Could Chien-Ming Wang Be “Optics” That Sends Roy Halladay to the Yankees?
July 9, 2009 · Tom Au · Jump to comments
Article Source: Bleacher Report - New York Yankees
It’s not something I recommend for Toronto, but if they trade Roy Halladay, they need to get at least two—probably more like three—very good players to replace him.
Toronto fans want something like two good pitchers and one fielder for their “ace,” or maybe they would settle for one pitcher and two fielders. If it were one pitcher and one fielder, or two of one category, both would have to be either elite advanced prospects or established players just shy of elite because Halladay represents the elite of the elite.
If I were working in the Yankees’ front office, however, I wouldn’t want to give up more than either Joba Chamberlain or Phil Hughes, plus one position player for Halladay—or it might be one pitcher and a couple of prospects. (I’m role-playing a team that, with the greatest reluctance, offered Hughes and an established fielder for Johan Santana.)
With that counteroffer, Toronto comes back and says, “No deal.”
An impasse of this sort might be solved by what is called “optics” in the language of Wall Street. That is the transfer of an item that the seller values lightly but to which the buyer may reasonably attach meaningful value.
Such a person could be Chien-Ming Wang, who’s on the disabled list. It could be a way for both parties to feel good.
Wang has been a major disappointment for the Yankees this year (and the second half of 2008) after having pulled their chestnuts out of the fire in 2005-2007. Because of the embarrassment, the Yankees might view an offer to include him in a trade with favor.
Whether Wang will ever regain his former form, only the doctors know. But for the sake of this piece, let’s assume that the chances are 50-50.
If the Yankees included him in a deal, they might not feel that they have given up a full “third player.” On the other hand, Toronto might think, “What have we got to lose? If we can ‘rehab’ him (a coin flip), we might get an ‘ace’ and a (weak) top of the rotation guy, alongside Phil Hughes.
“In the best case, we’d get two aces to replace the one we gave up, meaning that we got the fielder for ‘free.’ And we have bought insurance toward getting at least one ace, meaning that the fielder is adequate compensation.”
Sometimes deals are “made” not on their original merits, but by allowing one party to “save face.”
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