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Sunday Transaction "News"

by Allen Chace on Dec 17, 2006 6:51 PM EST in News

The Yankees are apparently close to finishing a three-way deal with the Braves and Pirates that would send Melky Cabrera to the Braves, Adam LaRoche to the Pirates, and Mike Gonzalez to the Yankees. The winner(s) here? The Pirates followed by the Yankees. The loser? The Atlanta Braves. Unbelievable. John Schuerholz follows up his acquisition of Rafael Soriano(one of the top trades of the offseason) with this head-scratcher.

I think Melky Cabrera is a talented player, will do well in Atlanta, and will probably succeed Andruw Jones with aplomb after he nets $20M+/yr. in FA next offseason. But there's no question that he is the least valuable player in the deal. Mike Gonzalez is a tough lefty reliever with closer potential. Adam LaRoche is a good first baseman (unless his ADD crops up) and an up and coming lefty slugger. Melky Cabrera is an above-average defensive OF who may hit well enough to stick as a starting CFer for a low-mid market team.

Don't worry, Cashman seems to be making a mistake here as well. If the Braves feel giving up Adam LaRoche is worth Melky Cabrera in the first place... Well, let's just say the Yankees have the solution to their first-base problem right under their noses.

In Red Sox transaction news (thanks to argo0 and jsnvaritek33 in the comments), JD Drew's deal may be in jeopardy. His physical came back with some shoulder questions. My thoughts on this? Fantastic. Don't get me wrong, I've been public in thinking that JD Drew makes the Red Sox stronger, particularly in OF defense and plate patience. However, if this A) Makes him come cheaper, B) For less years, C) Gives the Red Sox a chance to add a team-controlled injury-based out clause (i.e. Magglio Ordonez, then cheers. We're still going to get our injury-risk RF, and closer to what the Red Sox probably wanted to spend in the first place.

And now for something completely different, check out Jeff Sackmann's(of The Hardball Times and BrewCrewBall on SBNation) piece on an alternate solution to holes in a pitching staff. Surreal and entertaining.

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Re: Sunday Transaction "News"

How can you say that Cashman is making a bad move here? The Yanks are trading a 4th OF for a young lefty closer who will set up for them. It would also allow them to look into trading Kyle Fransworth. A good set-up man is something the Yanks have been seaching for since Stanton and Nelson left. I love the Melk Man but he donest have a future here. The Yanks #1 position prospect Jose Tabata who is viewed as a "cant miss" who plays RF and the Yankees vision him taking over in 08 right after Abreu's deal is up. They are locked into Damon and Matsui till after the 2009 season so where is Melky going to play? I much rather have a lefty set-up man than a forth OF. As for 1st base I get that they dont have a quote on quote all-start but thats the thing they dont need one. All the Yanks are looking for is a solid glove who could save Gay-Rod 10 erros a year. Whats wrong with a guy like Doug Mientkavich? I would like to know where you read or heard that this deal is "close" I'm not saying you are wrong its just that as of Sunday morning I read that "talks have cooled down".

by 86 years later on Dec 18, 2006 2:29 AM EST reply actions

Re: Sunday Transaction "News"

There's nothing wrong with Doug Mientkiewicz, and there's nothing wrong with trading Melky for Mike Gonzalez. I just happen to believe that LaRoche has the most value of the three players involved, and the Yankees do need a first baseman. They don't need an all-star at 1B, but this in an opportunity to get one for a 4th OFer. Gonzalez's success may translate to the tougher league and tougher division, but I'm not sold. I'll admit, if the Red Sox could have gotten him for a 4th OF, I would have been excited. That being said, he's been pitching for the Pirates in the NL Central, a division that was won with 83 games last season.

I've seen the reports about Tabata being ready in '08...not so sure about it myself. Nothing to do with talent, the guy is still pretty young. My guess is the Yankees FO isn't planning on him being ready in '08 either. Also, there have been many many many can't-miss prospects over the years who have missed. Is Tabata one? I doubt it, but it's important to remember that not all can't-miss prospects have gone on to fame, fortune, and success.

Look into trading Kyle Farnsworth? He has little trade value in my opinion. He had an up and down year last season, has pretty well-known back problems, and makes a total of $10.75M over the next two years. The Yankees might trade him, yes, but don't expect they'll get much in return. Not a lot of leverage when trading overpaid and overrated setup men.

"They say giving is it's own reward. But what's in it for you?" -Stephen Colbert

by Allen Chace on Dec 18, 2006 7:23 AM EST up reply actions

Re: Sunday Transaction "News"

And believe it or not, kids, 86 years later was right.

"They say giving is it's own reward. But what's in it for you?" -Stephen Colbert

by Allen Chace on Dec 18, 2006 7:32 AM EST up reply actions

Re: Sunday Transaction "News"

I'm glad someone else sees that this is a bad deal for the Braves, but I worry about the Braves GM (is it still Schueleroz (sp?)). He did after all let Marcus Giles leave for NOTHING - not for a Single A pitcher, a pile of cash, not even a bag of baseballs. Seems a little senile to me.

by tommy.otm on Dec 18, 2006 9:31 AM EST up reply actions

Re: Sunday Transaction "News"

He let Marcus Giles leave on purpose, ostensibly because of a pile of cash. They should have traded him, but the only real possibility was San Diego. Which meant no bidding war, which meant the Padres were able to wait the Braves out.

"They say giving is it's own reward. But what's in it for you?" -Stephen Colbert

by Allen Chace on Dec 18, 2006 4:19 PM EST up reply actions

Re: Sunday Transaction "News"

Is there more of a back-story? Like, does Giles have issues with the manager, etc.? Because as far as I know, the Braves don't have any 2b prospects warranting the non-tendering a quality player like Giles. Sure, Giles had an off-year last year, but he's only 28, he has a career .285 BA, and he's a solid defender. He's not quite an all-star (though he may have made it a couple years ago), and his arbitration salary wouldn't have been so outrageous. I think of him like a younger Loretta, with more power. Simply non-tendering him strikes me as something the Royals would have done circa 2001. It's like the Braves are not even trying to win, or improve. So when I read that they were going to essentially swap a bona-fide power 1b for a mediocre outfielder with a cool name, I wasn't surprised.

by tommy.otm on Dec 18, 2006 6:38 PM EST up reply actions

Re: Sunday Transaction "News"

As far as I know, there is no back-story. They Braves, for better or worse, are using Marcus Giles as yet another example of someone they think the can improve upon/stay the same with someone cheaper. This is one of the leading candidates to replace Giles. Has only played OF in the majors, but used to be a SS prospect.

The Braves continue to try to cut payroll, and I'm guessing their FO thought Giles was not due for a rebound next season, and would not be worth the $5-6M he would have made in arbitration.

"They say giving is it's own reward. But what's in it for you?" -Stephen Colbert

by Allen Chace on Dec 18, 2006 6:47 PM EST up reply actions

Re: Sunday Transaction "News"

Mike Gonzalez does have some inconsistency issues last season. While he ended with a 1.35 WHIP at the end of the season, it was as as much as 20 points higher around the all-star break.

I would categorize Mike Gonzalez in the good to very good column, but he's by no means an all-star in my opinion. Maybe he'll pick up his game in the AL East, but he could also end up with egg on this face.

"You know you're having a bad day when the fifth inning rolls around and they drag the warning track." - Mike Flanagan, Baltimore Orioles pitcher, 1992.

by SoxDevil on Dec 18, 2006 9:55 AM EST reply actions

Re: Sunday Transaction "News"

did have consistency issues. Man, I wish I could edit posts.

"You know you're having a bad day when the fifth inning rolls around and they drag the warning track." - Mike Flanagan, Baltimore Orioles pitcher, 1992.

by SoxDevil on Dec 18, 2006 9:55 AM EST up reply actions

Re: Sunday Transaction "News"

You keep bringing up LaRoche yes he is a good player but the Yankees dont need him they need a pitcher. Because in the playoffs I much rather have a good set-up man than another bat. As a Yankee fan I'm sick of them having all these "All-Stars" that go cold once october comes around. Give me a guy that hits .270 and plays a gold glove 1B. I'll take the lefty out of the pen everytime even if he doesnt work out its still the right move. As for Farnsworth I'm not saying they would get anything great for him. I just think that the Yanks are sick of him and would look into trading him. They lost atleast 3 games last year because he would warm up and then say he couldnt pitch leaving the Yanks scrambling.

by 86 years later on Dec 18, 2006 2:49 PM EST reply actions

Re: Sunday Transaction "News"

I brought up LaRoche once in my original post, and once in respose to your comment.

We'll just have to agree to disagree on the trade. I'm not saying it's a bad return for the Yankees, it would be a good return if it goes down. But they're not getting the best player in the deal.

"They say giving is it's own reward. But what's in it for you?" -Stephen Colbert

by Allen Chace on Dec 18, 2006 4:21 PM EST up reply actions

Re: Sunday Transaction "News"

My big fear with Drew is that the Sox will give him more or less the same money for the same five years and get some Ordonez-esque out clause to cover Drew's shoulder. And then the shoulder does everything but> fall apart. It saps Drew's power to the point where we get a 260/380/400 line from him the first year and less after that as pitchers notice that Drew can't slug you to death anymore, but never puts him on the DL in a way to trigger the out clause.

That's my Drew nightmare.

by NinetyNineTails on Dec 19, 2006 6:10 AM EST reply actions

Re: Sunday Transaction "News"

The thing that confuses me about this move is that Schuerholz wasn't able to get more for LaRoche; the guy just had his career year. Melky Cabrera is a nice little player, but I don't know if he can really play center.

Mike Gonzalez has been kind of like the Pirates' version of Rick Vaughn in terms of control, with his ability level falling somewhere in-between Vaughn's in ML and ML2. In other words, this is not a great move for any of the three teams, but I think Pittsburgh gets the best of it.

KEEP MANNY!

by Saberrox on Dec 19, 2006 5:19 PM EST reply actions

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