Cash's Options To "Reinforce" The Rotation Are Limited

(Courtesy of Getty Images)

(Originally published at IIATMS/TYA)

Cue up the Cashman hate train!

Less than 2 weeks from the trade deadline and on the eve of his 47-47 team getting their 2nd half underway against the Reds, Brian Cashman spoke to Andrew Marchand yesterday about the team's plans for said deadline.  It's been over a week since the Brandon McCarthy and Jeff Francis acquisitions and the trade front has been very quiet since.  The discussion of whether the Yanks will or even should be buyers or sellers has grown louder in that time, and Cash gave some insight as to which way they might be leaning with his comments.  It's exactly what you'd expect:

Report: Yanks Scouting Chase Headley

Yankees are scouting Padres 3B Chase Headley regularly, sources tell @Ken_Rosenthal and me.
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) July 1, 2014

If this were 2012, I'd be ecstatic about that report from Jon Morosi yesterday.  In 2014, it's not nearly as exciting.  The Yankees could use help in the infield and bringing in a proven, regular third baseman like Headley would allow Joe to focus his platoon attention to second base.  But Headley has been in a steady decline since his banner year of 2012.  He battled injuries last season while batting .250/.347/.400 and he's been further hampered by a herniated disc in his back this year that has limited him to a .201/.287/.320 slash line in 247 PA.

Headley is set to become a free agent after this season and is now 30 years old.  Between that, the injury problems, and the decline in production, the Padres' asking price for him has to have come way down.  There's a chance that a move out of Petco Park could help boost his production, but with the back problems I'd be hesitant to give up anything of real value for him.  The Yanks don't need a Youkilis repeat.

Reviewing The Yankees' Options To Improve The Offense

(This guy sucks.  Courtesy of the AP)

(Originally published at IIATMS/TYA)

The Yankees lost for the 7th time in their last 9 game last night, and they lost again primarily because their lineup simply can't score.  They're the Beavis and Butthead of offensive production, and at the halfway point of the regular season it's no longer a matter of waiting for guys to get healthy, get comfortable, or "come around".  It's a huge problem, one that's been the biggest reason why this team is floundering around the .500 mark with one of the worst run differentials in MLB and one that needs to be addressed immediately.

Up to now, Joe has been hesitant to do too much with the lineup.  The last move of significance he made was demoting Alfonso Soriano to the bench and that happened weeks ago.  The front office has also been hesitant to make any moves, be they of the "shakeup" variety or the variety that actually helps improve the team.  There have been plenty of suggestions over the past few weeks as to what can be done to help get the offense going and both Joe and Cash have plenty of options in front of them should they decide to stop doing nothing.  With the trade deadline drawing closer every day and the postseason race about to really begin, here's a quick recap of the paths that can be taken to try to generate more offense.

Should The Yankees Try To Trade For David Price?

We're still far enough away from the trade deadline for it to not officially be "trade season" quite yet.  Those winds don't start really blowing 'til the All-Star break.  But business is already picking up on the David Price front.  Arguably the best player who will be available and the type of difference maker in the rotation that any contending team could use, Price is the talk of the trade town both locally and nationally.  TB beat writer Marc Topkin wrote over the weekend that there are already some teams with scouts following him and the Rays' preference is to trade him to the NL, and earlier today Buster Olney suggested (Insider-only) that a trade could materialize as soon as this week.

The Yankees have not been involved in any of the early rumors, outside of Jim Bowden's trade proposal from last week.  Price would fill a huge need for them though, and it will come down to how serious the Yankees are willing to get about what they'll have to give up to get Price.  If you're Cash and the rest of the front office, that's a move you have to be willing to make, right?

Analyzing The Early Trade Rumors

(Courtesy of Getty Images)

(Originally published at IIATMS/TYA)

The trade deadline is now less than 6 weeks away, and the engines on the rumor mill have started churning.  On Wednesday, Brian Cashman discussed the Yankees' plans for the deadline with Ken Davidoff, saying "we usually make moves every year, so I expect to make moves" when asked what he expected.  As for how aggressive the Yankees will be, I guess this statement from Cash sums it up best:

“I feel that we do have the ability to make trades if that’s a route we so choose.  How we line up with other clubs, I don’t know … but I definitely have people that are wanted within the industry. But we want those guys, too. We’ll see.”

Cash is no fool when it comes to playing the media game.  He isn't going to tip his hand.  But we all know what the Yankees' biggest needs are (starting pitcher, infielder/backup first baseman, right fielder) and we know they're going to look to fill some of those needs.  It's far too early to make any rational predictions, but there are already a couple rumors that popped up this week involving the Yanks.  Here's a quick trip around the early deadline rumor mill.

Would You Trade Ichiro?

(Courtesy of Getty Images)

There hasn't been much trade talk involving the Yankees in the last week after a flurry of it earlier in the month.  The latest back injury for Brendan Ryan should have stirred up more talk involving the D'backs, White Sox, and the deep crop of young Yankee catchers, but instead it was Ichiro Suzuki who made trade rumor headlines yesterday when Jon Heyman reported that the Yankees were again trying to move Ichiro and were willing to eat some salary to get a "good" prospect in return.

This isn't the first time we've heard Ichiro's name in trade talks.  The Yankees have been trying to dump him for a while now that they've revamped their starting outfield (which will be previewed later today).  The problem with moving Ichiro is that he's basically valueless as a trade commodity.  He's super old, his skill set and production have declined dramatically, and he's owed way more money than any team would willingly take on for the level of production they'd get.  Good on the Yankees for attempting to ease that cost concern, but that's most likely not going to be enough to entice teams to give up even a mid-level prospect unless the Yanks are eating more than most of that $6.5 mil.

If the Yanks are willing to do that, the next thing they need to do is decide what their definition of a "good" prospect is and see if there's really any interest out there.  They were able to get something decent for Chris Stewart, so it's not outside the realm of possibility that they could do it again.  But if they're willing to pay Ichiro millions to not play for them, maybe they should be willing to pay him a few more to stay on as their 5th outfielder.  It ain't like the 4 ahead of him on the depth chart are pillars of health.

Would You Trade J.R. Murphy?

(Courtesy of Kim Klement/US Today Sports)

The hottest catcher name on the trade market streets might be Francisco Cervelli right now, but the better Yankee trade piece at the position might actually be John Ryan (formerly J.R.) Murphy.  The 22-year-old right-handed hitting and throwing catcher rocketed up the radar with a strong 2013 season that saw him contribute at 3 levels, and with fellow MiLers Austin Romine and Gary Sanchez needing playing time, he could be the perfect prospect candidate on which to sell high.

With his breakout 2013 season in Double and Triple-A, Murphy significantly raised his Major League projection to a league average and possibly better catcher.  He's shown the ability to hit for average, power, and to get on base, and his solid all-around defensive game is built on the strength of his ability to understand and work with his pitching staff.  Still, he's a very unknown commodity at the Major League level based on only 27 late-2013 PA and the truth is that he probably needs another repeat performance or improvement upon his 2013 output in Triple-A to solidify this new higher ceiling.

So what could Murphy fetch in return?  A high-level prospect of similar situation and equal value would be good, and one AB4AR reader has been banging the Chris Owings drum loudly in recent weeks.  Owings, also 22, is in a battle for the starting shortstop spot in Arizona and his Major League ceiling is questionable thanks to lack of patience at the plate.  The D'backs are in the market for more catching help and have been one of the team reportedly scouting the Yankee catchers this spring.  It would be a rare top prospect-for-top prospect deal that makes sense for both sides.  If it's not for something like that, then it's probably best for the Yanks to hold onto Murphy for now.

Would You Trade Francisco Cervelli?

(Courtesy of Getty Images)

The trade winds continue to swirl around Yankeeland, and there is a new player at the eye of the storm.  Francisco Cervelli has reportedly been scouted by a few teams already this spring and more reports came out earlier in the week that interest in him was increasing.  On the heels of his 2-HR day on Wednesday and yesterday's announcement that he and Brian McCann would be switching roles this weekend, the speculation that he cold be on the move soon is rapidly growing.

The 28-year-old Cervelli is a prototypical backup catcher.  He can hit some, he can get on base some, and his overall defensive makeup is anywhere from solid to above-average depending on what scouting report you're reading.  What's held him back from generating a larger production sample is a combination of bad luck injuries and worse luck Triple-A demotions, but he has a reputation as a great teammate and clubhouse guy.  He's hitting .500/.556/1.125 in 18 PA this spring with 3 HR, 4 RBI, and 6 R scored, and he's also thrown out 3 attempted base stealers.

In a world where well-rounded catchers are hard to find, Cervelli is a very attractive option to teams looking to improve their depth and possibly upgrade at the starting catcher spot, like the White Sox.  He's under team control through 2016 and because of the missed time he hasn't accumulated as many of the standard bumps and bruises that come with the position.  The Yankees have a pair of capable backup options waiting behind him, so for the right return Cervelli should definitely be available.

Would You Trade David Phelps?

(Courtesy of the AP)

As the ups and downs of Spring Training continue to play out across MLB, it looks more and more like the Yankees are going to make a trade at some point.  Their needs are obvious and they've been connected to multiple teams by multiple different reports.  By now, it's more a question of "when" than "if" and the more important question than that could actually be the "who", as in who the Yankees are most likely to give up in a deal.

Their most attractive piece right now is probably David Phelps.  He's fresh off his best ST outing of the year (a 5-inning, 3-hit, no-run performance on Sunday), he's a lock to make the roster as either a starter or reliever, and the general feeling is that he still has room to reach his ceiling in either role.  There's a lot to like about Phelps.  He's only 27, he's shown flashes of brilliance in both roles while displaying the flexibility to move from one to other relatively seamlessly, he's been worth almost 2 total fWAR in 2 partial seasons, and in his second pre-arbitration year he's under team control through 2018.

Selfishly as a Yankee fan, I wouldn't be keen on the idea of trading Phelps for someone like Didi Gregorius.  But if the Mariners were willing to talk about Nick Franklin (we already know they're keeping tabs on Phelps), I'd be very open to that and I have to think Cash would be as well.  That's not a deal that's going to happen straight up, but Phelps + somebody for Franklin is still a solid move to make from the Yankees' side.  They've shown no interest in dangling Phelps, so a deal looks like a longshot right now.  If something happens to Brian Roberts though, that could change quickly.

Report: Mariners Scouting David Phelps

Via George King:

"The Mariners had a scout watch Phelps, who is the leading candidate to be the Yankees’ fifth starter but who could be expandable with Adam Warren or, possibly, Michael Pineda finding his way into that slot."

It's no secret that Seattle is hurting big time for starting pitching right now.  It's also no secret that the Yankees have very good depth at that spot and there's a long recent history of the M's and Yanks as trade partners, so it's only natural that Seattle would be scouting the Yankee staff.  King's report makes David Phelps the target and in theory this could be a good match.  Phelps would be an upgrade over every non-King Felix pitcher currently penciled into the Seattle rotation and Nick Franklin, former top infield prospect who's become expendable as a result of the Robbie Cano signing, would be an ideal player for the Yankees to target for their infield.

Between this and the continued scouting and rumors involving the Brewers, ChiSox, and D'backs, it's looking more and more like we're going to see a trade at some point before the end of Spring Training.

Yanks Showing Off Their Catching Depth

4th straight day Yankees have used a catcher at DH. 1 scout said Yanks "clearly showcasing" org catching depth for poss trade for inf/relief
— Erik Boland (@eboland11) February 28, 2014

If you've paid any kind of attention to the first few ST lineups, you've noticed the trend that Erik Boland pointed out yesterday.  Not only have the Yankees been playing 2 catchers every game behind the plate, they've used the DH spot for a 3rd one.  Yesterday it was Brian McCann at catcher and Gary Sanchez at DH to start and each of them popped his first HR of the spring.  Today it's Cervelli behind the plate and McCann getting a day at DH.

There's been a lot of talk about the Yankees looking for more infield help on the trade market this week.  From Rickie Weeks and Gordon Beckham to the Arizona Diamondback's stash of young infielders, the Yanks don't appear to be as comfortable with what they have as they've stated publicly.  Arizona actually makes a lot of logical sense as a trade partner, as they are looking to add a young catcher, and the Yankees certainly appear to be putting their crop of catchers on full display for them and all other potentially interested trade partners.

 There's no need to rush into a deal for someone, but there's no harm in showcasing what's become the Yankees' greatest strength in terms of trade assets.  Someone from their top group of 5 catchers isn't going to be getting regular playing time when the season starts, so the best way for him to bring value to the team could be as a trade piece.  If this attempt to show off their goods ends up netting the Yankees a better second base option than what they've got right now, that would be a very good thing.

Report: Yanks Reach Out To Padres About Infield Depth

When Ken Rosenthal reported over the weekend that the Yankees weren't going to sign any more infielders to Major League free agent deals, he didn't say anything about not trading for Major League talent.  The Yanks have been quiet on the trade front since dumping Chris Stewart, but a report from Jon Morosi earlier in the week may suggest a change there.

According to Morosi, the Yanks have made a "trade inquiry" to the San Diego Padres about infield depth.  The Papas, while not exactly flush with it at the moment, have some pieces they could deal and they're definitely in the market for some pitching help.  This obviously brings the name Chase Headley back to the forefront of most people's minds, but Morosi reports that Logan Forsythe "is the most realistic target", not Headley.

Forsythe, 27, is a natural second baseman who played every position except first base, catcher, and center field in 2013 while putting up a .272 wOBA in 243 PA.  He's only a .241/.310/.349 career Major League hitter but raked at every level of the Minors before breaking in.  He's almost like a right-handed version of Dean Anna, and if San Diego isn't asking for too much in return he's worth taking a chance on.  I'd still rather have Headley though.

Ichiro For J.J. Putz? Maybe (But Probably Not)

I wouldn't go so far as to call it a rumor, but Ken Rosenthal mentioning Ichiro Suzuki as a potential return trade piece for Arizona reliever J.J. Putz at least made my ears prick up.  Rosenthal believes the D'backs might be looking to move Putz and his $7 million salary for 2014 after trading for Addison Reed and he brought Ichiro's name up as a player whose salary for this coming season matches that of Putz.

That close salary connection is really the only one there when it comes to a potential Putz-for-Ichiro trade though.  The D'backs are pretty well set in the outfield and would have little use for Ichiro's shrunken skill set.  Even if they are looking to move Putz's salary, they can do better than an old, spare part outfielder who doesn't hit for power and doesn't get on base.  For the Yankees, however, this would be an avenue worth traveling down if they're still interested in trading Ichiro (they should be) and interested in Putz as a reliever (they should be).

Right now it's nothing more than speculation, but pay attention to what happens with the D'backs and Putz in the next few days and weeks.  If they do put him out on the trade block, the Yankees should be in on him.

Report: Gardner Still On Multiple Teams' Radars

(Courtesy of Getty Images)

The Yankees have been steadfast in their public commitment to not trade Brett Gardner since they signed Carlos Beltran last month.  Before the speculation could even get going they stated they had no intention of trading Gardner and they've stuck to that, most notably when they turned down the Cincinnati Reds' offer of a Garder-for-Brandon Phillips swap.

The lack of willingness on New York's part to actively shop Gardner hasn't stopped other teams from calling, however.  According to a report by Peter Gammons yesterday, "at least a half-dozen teams" have contacted the Yankees to "take a run" at Gardner.  Included in that list of teams are the Phillies and Tigers, 2 clubs who could match up with the Yankees as trade partners depending on what they're willing to give up to get Gardner.  Gammons wrote that Cash is looking for starting pitching in return for Gardner and both Philly and Detroit have that to offer.

The Jesus Returneth?

(Still so majestic)

Could it be?  Could our once and former lineup savior possibly be a candidate to return to his homeland?  Probably not, but it might not be a bad idea for the Yankees to look into.  Via Bob Nightengale, the Mariners have let it be known that former top prospects Jesus Montero and Justin Smoak are available.  With their recent spending spree on new hitters, it appears as though they're giving up on some of their past attempts to bolster their lineup through prospect acquisitions.

Montero has been absolutely horrible since going to Seattle.  He's registered -0.8 total fWAR in 164 Major League games as a Mariner, mainly because his offensive production has fallen off the face of the earth.  He's no longer a catcher, he's not going to play first base with Corey Hart in the mix, and there's really no other opportunity for him to stick on that roster.

Before being traded for Michael Pineda, Montero was very impressive in his short Yankee debut in 2011.  He has the type of swing and opposite field power that was and still is tailor-made for Yankee Stadium, which is why he might still have some value to the Yankees.  They could certainly use some right-handed pop, although I'm not sure how or where they'd be able to work Montero into the lineup.

The original Montero-Pineda trade has gone down as a complete disaster for both sides.  The Yankees bringing Jesus back and trying to reignite his former prospect spark could be a way for them to recoup something from it.

Who Wants An Outfielder?

The Yankees said they weren't going to trade Brett Gardner after the Ellsbury signing, but with Carlos Beltran now in the mix as well it sounds like that plan is changing.  Andy McCullough reported yesterday that the Yankees are receiving "significant interest" in Brett Gardner and are at least willing to listen to offers for him.  Chad Jennings reported the same on Gardner and also reported that the Yankees are actively shopping Ichiro Suzuki, who's basically become the 5th outfielder at this point.

It's unclear what the Yankees would be looking to get back or could get back for either of these guys.  I have to think it wouldn't be much for Ichiro and less than it could be for Gardner because he's a year away from free agency.  Still, with as much outfield depth as they've accumulated this week it makes sense that the Yankees would go this route.  They have a ton of roster holes to fill and if one of these players can be used to help that effort that's probably the best way to get value out of them.  Personally, I'd trade Ichiro for a bag of balls and a souvenir soda cup if I could get that back and I'd hold onto Gardner.  With the 40-man roster completely full again, maybe one of them becomes part of a package deal for some starting pitching.  Just a thought...

Report: Teams Interested In Stewart (No, For Real)

Source: #Yankees Chris Stewart is drawing trade interest. They are also discussing a deal to avoid arbitration with him. Fluid talks.
— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) November 29, 2013

First reaction- No effing way teams are actually willing to trade for a guy who's probably going to be non-tendered in a few days.

Second reaction- No effing way the Yankees would actually entertain the idea of offering a new contract to a catcher they no longer need.

Third reaction- Love when talks are fluid.

Anybody Want This Beat Up Matt Kemp?

The Yankees might.  They've been connected to virtually every other big name available on the free agent market or potentially available via trade this offseason, so it comes as no surprise that they were among the list of teams to reach out to the Dodgers to ask about Matt Kemp's availability, this according to Nick Cafardo.

Kemp, 29, is only 2 seasons removed from being one of, if not the best all-around player in baseball.  He's spent the better part of the last 2 years under the knife and on the disabled list thanks to injuries to his hamstring, ankle, and shoulder.  When healthy, he's a legit 5-tool guy, evidenced by his 8.4 fWAR season in 2011.  The problem is that he hasn't been able to stay healthy and the racking up of injuries and surgeries while he's in what is supposed to be his physical prime doesn't spell good things for the future.

There's also the matter of his contract.  Kemp is owed $128 million over the next 6 seasons, which is a lot of money to take on for a guy who's missed 145 games over the last 2 years, luxury tax avoidance goals or no luxury tax avoidance goals.  He'd be an easy on-field upgrade over Ichiro if he can stay healthy, but that unsteady ship, the dollars, and the Yankees' lack of Major League-ready trade chips makes it a very steep uphill battle.  I'd really only be interested if the Dodgers were willing to eat a lot of the money and I have to imagine that's a thought that Cash and the rest of the front office share.

Here's An Idea, Trade Corban Joseph

Since the acquisition of Dean Anna a few days ago, there's been a lot of talk about what other roster moves might be coming.  I've seen more than a few people suggest trading Eduardo Nunez, but let's be realistic here.  Teams aren't lining up to trade for a utility infielder who can't field or hit, no matter what his age and upside may be.  Nunez's trade value has all but expired and if they aren't going to DFA him, the best thing the Yankees can do is hold onto him and hope he can provide some value in limited work.

A better idea if they're looking to move an infielder for something might be to trade Corban Joseph.  He was excommunicated from the 40-man roster to open up a spot for Anna, a pretty damning statement about where he stands in the organizational pecking order these days, but in terms of trade value he still has to have more than Nunez.

Any Chance Of The Cardinals Being An Offseason Trade Partner?

(Originally published at IIATMS/TYA)

Whatever combination of draft and/or development problems you think are responsible for the Yankees' present farm system situation, we can all agree that it's very far from where it needs to be.  In analyzing and discussing those problems over the last 2 days, the St. Louis Cardinals have come up often as an example of the type of farm system the Yankees should be striving to match and with good reason.  Picking lower in the 1st round than most teams and finding undervalued assets that they turn into productive Major League players, the Cardinals' blueprint for success is based in their strong draft and development strategies.

The Yankees obviously aren't going to turn their farm system around to that level of success overnight, but could there be an opportunity for them to poach some of the fruits of St. Louis' labor this offseason?  The Cardinals will at least test the trade market waters to address their biggest roster needs and they have plenty of young pitching to dangle, the type of young pitching the Yankee system has failed to generate.  Seriously, it's almost stupid how much pitching depth St. Louis will have next year when Jason Motte and Jaime Garcia come back from injury.  If they get serious about moving some of it, the Yankees should be all over that.