MLB Trade Deadline: Should the New York Yankees Explore a Trade for Scott Rolen?
July 26, 2012 · Doug Rush · Jump to comments
Article Source: Bleacher Report - New York Yankees
The Yankees, for now, are sticking with Eric Chavez as their starting third baseman.
According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, Yankees GM Brian Cashman said on Wednesday that he didn’t see trading for any of the current third basemen on the market because their price tags were too high.
However, with Chavez being an older player who has been injury-prone in the past, some feel that Chavez might not hold up the entire second half of the season and the Yankees may need to look into options, as mentioned by Sherman.
While I like having Chavez on the Yankees, and he is good as a temporary solution for the team, he is better suited coming off the bench, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
As tweeted by Buster Olney, Chase Headley’s name has come up as a rumor for a potential trade target for the Yankees. However, signs are all pointing to the team not pursuing the Padres third baseman because the price tag is too high.
So if the Yankees are “secretly” exploring third baseman options until Alex Rodriguez comes back from his broken hand, where do they go?
I have an idea. It won’t be an expensive one to trade for, either: Scott Rolen of the Cincinnati Reds.
The 37-year-old Rolen lost his starting spot when he went down with an injury, which lead to Todd Frazier taking over as the starter. With Joey Votto’s injury, Frazier has been playing first base, but he will likely move back to third when the Reds slugger returns.
That makes Rolen expendable and potentially available for a deal. This is where the Yankees come in.
Rolen won’t cost the Yankees top prospects given his age and that he’ll be a free agent after the 2012 season.
His numbers are down, but ever since returning from the DL on June 18, his average has gone from .188 to .212.
He isn’t the 30-home-run, 120-RBI hitter he once was, but he can still play a solid third base in the field. And giving Rolen a chance to play in Yankee Stadium might see his numbers increase.
With Rolen, you would be looking at a platoon-type situation with Chavez and him at third base, which wouldn’t run either player ragged. They could both be used for pinch-hit situations come October.
Now, it’s not normal for a first-place team like the Reds to sell off players, but given that Rolen will become the odd-man out and back on the bench when Votto returns, the Yankees would have a lot more use for Rolen than the Reds.
I think for the temporary solution that the Yankees are looking for, with the price tag involved and with the very limited amount of prospects that would be involved, Rolen could be the best available option on the cheap.
What’s the worst that Cashman could do? He call Reds GM Walt Jocketty and he says no?
If Headley’s price is too high, and if Mark Reynolds and Chone Figgins aren’t great options, Rolen could very well be one.
I think it’s at least worth an inquiry.
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