HE SAID: Trade Winds Blowin'

With each tick of the clock, the midnight Friday MLB (Non-Waiver) Trade Deadline gets menacingly closer to the present. As always, the Yankees will be buyers, looking to stock up for a postseason run. Every year in the Rivera Era, the Yankees have added pieces to their club at this point in the season. For the most part the additions, whether big (David Justice) or small (Shawn Chacon), have been a success. Despite sporting the AL’s best record, the 2009 Yanks could certainly use some reinforcements. I now lay out my pipe-dream trades for the Yankees to make before the deadline this Friday.

Trade #1
Yankees Receive: SP Roy Halladay
Blue Jays Receive: SP Joba Chamberlain, OF Austin Jackson, SP Ivan Nova, C Austin Romine

Comment: The ultimate blockbuster. The Yankees land the biggest fish on the trade market in Cy Young Award winner Roy Halladay. Red Sox execs lament and likely make a rash, ill-conceived trade. Halladay’s contract runs through the 2010 season, and he would likely accept an extension for half of CC Sabathia money (think 4 more years at $80 M). Meanwhile the Yankees proceed this season and beyond with a three-headed monster of starting pitching (Halladay, Sabathia, AJ Burnett) not seen since the Atlanta Braves of the 1990’s. The Blue Jays are looking to hold teams ransom for their staff ace and face of the franchise. However, teams such as the Phillies have been balking at the Jays asking price, and have been looking at deals for other starters (i.e. Cleveland’s Cliff Lee). Jays GM JP Richardi is looking for two things in any Halladay deal; a big time player to save face with one-step-away-from-Maple Leafs-season Toronto fans, and a group of at least four high upside players. In Chamberlain, the Blue Jays would get that Major League ready player with name recognition for their fickle fans. Chamberlain also looks a bit Canadian, so that may also work out. He would essentially take Halladay’s spot in the rotation for the foreseeable future. Jackson is the #1 position player prospect in the Yankees system and is almost Major League ready, hitting well over .300 in AAA. The Yankees, however, are not shy about using free agency to find position players, and have not been hesitant to trade position prospects at the deadline (such as Jose Tabata last season). Nova is a peculiarly fast-rising young pitcher, that the Yankees seem eager to shop. He did relatively well in AA this season, but received an atypical promotion to the AAA rotation of Scranton-Wilkes Barre, considering he’s only 21. It seems like the Yanks are showcasing this kid, and trying to convince other teams on the trade market to bite. Romine is a very well thought of catching prospect that can hit and is a plus defender. However he is only in A ball right now, and the Yanks have an uber prospect ahead of him on their depth chart in power-hitting catcher Jesus Montero. The four players the Yankees would have to part with are a good haul, but certainly worth it to land (possibly) the best pitcher in baseball, especially if they can extend his contract.

Trade #2
Yankees Receive: SP Jarrod Washburn
Mariners Receive: SP Dellin Betances, RP Mark Melancon

Comment: Since Washburn is a free agent at the end of the season, the Mariners would not require a package of top prospects for the two month rental. Unfortunately for the Yankees, Washburn is having a career year, meaning he will demand much better prospects than he would have at this time last season when they Yankees could have gotten him for a bag of doughnuts. Washburn could slot into the Yankees rotation as a quality #4, and potentially start a playoff game, assuming Chamberlain is in the bullpen (or gone) by then. He has playoff experience with his former team, the California Angels of Anaheim, via the Greater Los Angeles Region. The Yankees give up Betances, who is a hard throwing, high-ceiling pitching prospect from the Bronx, but is still a project and several years away from the big leagues. The Mariners also get a Major League ready relief prospect in Melancon, who they can add to the big club to take Washburn’s roster spot. As for the future, rumor has it that Washburn will be looking to re-sign with Seattle even if they trade him away. But even if he did walk, his contribution to a championship club would be well worth it, and you never know what may happen (Yankee money can easily sway a player away from the comforts of the Pacific Northwest).

Trade # 3
Yankees Receive: OF Randy Winn
Giants Receive: OF Nick Swisher, 1B Juan Miranda

Comment: Brett Gardner’s injury has left the Yankees with no viable center field option other than Melky Cabrera (who should not be playing every day). Since they refuse to promote center field prospect Austin Jackson, the Yankees are somewhat hamstrung when it comes to their outfield rotation. The defensive alignment they enjoyed when Gardner could slot in to center and Melky shift to one of the corners is something they will miss for however long Gardner is out. By flipping Swisher for Winn, the Yanks immediately improve their defense. Winn can play a very competent center field while Gardner is out; something Swisher can not do. Like Swisher, Winn is a switch-hitter, so they won’t lose him to same sided match ups. Winn is a much better average hitter than Swisher, with comparable on base numbers. Winn does have less power than Swisher, but can hit home runs, especially in the new Yankee Stadium. Winn could play either center or right for the Yanks for the rest of the season, and with Hinske occasionally spelling one of the outfielders, the Yankees regain their strong outfield rotation while Gardner is out. From San Francisco’s perspective, their team is pushing for an NL Wild Card berth, and is desperately in need of some power in their flaccid lineup. Swisher would provide just that. Also, his outgoing personality would work well in Granolaville, and lessen the sting of trading away fan favorite Winn. The Giants also get a young(ish) first base prospect to compete with the struggling Travis Ishikawa for at-bats. The biggest risk from a Yankees perspective may be giving away a well-liked player on a team that seems to be thriving on its new found chemistry.

Trade #4
Yankees Receive: RP John Grabow, RP Matt Capps
Pirates Receive: 1B/OF Shelley Duncan, SP Eric Hacker, SP Ian Kennedy

Comment: This may be a bit of a stretch as it looks like on paper the Yankees hold the Pirates for ransom (not Cody), but hear me out. The Yankees and Pirates already have a trading relationship, making a large deal last season, which landed the Yankees Xavier Nady and Damaso Marte. In the present, the ’09 Yankees are looking for bullpen help while the ’09 Pirates are looking to become the first team ever to trade their entire roster in one season. The Yankees receive a much needed left-handed bullpen specialist in Grabow. The Yankees thought they got this from the Pirates last season when they traded for Marte, but that didn’t work out as well as planned (therefore, in my mind, the Pirates owe New York). As good as Phil Coke has been, he is more of a 7th inning guy than a lefty specialist (in fact, he has had much more success against right handed batters). The Yanks would also land burly right handed Pirates closer Matt Capps. OBVIOUSLY, he would not be closing for the Yankees, but he could slot in nicely as a late inning setup man, especially if the Yanks lose Phil Hughes from their bullpen via trade or conversion into a starter. The Pirates would take a flier on Duncan, who is in his physical prime but has no future with the big club in New York, but has been absolutely bashing at AAA Scranton-Wilkes Barre. Since the Pirates have been trading away all their position players, Duncan could easily find at-bats with the big club in Pittsburgh. As for the pitchers, the Pirates have shown an affinity for periphery AAAA Yankee pitching prospects when they traded for Ross Ohlendorf and Jeff Karstens last season. Scranton pitcher Eric Hacker fits this mold to a T. Like the aforementioned Yankees prospects, it is unlikely that Hacker will ever do much for New York, but I could certainly see him in the black and gold of Pittsburgh. The Pirates may also be intrigued with former Yankees super-prospect Ian Kennedy, who is currently rehabbing from aneurysm surgery. He seems to have fallen out of favor with the Yankees brass, and I believe he will be traded at some point in the next year or so.

Stay tuned Yankees fans. As always, it should be a fun and active trade deadline.