Yanks And Royals As Potential Trade Partners?

(Anybody who says they wouldn't want this guy is a liar.  Courtesy of Getty Images)

Yesterday Chad Jennings of LoHud brought up the possibility of the Yankees getting involved with the Kansas City Royals this offseason, expanding on a report from Buster Olney that said the Royals would be in the market for starting pitching and would be willing to trade from their nucleus of good young position players to add that pitching.  Chad pointed out that the Yankees have a small cadre of young pitchers in Phil Hughes, Ivan Nova, and David Phelps that could get talks started, and that the Royals have players who could fill positions of need for the Yankees in Alex Gordon and Mike Moustakas, making a deal between the 2 teams a mutually beneficial possibility.

One problem with Chad's idea.  The Yankees aren't exactly at the forefront of KC's wish list when it comes to potential trade partners.  Hughes, Nova, and Phelps aren't on the level of the starting pitching that a team like the Tampa Bay Rays could offer with David Price, James Shields, or even Alex Cobb.  And if it's prospects the Royals are after, the Yankees' cupboard of quality upper-level pitching prospects is bare compared to a team like Seattle, who the Royals are already reportedly scouting heavily.  Any kind of deal the Yankees try to build around a Hughes or a Nova is going to have to be sweetened by some of their top prospects, at least one of their blue-chip A-ball players, and that may be a price Cash is unwilling to pay if he can fill outfield holes cheaper through free agency.

That being what it is, an incredibly uphill situation for the Yankees if they are interested in pursuing a deal with KC, this kind of deal is EXACTLY the type of trade the Yankees should be looking to make if they are going to be active in that market this offseason.  Alex Gordon is in his prime, a good two-way player, and has a reasonable contract for the next couple years.  Moustakas is younger than Gordon, still growing as a player, and a little more difficult to project moving forward, but he had a solid year last year at third base and also has the potential to be a great two-way player.

Neither of those guys will come cheap, but if the Yankees are willing to part with multiple pieces they could help address all of their issues with their lineup.  Adding a Gordon or a Moustakas would make them younger, better, provide more roster flexibility, and help them control payroll costs for the 2014 season.  Those are the type of moves that Cash said he's looking to make this offseason, and engaging Kansas City to see if there's any interest in the Yankees' young pitching would be a great first step in making one of those moves.