Yankees Pitching Trade Options Getting Thin
July 29, 2009 · Doug Rush · Jump to comments
Article Source: Bleacher Report - New York Yankees
Here’s what we know so far:
The Seattle Mariners acquired Ian Snell and Jack Wilson from the Pittsburgh Pirates for Ronny Cedeno, Jeff Clement and three other minor leaguers.
This trade takes Snell off the trading list.
The Philadelphia Phillies acquired Cliff Lee and Ben Francisco from the Cleveland Indians for Jason Knapp, Carlos Carrasco, Jason Donald and Lou Marson.
This trade also takes Lee off the trading list.
By 2 p.m., two of the names that were linked to many teams with pitching needs—especially the Yankees—were off the market.
The Yankees options are getting really thin. Some might wonder if they are going to even attempt to make a deal.
And some might be wondering, what is Brian Cashman waiting for?
The biggest name is still out on the market, Roy Halladay. Tuesday’s team-imposed deadline passed for Halladay with no teams biting, but did anyone really believe that deadline anyway?
If the right offer comes to Toronto general manager J.P. Ricciardi, he will jump on it between now and Friday at 4 p.m. Up until now, Ricciardi has been very stingy. t has cost him in the negotiations with the Phillies. They had a backup plan up their sleeves and they made it work in the trade for Lee.
We all know what the starting offer is for Halladay: Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes. Starting offer, mind you! This is asking a lot from a team for a 32-year-old who can become a free agent after 2010.
The Blue Jays will dangle the carrot one more time. Halladay is pitching Wednesday at Safeco Field against the Seattle Mariners. So Halladay is in the spotlight and teams can see what he can do for their team.
Halladay isn’t the only option out there. In my previous story, I had reported that Jarrod Washburn was available and his value went up after his strong outing Tuesday night against the Blue Jays in Seattle. What was surprising was the Mariners’ acquisitions of Snell and Wilson today, because the Mariners were supposed to be sellers. Now they made a move to add to their big-league team rather than subtract from it. Is Washburn going anywhere?
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reported that the Brewers are not pursuing Washburn aggressively. They do not want to give up decent prospects for two months of Washburn’s services, especially now they are falling in the N.L. Central race.
With the Brewers out of the race and the Phillies getting Lee today, that could leave the Yankees and maybe the Rangers as the only suitors involved.
There is also Cincinnati Reds Bronson Arroyo. But the reports have been that the Yankees aren’t looking for a guy who makes the type of money Arroyo does (approximately $10 million in 2009).
They also sent scouts this past Sunday to see Oakland A’s pitcher Justin Duchscherer, but there hasn’t been any news since, so whether or not the Yankees are really interested remains to be seen.
The Yankees are also apparently not in on Arizona Diamondbacks starters Doug Davis and Jon Garland, who have been rumored to be available as well.
So, with less than two days to go, what now for the Yankees?
Chien-Ming Wang is out for the season (again), and possibly next season, with shoulder surgery. I think it’s safe to say the Yankees can’t count on and rely on Wang anymore. Since his back-to-back 19 win seasons, he’s been very injury-prone and unreliable.
Sergio Mitre, in two starts, has been anything but impressive. He’s started against two last-place teams in the Baltimore Orioles and Oakland A’s, and both were able to get four runs off him. His ERA is nearing 6.00 for the Yankees. In a big game in August or September, is Joe Girardi really handing the ball to Mitre? I wouldn’t.
They can’t even call up Ian Kennedy because he is currently recovering from an aneurysm, which required surgery back in May.
And if Cashman dares to have Kei Igawa called up from AAA Scranton/Wilks-Barre, that’s when I will start the “Fire Brian Cashman” tour outside Yankee Stadium.
So the Yankees can’t dig into their minor league options because there really aren’t any.
The Yankees have a gaping hole. CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, Andy Pettitte and Joba Chamberlain (for now) are the rotation. That’s only four starters, maybe three if Joba gets eliminated due to the innings limit.
My advice: don’t be content on staying put. Your team can’t afford it with the Red Sox only 2 1/2 games behind and potentially adding players as well.
Cashman needs to act soon. The clock is ticking.
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