Yankees expected to pursue Mariners Cliff Lee and Astros Lance Berkman

[Vottomatic]

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2010/06/mariners-expect-yankees-to-pursue-cliff-lee.html

What makes me sick is it says the Mariners have been scouting the Yankees farm system for prospects. No mention of any Yankees major leaguers in the trade. Why can't we do this? Our farm system has to be better than the Yankees, doesn't it? I realize it would be a rental, because no way do we have the $$$ to sign Lee long term. Nor would he probably want to pitch in GABP long term.

The 'Stros would probably be tickled to death to unload Berkman to the Yanks. One of the few teams that could afford him. And with Nick Johnson down for the count, the Yankees need a replacement.

[Kingspoint]

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2010/06/mariners-expect-yankees-to-pursue-cliff-lee.html

What makes me sick is it says the Mariners have been scouting the Yankees farm system for prospects. No mention of any Yankees major leaguers in the trade. Why can't we do this? Our farm system has to be better than the Yankees, doesn't it? I realize it would be a rental, because no way do we have the $$$ to sign Lee long term. Nor would he probably want to pitch in GABP long term.

The 'Stros would probably be tickled to death to unload Berkman to the Yanks. One of the few teams that could afford him. And with Nick Johnson down for the count, the Yankees need a replacement.

I noticed that the Mariners believe they can get the most in trade based on their trading partner's ability to get an extension agreed upon with Cliff Lee. That could be where we fall short. Unless the REDS can get an extension agreed upon with Cliff Lee, they won't be able to offer as much as someone else who can.

[Jack Burton]

Yankees land Cliff Lee and they are instantly the favorites to win another title, that is, if they are not the favorites already.

[Vottomatic]

The craziest part of all is this one:


King believes renting Lee would hold appeal to the Yankees despite their strong rotation. The Yanks' boast a front five of C.C. Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, Andy Pettitte, Phil Hughes, and Javier Vazquez, and it's not clear who they'd bump for Lee. The most likely candidate, Vazquez, has a 2.73 ERA in 33 innings since returning from a break on May 12th. Trading Vazquez to clear a spot for Lee seems convoluted to me.

They're going to bump a guy with a 2.73 e.r.a. since May 12th. Unreal.

We have a couple of guys we could bump. LOL.

[Kingspoint]

We have a couple of guys we could bump. LOL.

Tonight Harang will do his best to not get the moniker of "Mr. Bump".

[Mutaman]

The Yankees are such pigs.

[Vottomatic]

Tonight Harang will do his best to not get the moniker of "Mr. Bump".

I think Harang and Bailey are the most likely to get bumped if the Reds would pursue an ace for the postseason. I don't see Leake, Arroyo, or Cueto getting bumped unless they completely fall apart.

[arkimadee]

Yankees land Cliff Lee and they are instantly the favorites to win another title, that is, if they are not the favorites already.
They already are IMO

[nemesis]

Why not get both Oswalt and Berkman together?

Give them Nova, Montero, Laird and Nunez...

Houston gets a young #2 -3 starter, a legit ML Catcher, a legit leadoff man at SS and a young power prospect at 3B who'll be blocked for at least 5 more years who'll be ready as early as next year.

Makes that Houston team so so much better in 2 years...

[texasdave]

I hate both the Yankees and the Red Sox. How can this be good for baseball?

[nemesis]

I hate both the Yankees and the Red Sox. How can this be good for baseball?

It isn't. But that's the nature of Baseball. The haves always will and the have nots need a coming together of the planets to compete.

[texasdave]

Who needs an All-Star game? Just go watch the Yankees play.

[Hondo]

I think the Reds should go for OSWALT...

HE would be a true difference maker.

[Vottomatic]

I think the Reds should go for OSWALT...

HE would be a true difference maker.

His ERA has jumped from 2.66 to around 3.20. And he supposedly is having some chronic back problems.

I say no to Oswalt.

[NorrisHopper30]

No Oswalt please.

[nemesis]

16.5 million reasons to say no to Oswalt. Plus it's already going to be tough enough to find rotation spots for Arroyo, Leake, Cueto, Harang, Bailey, LeCure, Chapman, Wood, Klinker, Maloney. Save the PayFlex that you gain from Harang, Arroyo, Cabrera, Lincoln and year after next Cordero's contracts to pay Votto, Bruce, Cueto, Volquez, Bailey and go get a FA like Soria to be your closer. Much better LONG TERM investments.

BTW if I am Washington, I go get Harang or especially Arroyo next year to be my stabilizing vet in the rotation. They have 3 outstanding young starters, great bullpen and a good offense. A signing like him could be a huge difference maker with his 12 to 15 wins he usually gets...

[webbbj]

i think the reds should just stand pat and not make any block buster deals. obv a bullpen arm is a good idea but that shouldnt take much.

this is a kind of deal old reds management would make. when ur a small to middle market team you cant just blow up the minor league system for a guy for 3 months.

also if they make this move anything less than a WS appearance then its a bust of a deal. really the deal should have to make us favorites in the NL and i dont know if it does that either. i think we would be more like milwaukee was when they got CC.

i dont think the reds are quite there yet and the future is bright. i think in a year or 2 this kind of move will be worth going for to put this team as the odds on favorite at a WS title.

for now find a way to improve the bullpen. that could be enough to find a playoff spot and who knows if we get to the playoffs maybe we can get hot at the right time and get to the series like the rockies did a few years back and we will have all our major minor league pieces in tact.

[BEETTLEBUG]

I would Trade Harang to Nationals now what do you think we could get better than last Trade with them since no Jim Bo this time around?

[MrMcConnell]

16.5 million reasons to say no to Oswalt. Plus it's already going to be tough enough to find rotation spots for Arroyo, Leake, Cueto, Harang, Bailey, LeCure, Chapman, Wood, Klinker, Maloney. Save the PayFlex that you gain from Harang, Arroyo, Cabrera, Lincoln and year after next Cordero's contracts to pay Votto, Bruce, Cueto, Volquez, Bailey and go get a FA like Soria to be your closer. Much better LONG TERM investments.

BTW if I am Washington, I go get Harang or especially Arroyo next year to be my stabilizing vet in the rotation. They have 3 outstanding young starters, great bullpen and a good offense. A signing like him could be a huge difference maker with his 12 to 15 wins he usually gets...

1) I'd rather pay Oswalt 16.5 million than Harang at 11-12.

2) Bailey hasn't proven much this season to be considered as a 'safe' roster spot. Chapman, Wood, Klinker, and Maloney are all definite question marks and we've seen a bit of Maloney. Can you imagine a 4 game series with Oswalt/Arroyo/Leake/Cueto? I'll take my chances.

3) We'd be freaking nuts to trade Arroyo over Harang.

[webbbj]

1) I'd rather pay Oswalt 16.5 million than Harang at 11-12.

2) Bailey hasn't proven much this season to be considered as a 'safe' roster spot. Chapman, Wood, Klinker, and Maloney are all definite question marks and we've seen a bit of Maloney. Can you imagine a 4 game series with Oswalt/Arroyo/Leake/Cueto? I'll take my chances.

3) We'd be freaking nuts to trade Arroyo over Harang.

i agree that i would rather pay oswalt an extra 4 mill than harang but the astros dont want harang so ur still renting a player that has been injury prone and you salvage some of ur best prospects. i realize reds fans are impatient and i dont blame them i just dont think making hasty decisions on trades like this is the best way to go about running the team.

plus we have volquez return to look forward to. this team does have a WS run in it w/o making a big trade and when that year comes either next year or the year after imo i think that would be the perfect time to make that big time move.

the next 3-4 years we are gonna be so deep in starting pitching. leake is doing great now he could end up being our 3rd best starter in 2-3 years with cueto the 4th or 5th best depending how good lecure continues to be.

[MrMcConnell]

the next 3-4 years we are gonna be so deep in starting pitching. leake is doing great now he could end up being our 3rd best starter in 2-3 years with cueto the 4th or 5th best depending how good lecure continues to be.

You cannot say that we'll be deep in SP in 3-4 years because so many things can happen. Look at Volquez as an example. We can never have a shortage of good SP. I realize Harang wouldn't be had by the Astros, but we keep Harang for the time being, see if he keeps improving and then sell him when his stock is high. Personally, I'm still not sold on him. He scares me everytime he goes out to pitch. Just pay Harang's salary the rest of the year or a portion of it and get some young prospects or BP help out of him and he's off the books for next year. Oswalt will essentially cost 3-4 million more and the Castellini's promised they'd spend more $ if we came to the BP so I can see them raising the salary limit next year.

[Vottomatic]

You cannot say that we'll be deep in SP in 3-4 years because so many things can happen. Look at Volquez as an example. We can never have a shortage of good SP. I realize Harang wouldn't be had by the Astros, but we keep Harang for the time being, see if he keeps improving and then sell him when his stock is high. Personally, I'm still not sold on him. He scares me everytime he goes out to pitch. Just pay Harang's salary the rest of the year or a portion of it and get some young prospects or BP help out of him and he's off the books for next year. Oswalt will essentially cost 3-4 million more and the Castellini's promised they'd spend more $ if we came to the BP so I can see them raising the salary limit next year.

Oswalt has back problems. Also, his ERA was 2.60 a few weeks ago and has ballooned to around 3.20. Not that that is so bad, but it is a pattern.

I was interested in him a few weeks back, but have changed my mind. Astros aren't going to take just Harang as a money swap. They'll want prospects too. Plus, Oswalt has a list, I believe, of the teams he's willing to go to, and we're supposedly not on it.

I agree that we need not panic and make hasty decisions. The only moves I can see making right now are for bullpen help.

[flash]

this is exactly why the Reds need to dangle Fransico for Nunez now. Berkman is 34 and makes a truckload of money. Fransico would be cheaper a possibly more productive for a long time. You could also talk Alonso.

[The Voice of IH]

That's Disgusting, it literally gives me a sick stomach. I do not understand how anyone can argue against a salary cap.

[Kingspoint]

The Yankees won't get by both the Twins AND the Rays.

They'll still be watching this World Series from a Golf Course.