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Thread: Olney's NYY replacement possibilities

  1. #1
    Box of Frogs edabbs44's Avatar
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    Olney's NYY replacement possibilities

    Right on the money regarding Kearns...

    Abreu to replace Matsui?
    posted: Friday, May 12, 2006 | Feedback

    Hideki Matsui may not play until September and perhaps not again until 2007, and so within the Yankees' front office, there will be discussion and consideration today about possible replacements. This is not a small matter for New York: With Randy Johnson showing such a distinct lack of faith in his fastball and the middle relief in a muddle, the offense has to create the margin of error for these other flaws, and Matsui was a key component of the offense.
    Bernie Williams will play some games as a replacement, but the Yankees never wanted him to be more than a role player this summer, a guy who might get a couple of starts a week. There was some discomfort with him even getting regular at-bats as a designated hitter, which is why the team initially signed Carlos Pena, in the hope that Pena would become the regular first baseman, Jason Giambi would become the regular designated hitter and Williams would play less. Williams will not be the permanent solution.

    Melky Cabrera and Bubba Crosby will get some time to prove themselves as possible fill-ins, but there is an American Idol ruthlessness in the way the Yankees evaluate young players at the big-league level. Think of the club as Simon Cowell, and the young players as the hapless wannabes on stage for the first time: They've got to show extraordinary skill from the outset. On the Baseball Tonight set Thursday, I asked Tino Martinez -- who witnessed first-hand the impatience with young players in New York -- how long Cabrera had to prove himself. "About a day," Tino said, before chuckling only a little. Somewhere, Shane Spencer and Ricky Ledee and others aren't laughing at all; those guys always felt incredible pressure to produce.

    So unless Cabrera dominates the next week of games, the Yankees will probably start looking at players who may be available for trade. There is an X-factor in their decision-making: Gary Sheffield is on the disabled list with a bad wrist, and club officials need to determine how much help he will be this year, with the looming distraction of his unsettled contract status. If they think Sheffield is devoted to coming back and helping the team, then that will decrease the sense of urgency to identify a big-time replacement for Matsui. On the other hand, if they believe Sheffield will become Shut-Down Sheff and has decided he isn't going to be invested in the 2006 Yankees because he doesn't have a contract for 2007, then they definitely need a proven bat.

    The possible options:

    1. Bobby Abreu, Phillies. General managers from other teams say Phillies GM Pat Gillick was extremely motivated in his effort to trade Abreu all winter -- mostly because of the $30 million still owed to Abreu for this year and for next year. There is a dramatic split among evaluators on how good of a player Abreu is: The New School Number Crunchers love Abreu for his incredible on-base percentage, prolonged at-bats, and his offensive production, while a lot of the Old School Scouts say he's worth much less than his numbers suggest, believing he doesn't play hard all the time and that his physical condition is regressing. An Old School scout asked of him recently, "Can't he just dive for a ball one time?"

    Gillick acquired David Dellucci on the eve of the season, so he has options if he really wants to move Abreu, who is batting .264 with four homers and a .438 on-base percentage so far. If the Phillies are ready to deal the All-Star, the Yankees probably wouldn't have to give up much talent -- maybe a couple of Grade B prospects -- in order to get him, because of the size of his contract. The real value of the deal to Gillick may be the financial flexibility gained, as he considers ways of helping the team before the trade deadline.

    Interestingly, a deciding vote on Abreu may come from someone who knows Abreu well, someone who is regarded with great respect within the Yankees' organization: Third base coach and former Philly manager Larry Bowa.

    2 and 3. Shannon Stewart or Torii Hunter. Each would be a good fit for the Yankees -- Stewart because of his offensive prowess and Hunter because of his power and remarkable defense. The question is when or if the Twins will decide to blow up their season. They haven't looked good, but it's still very early in the season, and Minnesota GM Terry Ryan may not be ready to deal until sometime in July. The Yankees will want to move before then.

    4. Aubrey Huff, Devil Rays. He can play multiple positions, he looked good in spring training, and he knows AL East pitching. But he's also hitting .156, he's not a good outfielder, and Tampa Bay has been aggressive in asking for good young pitching, something the Yankees won't part with for Huff, as they rebuild their farm system.

    5. Alfonso Soriano, Nationals. They know him, they know he can play in and enjoy New York, and he's getting better in the outfield. The key questions would be: When would the Nationals be ready to trade, and do the Yankees have what Washington GM Jim Bowden would want in a deal?

    6. Mike Cameron, Padres. Right now, The Padres would have no reason to want to make a trade, because they're contending in the NL West.

    7. Austin Kearns, Reds. Sure, the Yankees could use him, but it's hard to see a fit for trade partners here. Cincinnati wants pitching, and the Yankees really don't have much pitching to offer.

    Abreu makes a whole lot of sense if the Phillies are still motivated to move him.


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    MassDebater smith288's Avatar
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    Re: Olney's NYY replacement possibilities

    I like how the media just basically assumes the Yankees have the person of their choosing... I would love to see what the Yankees forums are saying. "We'll just go get the star of any team because we are the yanks!"

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    Box of Frogs edabbs44's Avatar
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    Re: Olney's NYY replacement possibilities

    Quote Originally Posted by smith288
    I like how the media just basically assumes the Yankees have the person of their choosing... I would love to see what the Yankees forums are saying. "We'll just go get the star of any team because we are the yanks!"
    I was just telling someone that every GM should be laughing at the Yankees, waiting for Cashman to call.

    Cashman: We would like to talk to you about Austin Kearns.
    Krivsky: Chris Denofria for Philip Hughes, take it or leave it.
    Cashman: No way, I was asking about Aust....
    Krivsky: Dial tone

    This game should be played across the country until Cashman loses the rest of his hair or finally quits.

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    Re: Olney's NYY replacement possibilities

    Typical NYY/ESPNY perspective from Olney. A lot of talk about the various players the Yankees would now like, without a single mention of any player the Yankees might have to give up. Hey, these teams should be honored just to release their players so that they Yankees can choose among them, right?

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    Member RedsManRick's Avatar
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    Re: Olney's NYY replacement possibilities

    Quote Originally Posted by edabbs44
    Cashman: We would like to talk to you about Austin Kearns.
    Krivsky: Chris Denofria for Philip Hughes, take it or leave it.
    Cashman: No way, I was asking about Aust....
    Krivsky: Dial tone
    Games are won on run differential -- scoring more than your opponent. Runs are runs, scored or prevented they all count the same. Worry about scoring more and allowing fewer, not which positions contribute to which side of the equation or how "consistent" you are at your current level of performance.

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    Re: Olney's NYY replacement possibilities

    Of course there's a match: they have Cash.

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    He has the Evil Eye! flyer85's Avatar
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    Re: Olney's NYY replacement possibilities

    The problem the Yanks have is a serious lack of trading chips.

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    Mon chou Choo vaticanplum's Avatar
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    Re: Olney's NYY replacement possibilities

    I'm keeping an eye on Chien-Ming Wang. If he proves himself a little more, I still think he might be a fit for the Reds. Though if he proves himself a little bit more, the Yanks will be very unlikely to give him up. Dang this "negotiation" thing.
    There is no such thing as a pitching prospect.

  10. #9
    GOREDSGO32
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    Re: Olney's NYY replacement possibilities

    We'll trade you Milton, Wilson, and LaRue for ARod ... final offer. Thats how ridiculous traind Kearns to the Yankees would be.

  11. #10
    Charlie Brown All-Star IslandRed's Avatar
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    Re: Olney's NYY replacement possibilities

    Quote Originally Posted by smith288
    I like how the media just basically assumes the Yankees have the person of their choosing
    I dunno... for Olney, that wasn't a bad piece. He threw out names of the guys the Yankees might target but also (for most of them) gave a reason why it probably won't happen, be it "too early" or "the Yankees don't have what they want."
    Reading comprehension is not just an ability, it's a choice

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    Re: Olney's NYY replacement possibilities

    I think Junior is a more realistic option. If he proves himself healthy, I could see the Yankees making a play for him. The Reds would be more motivated to move him rather than Kearns because of his salary. It's unlikely, but wouldn't totally shock me.

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    Re: Olney's NYY replacement possibilities

    I don't care how good the pitching prospect is with the Yankees. I wouldn't trade any significant player on the Reds to the Yankees for prospects. I don't know of all the prospects that the Yankees have traded away but in recent memory I don't know of any that turned out to be superstars or #1 level pitchers. The Reds may have gotten the best deal with Claussen and the stories were all over the place about how the Reds got the best pitching prospect the Yankees had in their system. Claussen is good, but he is not a 1 and really should turn out to be a #3 guy. From my view the yankees have a history of getting rid of prospects that never pan out and I don't want to make a trade like that for a player of the caliber that Griffey and kearns are.

  14. #13
    He has the Evil Eye! flyer85's Avatar
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    Re: Olney's NYY replacement possibilities

    I really don't see the Reds trading Jr. He has little trade value because of the injury risk. At this point just trading him to do it doesn't make a lot of sense because he makes the Reds better when healthy enough to play.

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    Re: Olney's NYY replacement possibilities

    Quote Originally Posted by flyer85
    I really don't see the Reds trading Jr. He has little trade value because of the injury risk. At this point just trading him to do it doesn't make a lot of sense because he makes the Reds better when healthy enough to play.
    $ still is and always will be an issue when discussing Junior and the Reds. If you find someone like the Yankees to eat a large portion of that contract, you sign the deal before they can change their minds. Perhpas it doesn't help the team on the field this year, but if the present FO is as capable as they appear now, a Junior trade will positively serve this team in the future.

  16. #15
    He has the Evil Eye! flyer85's Avatar
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    Re: Olney's NYY replacement possibilities

    Quote Originally Posted by OldXOhio
    $ still is and always will be an issue when discussing Junior and the Reds. If you find someone like the Yankees to eat a large portion of that contract, you sign the deal before they can change their minds.
    That doesn't make the Reds better in the short term and only helps in the long term if they can find something to spend the excess $$ on that make them better than they would be with Jr.


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