter on the Yankees is Zoilo Almonte. He hits lefties and righties effectively, but he has crushed lefties (147 wRC+ and .378 wOBA), and the Yankees really struggle against lefties. Morales would be a perfect fit at first base for the Yankees.

Michael Young 3B Phillies:
Alex Rodriguez started his rehab yesterday, but it is still hard to count on him coming off of major hip surgery. Even when he does come back he will have to DH a ton and David Adams has been dreadful. Young would fit perfectly in the number two hole in the Yankees lineup behind Brett Gardner. Young’s fielding is not good, but the Yankees really need the offense right now. His slash line is .287/.344/.409/.753 with 108 wRC+ and a .328 wOBA. Young has little power and is up there in age, but he is a considerable upgrade over what the Yankees have.

Mike Morse 1B/OF Mariners
Morse was somebody I wanted the Yankees to trade for over the winter, but he went to Seattle. Morse is currently on the DL with a quad injury, so he will have to prove to be healthy before the Yankees trade for him. If healthy, his versatility and right handed power would be a good fit for the Yankees. Morse‘s slash for the season is .251/.313/.454/.767 with a .332 wOBA and 115 wRC+. He is an intimating presence at 6-5 and 245 pounds that would bring some much needed pop to the lineup. With his injury and his impending free agency he will not cost a ton.

Chase Utley 2B Phillies
Obviously, Utley would not be playing second base on the Yankees. However, he has 24 career starts at first base in his career, so he is familiar with that position. Utley just returned from the DL last week and injuries are always a concern with him. Yet, when he is on the field you know he is going to produce. Utley has hit to the tune of a .284/.348/.517/.866 slash line. His 2.5 WAR, 138 wRC+ and .371 wOBA are also very solid. Utley is a lefty, but lefties do not give him a lot of trouble, as he has a .816 OPS against lefties this season. Utley would instantly become the second best hitter on the Yankees.

Nate Schierholtz OF Cubs
The Yankees tried to acquire Schierholtz this winter, but he went to the Cubs and the Yankees really could have used him. Schierholtz is having an outstanding season and his swing would fit great at Yankee Stadium. Outfield is not the biggest need on the team, but the Yankees need bats any way they can get them. Schierholtz has showed great pop this year with 11 home runs and a .536 slugging percentage. Schierholtz is another rental so he would have no effect on next year’s payroll.

 

Leonardo Molina International Signing Update

I did not originally know this somehow and learned it recently and wanted to bring this new found information to you guys. Until late last night I did not know that Leonardo Molina could not sign with the Yankees, or anyone for that matter, until his 16th birthday on August 1st. I was expecting to come home from work yesterday seeing the signing and was confused when I did not and now I know why. It's going to be a long month as all these guys come off of the board and we wait and hope we sign Molina. The Yankees must know something that we do not or I do not think we would be waiting.

Hiroki Kuroda Scratched From Start On Friday

Add yet another member to the walking wounded Yankees team.

Hiroki Kuroda will be scratched from his start on Friday with what is being described as a sore left hip flexor. The MRI came back fine but Kuroda reported some tenderness while warming up on Sunday and I think the Yankees are just going to be a little cautious with their ace, yeah I said it. Ivan Nova will make his start against the Baltimore Orioles.

Staten Island Yankees Game Recap For 7/2

Staten Island, NY – July 2nd – Yeicok Calderon hit his fourth home run of the season as the Baby Bombers defeated the Brooklyn Cyclones 5-2 at home on Tuesday night.

In the bottom of the first, third baseman Kale Sumner hit a one-out single to left before centerfielder Brandon Thomas drew a walk. Up next, Calderon blasted a shot over the right field wall to give Staten Island a 3-0 advantage.

The Yankees tagged on another run in the third. Derek Toadvine led things off, reaching first base on a fielding error by third baseman Anthony Chavez. Toadvine then stole second, and later came around to score when Brandon Thomas hit a line drive single to right.

Three innings later, Isaias Tejeda doubled to left before scoring on an RBI single by Jose Rosario, extending the Yankees’ lead to five runs.

The Cyclones remained scoreless until the seventh when an RBI single and a couple of Staten Island errors led to a couple of Brooklyn runs. James Roche began the inning with a walk, before moving to second on a balk by relief pitcher Cale Coshow. Roche later stole third. Chavez then singled to plate Roche. Chavez also scored on the play after a missed catch two-base error by left fielder Mikeson Oliberto and a throwing error by shortstop Jose Rosario.

Staten Island starter Giovanny Gallegos earned his second win of the season after pitching 5.0 scoreless innings with six hits and three strikeouts. Cale Coshow threw 3.0 innings of relief, surrendering two runs (one earned) on four hits with a walk and five strikeouts. Sam Agnew-Wieland came in to pitch the ninth and picked up his first save.

The Yankees will travel to Brooklyn tomorrow for a 7:00PM start. RHP Philip Walby (0-0, 4.15 ERA) will toe the mound for the Yankees, while LHP Carlos Valdez (0-0, 4.82 ERA) is expected to get the ball for the Cyclones. The Yankees will return home to Staten Island on Thursday, July 4th to face the Hudson Valley Renegades. First pitch is scheduled for 7:00PM, and there will be post-game fireworks. Tickets are on sale now by calling 718-720-9265, or visiting the box office at Richmond County Bank Ballpark.

Morning Bits

Good morning everyone!

The Yankees took their second straight game from the Twins last night by a score of 7-3.

Phil Hughes remains enigmatic, pitching his second straight gem after a series of poor outings. Hughes allowed only one earned run in seven innings to get the win and lower his ERA on the season to 4.55.

For all of the criticism leveled at Hughes, his ERA is almost identical to Andy Pettitte's and is much better than David Phelps.

The ageless Mariano Rivera came on in the ninth inning to earn his 27th save of the season.

Robinson Cano went 2-4 with 3 RBI's, including his 20th home run of the season to lead the Yankees offensively.

The Yankees and Twins will meet again tonight at 8:10 PM ET with C.C. Sabathia(8-6, 4.15 ERA) facing P.J. Walters(6-4, 6.03 ERA).  The game will be broadcast by YES.

Now on to today's news links:

Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News has this article about a very clever gift that the Twins gave Mariano Rivera.

TMZ says that A-Rod's future could be determined by a whistle blower.

David Schoenfield of ESPN.com reminds us of a great deadline deal in Yankee history.

Have a great day everyone!

This Day In New York Yankees History 7/3

On this day in 1932 the Boston Red Sox played the New York Yankees on what was a Sunday in Fenway Park. What made this significant is the fact that Boston law outlawed games played within 1000 feet of a church. The Red Sox would lose 13-2 on this day.

Alex Rodriguez Hit-Less In First Rehab Game

Alex Rodriguez played his first rehab game in his 20 game window for the Charleston Riverdogs and was held without a hit. A Rod finished the night 0-2 with a GIDP and a strike out while playing three innings at third base. The only defensive chances he got at the hot corner were two bunts which one of them he fielded cleanly. Alex will play again tomorrow with the Charleston Riverdogs and expects to play third base for four innings tomorrow.

Game Thread: Yankees @ Twins 7/2

The Yankees and the Twins are ready to play tonight in the second game of the four game series this week at Target Field. Phil Hughes had a great start last time out but the Yankees offense could only muster two hits and were shut out so Hughes should be encouraged by that start and hopefully will build from it. Deduno is a right handed pitcher which will allow Joe Girardi to stack up lefties in the lineup and allow us to be vulnerable to the Minnesota Twins bullpen later. Oh well, Go Yankees!

Here is the Yankees lineup

Brett Gardner CF
Ichiro Suzuki RF
Robinson Cano 2B
Travis Hafner DH
Zoilo Almonte LF
Lyle Overbay 1B
Chris Stewart C
David Adams 3B
Alberto Gonzalez SS

Follow us on Twitter @GreedyStripes to stay up to date with the Yankees all season long.

Mark Teixeira Tweets Injury Update, No One Says A Word

Successful surgery yesterday, doc said it couldn't have gone better. Looking forward to watching my #Yankee teammates tonight vs the Twins.
— Mark Teixeira (@teixeiramark25) July 2, 2013

Did Mark Teixeira clear this with Brian Cashman first?

Jayson Nix Day To Day With Hamstring Injury

Jayson Nix has been scratched from tonight's start with a tight hamstring. Raise your hand if you are surprised about yet another member added to the walking wounded Yankees. I wish I could say with a straight face that this was the reason that Jayson Nix has been less than stellar at the plate but I can't, I just can't. The Yankees are down to two men on the bench tonight in Vernon Wells and Austin Romine and Joe Girardi says no roster move is imminent.