Matt Imbrogno touched on this briefly yesterday, but there was one thing that Cash said the other day when speaking the media at the GM meetings that really stood out to me. When asked if he had been engaged in trade talks with any other teams, Cash mentioned that teams had called asking about four specific players: , , , and . While he didn’t say who the teams were, or what, if any, players they were offering up as hypothetical return trade pieces, the fact that there are teams out there interested in those four guys got me thinking. And the more I think about it, the more I think I could live with any or all of them being traded.
Swish was really no surprise to read about. There had been all kinds of rumblings about whether or not the Yankees should and would pick up his 2012 option, and you can’t come across many Yankee blogs that haven’t included Swish as potential trade bait to bring in a pitcher. For what he brings to the table, Swish would be a valuable addition to almost any team. He gets on base, he hits for power, hits from both sides of the plate, plays a good outfield, and can even be a backup option at first base if needed. And he’s in the last year of a contract, so wherever he plays this coming season you know he’s going to be motivated to perform at a high level so he can earn a big pay day.
Brett Gardner, on the other hand, was one of the names that I was surprised to read, even though I probably shouldn’t have been. With his speed and ability to make contact, Gardner would be an ideal leadoff candidate for plenty of teams out there. You throw in the good defense and the team-friendly salary and you could probably start a discussion with Billy Beane about one of his young pitchers around Gardner. As valuable as he’s been the last 2 years, the reality is that Gardner is the Yankees’ #9 hitter and won’t be leading off for them until finally does fall off the offensive cliff. Would you really say no to trading the team’s #9 hitter and a prospect or two for if that would get it done?
The fact that both Swish and Gardner have reasonable salaries with the Yankees makes them less likely to be traded, but it also explains why so many other teams would be interested in them. And with the Yankees’ deep pockets, having to fill a corner outfield spot wouldn’t be that hard. It makes it a lot easier to justify going after when there’s actually a spot for him. And with the Yankees’ rumored heavy involvement in the upcoming Yoenis Cespedes sweepstakes, they could already be looking for their next right fielder to replace Swish after his contract is up.
Along with Gardner, Russell Martin was the other name that surprised me initially. But once again, the more I thought about it the more I realized that it makes perfect sense. Martin’s value is on the rise again after this past season. He stayed healthy for the first time in a few years and was productive both at and behind the plate. This isn’t exactly the Golden Age of Catchers right now, so Martin showing that he can still get the job done probably opened more than a few eyes. The Yankees are holding onto a small army of young catching prospects in the Minors, other teams know that, and so why wouldn’t they be calling to inquire about Russell’s services? And knowing he has all those prospects waiting in the wings, why wouldn’t Cash listen if there’s a pitcher on the other team that he likes?
As far as A.J. goes, I think any GM willing to put in a call to Cash about him deserves to at least have Cash buy him a drink at the winter meetings for being such a funny guy. A.J. sucks, period. And with the money left on that contract, he sucks even more because he’s next to impossible to move. I know the Yankees are looking to add starting pitching, not give it away, but if teams are truly interested in talking about A.J., Cash would be a fool not to listen. I have no problem getting a season’s worth of rough outings and a FIP in the 5′s from Phelps, Warren, Mitchell, or Noesi in A.J.’s place in 2012. In fact, I’d welcome it. At least they could play the rookie card to explain their mediocrity. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure, and maybe Cash could get a diamond in the rough back for A.J. since we know he won’t be getting anybody on Baseball America’s Top 100.
Now I, like Cash, am really not interested in actively pursuing a trade involving any of these four guys. Well except A.J. I’d trade him for a Gatorade cooler, some athletic tape, and a filled out scorecard, but that’s just me. But considering their situations with the Yankees, and the fact that none of them would be overly difficult to replace, you have to be open to scenarios, especially ones that could bring back starting pitching. The Yankees likely aren’t going to pull a Gardner-for- heist on the White Sox (although with Kenny Williams you never know), but it’s not unreasonable to think that one of either Gardner, Swish, or Martin and a pair of young guys from the bevy of prospects the Yankees have in their farm system could bring in a solid arm for the rotation. It certainly wouldn’t be the first time Cash came out of nowhere with a deal, right?
Think about it…
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Good post, Brad. I to have wondered about Gardner’s tradability. On one hand, he’s young, productive, and has several years of control. On the other, his biggest positive is probably his defense which makes his value somewhat challenging to gauge. I’d be curious to see what kind of player he could net in a trade. As I’ve said countless times before, no one’s off limits and everyone should have a price (so long as it makes sense).
I’m all for moving anyone who brings back more value than they would give the team. However I just don’t see Swisher, Gardner, or Martin providing more value in a trade than they would playing for the Yanks in 2012. All 3 fill a very specific need for the Yankees and I just don’t think another team would value any of them as much as we do. Any of the 3 could probably be moved in a package, but at that point I think the value really starts to get skewed as you add prospects to the deal.
And while I might not have done a great job explaining that stance in the post itself, I do agree with you, Chris, on the point of those guys being more valuable as members of the Yankees than trade chips.
If there was a trade scenario where including the likes of Gardner, Swish, or Martin did bring back equal or better pitching value, I would support that trade. But I don’t think the Yanks should be actively shopping those guys trying to find something.
I would deal ALL of those guys in a heartbeat for pitching!
Pitching wins championships!! With the Yankees resources, it’s flat out ridiculous that they don’t have THE best staff in MLB.
Look at what the Phillies are doing and take note Cashman! I would go after ALL of the young pitching I could get. No reason they can’t have a rotation similar to: CC, Danks, Jurrgins, Nova and Hughes if Cashman does his JOB.
Jurrjens would be an awful addition from my perspective. I’ve seen his name brought up a lot in regards to the Yankees and I don’t like it at all. His peripherals are all pretty bad, he has major durability issues, and his fastball velocity has steadily decreased over the last few years. He’s pretty much the definition of a NL pitcher, and he’s a terrible fit for Yankee stadium.
Couldn’t agree more. If the Yanks could get Jurrjens for scraps, then OK. But with the fastball and injury question marks and the fluctuating GB/FB rates, I wouldn’t want to give up a useful piece of the existing club to add him.