MLB Free Agency: If Tim Lincecum Is Put on the Block, Should Yankees Inquire?
November 4, 2011 · Doug Rush · Jump to comments
Article Source: Bleacher Report - New York Yankees
The Yankees need pitching. We all know this.
So now it’s time for another one of those crazy trade ideas by me for the Yankees this winter.
John Paul Morosi of FOX Sports made a very crazy suggestion for the San Francisco Giants in looking into trading ace starter Tim Lincecum.
Yes, the same Lincecum who is a two-time Cy Young winner and is one of the game’s best right-handed pitchers.
And because it’s Lincecum, that makes the idea of trading him a crazy suggestion. But there could be some merit to it.
Lincecum isn’t looking to sign a long-term deal with the Giants anytime soon, and is going to keep signing arbitration deals to keep his contract short-term. This can’t make Giants GM Brian Sabean feel too happy that he can’t lock up his ace pitcher long-term.
But he could also use it to his advantage, because Lincecum has a ton of value on the open market. And you can throw in the fact that the Giants desperately need offense on their team.
So here’s where the Yankees and Giants pair up.
The Giants need offense and the Yankees need pitching.
The Giants trade Lincecum to the Yankees.
The Giants in return get catcher Jesus Montero, pitching prospect Dellin Betances, starter Phil Hughes and infielder Eduardo Nunez.
Here’s why the Giants might not be able to say no to this:
With that trade, they could take either Montero or Buster Posey and move them to first, and not have to spend big-time money on Prince Fielder or Albert Pujols.
They also would have a ready-to-start shortstop in Nunez and not have to get Jimmy Rollins or Jose Reyes in free agency.
And they can include Hughes in the rotation immediately with Matt Cain, Madison Bumgarner, Jonathan Sanchez and Ryan Vogelsong, while continuing to developing Betances in the process.
And for the Yankees, they can team Lincecum with CC Sabathia and form one of the scariest 1-2 pitching punches in baseball.
I know, it’s a crazy idea. And for all we know, the Giants may never want to deal Lincecum.
But Lincecum finished with a 13-14 record and a 2.74 ERA. The fact that he finished with a below-.500 record last season tells you how badly the Giants need offense on their team.
So if the Giants are really open to dealing their ace, then Yankees GM Brian Cashman needs to call up Sabean and see if he’s interested in making a blockbuster deal.
And if the Yankees made this kind of deal, it would be one of the biggest trades they would make in team history.
Personally, I would trade both Montero and Betances to get Lincecum.
We’ve said there are only a few select pitchers the Yankees should trade Montero for, and Lincecum is one of the few that I would trade him for.
And there are only a few select players I would also trade Betances for. I think Lincecum is also that type of player you can trade Betances for.
As far as Hughes goes, I think he needs a fresh start in the National League, and Nunez could finally get a chance to start and not be the “super-sub utility guy.”
For both sides, I think a Lincecum for Montero-Betances-Hughes-Nunez deal makes sense.
It’s just a matter of the Giants being daring enough to actually deal Lincecum.
But if they do, then the Yankees need to jump all over it ASAP.
Stay tuned, Yankees Universe.
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