The Red Sox-Yankees rivalry is one of the best in sports. I can’t name any one better. However, the rivalry gets out of hand on a yearly basis, getting to the point it gets overexposed and overrated as hell. This extends to the farm systems as well, from Pawtucket and Scranton to the GCL Red Sox and Yankees.
For the longest time, this part of the rivalry was one-sided, as the Yankees suffered extended periods of drought on the farm, with few players coming up and most of them being huge busts that have been floated from organization to organization. This may have been most evident in 2004, when the Yankees found themselves unable to trade for Randy Johnson, since they didn’t have the prospects necessary to deal. However, Cashman saw the need for young pitching and began to aggressively target high ceiling youngsters in the draft. The result has been a slew of talent in the pitching categories of the minor leagues, most of which will be profiled here.
Yankees Top 15
1 – Joba Chamberlain (RHP)
DOB: 9/23/85
Drafted: 1st Round, 2006, University of Nebraska
2008 Club: New York Yankees (MLB)
Height/Weight: 6-2/230
Bats/Throws: R/R
The Skinny: Projected as a top pick early in the college season, injury issues dropped him to the supplemental first round. He's already looking like a draft-day steal. Chamberlain blew away scouts in the Hawaiian Winter League, and his 2007 season has elevated him to the title of Best Pitching Prospect In The System. Chamberlain then proceeded to rock the big apple after he was called up to help setup Mariano Rivera, a role in which he was dynamite, though the Yankees still feel that he’s a starter long term.
The Good: Chamberlain has an electric arm and blows people away with a mid 90's fastball that is complimented with a plus slider. His command and control are excellent and when he's on, he's nearly unbeatable. He also has at least two usable pitches, including a decent changeup.
The Bads: Chamberlain has had problems with his weight and there are the questions about whether or not he's durable enough to be a starting pitcher.
Projection: Medium. Chamberlain has shown what he's capable of when he's healthy.
What He Can Be: An Ace Quality Starter If He Stays Healthy
2008 Course Of Action: Chamberlain is heading with the Big League Club to New York, where he'll be the Number Three Starter behind Wang and Hughes, though he could rocket up the rotaiton if he does what he did in the rotaiton as a starter.
2 – Philip Hughes (RHP)
DOB: 4/24/86
Drafted: 1st Round, 2004, California High School
2008 Club: New York Yankees (MLB)
Height/Weight: 6-5/220
Bats/Throws: R/R
The Skinny: Hughes had a rocky start to his Triple A season and was told that he wouldn’t be rushed to the majors. Needless to say, that only lasted about a month, after which Hughes arrived, pitched decently while also getting hurt. Thankfully for my prospect list, he came in just under my 75-inning limit for pitchers, meaning he’s still eligible under my list.
The Good: Hughes is very much near what one would want as far as a starter. He’s got a good fastball that sits in the low 90’s that can touch 96 and his curveball is a plus pitch, giving him a pair of solid weapons. He’s got an average changeup, but it’s usable and it has good fade and deception. His mechanics are nearly flawless and his command is exceptional.
The Bad: Hughes has had health issues for almost every year of his pro career save last year, and still needs to prove that he can carry a full workload. Plus, an injured hamstring may have hurt Hughes’ performance, as he wasn’t able to spot his stuff well out of fear of aggravating the injury.
Projection: Low. It’s hard to treat health issues, and it’s hard to say right now if Hughes’ leg issues will be something he’ll always deal with or not. Needless to say, I value Hughes a lot lower than Chamberlain and Buchholz, mostly because Hughes just doesn’t wow me as much as other prospects.
What He Can Be: A Number Two Starter
2008 Course OF Action: Hughes will keep his job in the rotation for now. With the Yankees committed to going younger, he’ll have all year to establish himself as a potential sidekick to Chien Ming Wang.
3 – Dellin Betances (RHP)
DOB: 5/23/88
Drafted: 8th round, 2006, New York High School
2008 Club:Staten Island Yankees (Short Season)
Height/Weight: 6-8/215
Bats/Throws: R/R
The Skinny: The Yankees valued Betances' talent enough that they paid him a bonus of $1million to sign, a feat that was thought to be difficult because most assumed that Betances would be college bound. Since then, he's been a bright spot for the Bombers, who have several talented young pitchers, but none with the upside of Betances, who is looking like he'll be a monster talent in a few years.
The Good: Betances' cuts an imposing figure on the mound, but his stuff is what makes scouts swoon. His fastball sits in the mid 90's while touching 98. His changeup and curveball both have plus potential and his command and control are pretty good.
The Bad: Betances is still quite raw, hence he's going to need to absolutely get his command down before he's to advance. He's also got a complex delivery that needs to be worked on, as he's got a lot of moving parts. He was also shut down for elbow soreness part of last year, making some wonder a bit about his long term health.
Projection: Very High. Betances has more upside than any pitcher in the system, including Chamberlain. The Yankees are bringing him along slowly, as they see Betances to be the Robin to Chamberlains' Batman.
What He Can Be: A Number One Starter
2008 Course Of Action: Still raw and light years away from the majors, Betances will be heading to Staten Island, where he'll be supervised by the Yankees directly and where he'll hopefully shows some advances.
4 – Jose Tabata (RF)
DOB: 8/12/1988
Signed: 2005, Venezuela
2008 Club: Tampa Bay Yankees (High A)
Height/Weight: 5-11/160
Bats/Throws: R/R
The Skinny: Another Latin America bonus baby, Tabata began to make himself known after he started to hit in the lower minors as an 18 year old. The Yankees decided to rush him to High A to see what he could do. Overall, the results looked okay, but really didn’t do anything to quiet the doubts that have circulated about him.
The Good: Tabata has got one of the best bats in the Yankees’ system. His hitting skills are off the charts and he’s got excel. Plus hitting skills and a mature approach well beyond his years. With outstanding bat speed and excellent hand/eye coordination, Tabata projects through the roof offensively based on what he's already been able to do at such a young age. He's a tick-above-average runner and a solid outfielder with a good arm.
Negatives: A hand injury ended Tabata’s season early, but many are wondering if that is the real cause of his power outage. Tabata had many feeling that he would be a 30 home run threat, which was not only high, but also unrealistic. In reality, he probably will be what Ichiro was until a year ago, a leadoff corner. That’s not a bad thing, it’s just not the “Gary Sheffield” comparison that people seemed to feel he’d be.
Projection: High. It all really depends on whether or not Tabata’s power indeed grows as he gets older and fills out.
What He Can Be: A Leadoff Hitting Corner
2008 Course Of Action: Tabata will likely repeat at Tampa, where the Yankees hope he’ll be able to get back on track. Really, there’s no reason to rush him.
5 – Austin Jackson (CF)
DOB: 2/01/87
Drafted: 8th Round, 2005, Texas High School
2008 Club: Trenton Thunder (Double A)
Height/Weight: 6-1/185
Bats/Throws: R/R
The Skinny: New York had long been scouting Jackson before the draft and while many felt that Jackson would be college bound, as he had signed a letter of intent to play for Georgia Tech as a point guard. However, the Yankees drafted him and offered him a large enough bonus to sign with them. Jackson's career has since been hit or miss, as at times he looks incredible, other times he looks bad, but he appeared to have a breakout season last year.
The Good: Jackson has some excellent tools at his disposal. He has great speed, some excellent raw power, and is beginning to learn how to improve his plate discipline. He won't hit for a lot of home runs, but doubles power is possible. The Yankees’ staff has shortened his swing and opened his stance and the results have been huge.
The Bad: Jackson's arm isn't the greatest, making many wonder if he will eventually move over to left because of his lack of a strong arm. The strikeouts are worrisome, though many stress this is a result of Jackson taking too many pitches. He’s also still raw on defense and needs to improve his reads and fielding instincts to stay in center.
Projection: Average. Jackson is still developing as a player and will need time. It’s possible with work he could become a regular.
What He Can Be: An average centerfielder, maybe similar to Juan Pierre.
2008 Course Of Action: Jackson finished the year in Triple A, a puzzling move, but it’s likely he’ll wind up back in Double A to start they year.
6 – Ian Kennedy (RHP)
DOB: 12/19/84
Drafted: 1st Round, 2006, USC
2008 Club: New York Yankees (MLB)
Height/Weight: 6-0/195
Bats/Throws: R/R
The Skinny: Kennedy had been on people's radars for a long time, having being drafted in the 14th round back in 2003. A subpar year, plus representation by Scott Boras resulted in Kennedy falling down to the Yankees. Kennedy since has been quite solid despite his lack of overpowering stuff and dominated Double A with the Trenton Thunder last season. He was subsequently promoted to Scranton and, after Mike Mussina imploded late in the season, Kennedy was called up to make a spot start in the rotation.
The Good: Kennedy has outstanding command and control over all of his pitches, a fastball that clocks into the low 90's, a solid curve and changeup, all of which he can throw for strikes. His delivery is pretty good and overall he rates as a solid pitcher.
The Bad: Aside from his size, Kennedy's stuff is really quite vanilla, and he has no real out pitch. He also lost some velocity in his fastball, making things look a little less rosy for his future.
Projection: Low. I've never been a big Kennedy fan and realistically, though he may arrive at the majors in a short period of time, he really doesn't have anything special about him.
What He Can Be: An Average to Above Average Starter
2008 Course Of Action: With the rotation in flux, the Yankees will look to give some of their kids a shot to make the rotation. Kennedy will likely be the favorite for the Job, and is likely going to be the Yankees' fifth starter to begin the year.
7 – Jesus Montero (C)
DOB: 11/28/1989
Signed: 2006, Venezuela
2008 Club: Staten Island Yankees (Short Season)
Height/Weight: 6-4/220
Bats/Throws: R/R
The Skinny: Signed during the International Signing Period out of Venezuela for around $2 million dollars, Montero was the biggest acquisition for the Yankees during the International Signing Period. The Yankees assigned him to the Gulf Coast League, a trend that a lot more teams are doing with their younger signings, where he posted some solid numbers in limited playing time.
The Good: What sealed the deal for New York was Montero's bat, as he put on some impressive batting practice displays in workouts before signing. He's got solid raw power, even more than Giants Man-Child Angel Villalona. The Yankees are working with Montero to adjust his swing in order to further help him take advantage of his power.
The Bad: Though he is signed as a catcher, there is a lot of doubt that Montero will remain at the position. For starters, he's already a large young man and is likely to grow more. His defense and game calling abilities are extremely raw and will take time to develop, but even then it's unlikely that he'll become any more than tolerable behind the plate. He’s almost a lock to be moved to First Baseman/Designated Hitter in the future. He also needs to be taught some plate discipline, and he tends to go for the longball all the time.
Projection: Very High. It's tricky business projecting kids, especially when they are as young as Montero, due to the lack of experience and age. However, the talent is definitely there for Montero to be a solid major leaguer.
What He Can Be: A Power Threat In The Middle Of The Order
2008 Course Of Action: Depending on how the Yankees feel about his progress, he could either return to the Gulf Coast Yankees or be retained in extended and be sent to Stanton Island, where team officials in New York would be able to help gauge his progress.
8 – Tyler Clippard (RHP)
DOB: 2/14/85
Drafted: 9th round, 2003, Florida High School
2008 Club: Scranton Yankees (Triple A)
Height/Weight: 6-4/170
Bats/Throws: R/R
The Skinny: Clippard is one of the more interesting prospects in that he doesn't have overwhelming stuff, but Clippard had mixed results in a early call up, but the future looks good for him. Still, because of the emergence of Ian Kennedy, Clippard’s going to have to fight to remain a Yankee.
The Good: Clippard is a tall pitcher that relies on his outstanding command and control to get hitters out. His fastball clocks in at around 88-91, but his curve is a plus pitch and and his changeup is solid.
The Bad: Clippard isn't an ace and because of his lack of a dominant fastball, he's not a sure bet to last a long time in the American League East.
Projection: Low. Clippard is pretty much a finished product.
What He Can Be: A Number 3 or 4 starter.
2008 Course Of Action: Clippard will return to Scranton to start the year, but he’ll be one of the first prospects called up if the Bombers need another arm. He’ll also be shopped covertly to see what his value is. The Yankees need positional players and Clippard in this pitching drought market would net a solid hitter.
9 – Kevin Whelan (RHP)
DOB: 1/8/84
Drafted: 4th round, 2005, Texas A&M University
2008 Club: Scranton Yankees (Triple A)
Height/Weight: 6-0/200
Bats/Throws: R/R
The Skinny: Picked up in the Sheffield trade, the Yankees added what could be a long term piece of their bullpen in Whelan. A fourth-round pick out of Texas A&M in 2005, Whelan is a converted catcher who was long viewed to be the closer of the future for the Tigres, but Joel Zumaya put a stop to that. Still, the Tigers wound up regretting trading Whelan last year, especially when Zumaya went down. Meanwhile, Whelan was very good in the minors and should be a big part of the Scranton Bullpen this year.
The Good: Whelan already has two plus pitches in his fastball and splitter. The splitter is his best pitch and it clocks in as high as 89 and has heavy, downward action. His fastball sits in the 92-94 mph and touches 96.
The Bad: Whelan doesn't have a traditional breaking ball or off-speed pitch to speak of, but the splitter and fastball should be enough to offset it. What is a problem is that he still struggles at times with his command, understandable considering he is a former position player still relatively new to pitching.
Projection: Low. Whelan is rising fast and could be a factor for the Bronx real soon.
What He Can Be: A setup man, possibly a closer.
2008 Course Of Action: Rather than pay up the nose for underachieving relief help, the Yankees appear to be using internal options, a good, cheap way to build a bullpen that has paid off for several teams (Texas and San Diego being two of them.)
10 – Humberto Sanchez (RHP)
DOB: 5/28/83
Drafted: 31st round, 2001, Connors State Junior College (DNF - Tigers)
2008 Club: Trenton Thunder (Double A)
Height/Weight: 6-6/230
Bats/Throws: R/R
The Skinny: Sanchez was a named banded about often in terms of trade talks until he became the crown jewel of the prospects sent back to New York in the Gary Sheffield Trade. Unfortunately, Tommy John Surgery claimed his 2007 season and Sanchez will have to work his way back into consideration for the Yankee rotation.
The Good: Scouts have long loved Sanchez's strong arm. His fastball sits in the low to mid 90's and touches 97-98 when he really reaches back. He compliments it with a plus slider and also has an above average changeup that is a suitable third pitch.
The Bad: Sanchez has had a problem with durability. He has yet to throw more than 123 innings in a season due to various injuries and conditioning issues. He's had problems staying in shape, and he has trouble maintaining his explosiveness deep into games. As a result, many feel that he could be best off in the bullpen, though there is no doubt he'd bean excellent closer.
Projection: Fair. Sanchez's arm is still a great one, though the Yankees aren't willing to give up on him as a starter just yet.
What He Can Be: A Power Starting Pitcher Or A Hell Of A Closer.
2008 Course Of Action: Sanchez will remain in extended Spring Training for the first part of the year before he heads to Scranton for rehab assignments. Either way, we'll see him in New York near the end of the year.
11 – Andrew Brackman (RHP)
DOB: 12/04/85
Drafted: 1st Round, 2007, North Carolina State
2008 Club: Rehab
Height/Weight: 6-10/230
Bats/Throws: R/R
The Skinny: Brackman, a two sport star at NC State, decided to concentrate on his baseball career instead and handled a full load for the first time in his college career. What wound up happening was that Brackman’s body began to break down late in the season and he was held back from two starts, both from personal and physical problems. He fell down the draft boards and wound up being picked by the Yankees, who gave him a lucrative deal that is, quite frankly, much more than Brackman deserved. Only Boras.
The Good: An imposing presence on the mound, Brackman throws both a two and four seam fastball and they clock in from 92-97, hitting 99 at times. Both have good life in the strike zone. He also throws a nasty spike curveball that he commands very well.
The Bad: Brackman will miss the year thanks to Tommy John surgery and has already begun his development clock because of his major league deal that he received. His curveball lags behind both of his other pitches and his command wasn’t great to begin with. Most importantly, he broke down under the regular workload of a college pitcher.
Projection: Surprisingly High. Because Brackman hasn’t played a whole lot of baseball, he can still develop some, especially if he can find a suitable pitch to go along with his heater and spike curveball.
What He Can Be: A Top of the Rotation Starter, Middle Of The Road More Likely.
2008 Course Of Action: Now rehabbing his arm, the Yankees will likely get him back into pitching shape for the year, after which they’ll send him to the Arizona Fall League for his pro debut.
12 – Austin Romine (C)
DOB: 11/22/88
Drafted: 2nd Round, 2007, California High School
2008 Club: Gulf Coast Yankees (Rookie)
Height/Weight: 6-1/195
Bats/Throws: R/R
The Skinny: Baseball runs in Romine’s blood. His brother Andrew is Arizona State’s starting shortstop, and his dad Kevin played there. Austin had committed to the Sun Devils, but the Yankees bought him out at the last minute for an above slot bonus ($500,000), adding another intriguing prospect to the Yankee farm.
The Good: Romine has a cannon of an arm, probably the best of what was a deep catching crop. He’s also very accurate, which is why baserunners wouldn’t screw with him too much in games. His bat has a lot of promise, however. He makes hard contact consistently and has good power potential, doubles at the moment, but the long ball variety could come as he matures.
The Bad: Romine is still very raw as a catcher. Despite his cannon arm, his glovework and range are inconsistent. He’s going to need a lot of refinement to become a adequate defender. He’s also a below average runner.
Projection: High. Romine is thought to be the answer to the Yankees’ catcher of the future, as Montero is likely going to be a first baseman in the not too distant future. Though he’s a raw product, he’s got the talent to be a good catcher, or at the very least a capable stopgap.
What He Can Be: A starting catcher.
2008 Course Of Action: The Yankees sent Romine to the instructional league to work on his defense, though ultimately it’s his bat that is most important. Expect him to begin at the bottom to start his career, especially since Jesus Montero is likely headed to Staten Island.
13 – J.B. Cox (RHP)
DOB: 5/13/84
Drafted: 2nd round, 2005, University of Texas
2008 Club: Scranton Yankees (Triple A)
Height/Weight: 6-3/205
Bats/Throws: L/R
The Skinny: Huston Street's replacement did well in 2005 with the Longhorns and his performance got him drafted with the Yankees. He's posted solid numbers throughout the minors, but Tommy John Surgery and a street altercation sidelined him for all of 2007.
The Good: Cox was a highly polished college reliever when drafted, and he's been pretty solid since he joined the Yankees organization. Cox is a groundball demon that induces groundouts thanks to a 88-92 mph sinker and hard slider that get pounded into the dirt. He also works quickly and had good mechanics.
The Bad: Cox's stuff falls just short of closer material. He also lacks a real out pitch and there have been some question about his temperament thanks to an off the field altercation.
Projection: Low. Cox was almost a finished product anyway and would have been in the bigs at some point last year had it not been for TJ.
What He Can Be: A Stellar Setup Man.
2008 Course Of Action: The Yankees really could have used Cox last season when the bullpen imploded. However, thanks to TJ, Cox will likely spend early 2005 in Tampa for extended Spring Training before joining the Scranton crew for a rehab assignment. He'll be in the bigs some point this year.
14 – Jeff Marquez (RHP)
DOB: 10/8/1984
Drafted: 1st Round, 2005, Sacramento City College
2008 Club: Trenton Thunder (Double A)
Height/Weight: 6-3/175
Bats/Throws: R/R
The Skinny: Drafted in the first round, Marquez has been inconsistent to intriguing as a prospect, though he’s begun to make a name for himself in the Yankees organization.
The Good: Jeff Marquez has a good sinking fastball that tops out around 92-93 mph, and he does a decent job of inducting ground balls with it. He compliments it with a plus changeup and he throws a very good curveball as well. He commands both the fastball and his changeup very well. He also is effective at changing speeds.
The Bad: Marquez's control over the curve eludes him at times. He's also had some run ins with injuries, though to his credit, he has put up solid innings in the minors. However, in spite of all that, there’s also a lot of consensus that Marquez may be nothing more than a fourth or fifth starter at best, and organizational filler at worst.
Projection: Low. Marquez is more of a fit in the National League, where he would benefit from the weaker lineups and the overall style of play. He's unlikely to blow people away and frankly, in the NL, he wouldn't need to be.
What He Can Be: A Back Of The Rotation Starter in The AL, a middle of the rotation guy in the NL
2008 Course Of Action: Marquez will likely be headed to Scranton for some more work, but to be quite honest, I don't think Marquez will ever play a game in a Yankee uniform. With the amount of starting gigs in the Bronx running out and the Yankees continuing to draft well, Marquez will probably be traded at some point this season.
The Skinny: Obtained in the Randy Johnson trade, Ohlendorf was the best prospect to be exchanged between the two teams. Unfortunately, he didn’t show it as he was torched in Triple A and demoted back to Rookie League.
The Good: Ohlendorf's best pitch is a hard sinker that induces ground balls and clocks in between 90-94 mph. He also has a pretty nifty slider to go with it.
The Bad: Ohlendorf's changeup is a below average pitch. even then, he doesn't have the tools enough to succeed as much more than a fifth starter. Hence he projects better off in the pen.
Projection: Low. I really don't see much more how Ohlendorf can improve, really.
What He Can Be: A Setup Man
2008 Course Of Action: Ohlendorf will compete for a job in the big league pen for the Yankees this Spring Training, where it's hope that he'll give the Yankees a better option in relief than several of the retreads on the market.
Final Thoughts
Overall, you can assume two things out of the Yankees’ farm system as a whole. First of all, the future looks bring when you see the amount of talent on the mound. Second, this system lacks any sort of positional players and that presents an immediate liability toward the future, especially with so many regular players aging and the lack of any other sort of internal options for first base and catcher, just to start.
Normally I love the guys from Baseball Prospectus and their various takes on the world of Baseball, but there are times when I do take issue with some of the opinions they write.
Like this recent piece that Joe Sheehan, writing for SI.com, indicating five trades that need to happen raised my ire. Sheehan's words are in italics, mine are normal.
Red Sox trade CF Coco Crisp to the White Sox for 1B Chris Carter. Boston must unload Crisp, who was supplanted as the team's centerfielder by Jacoby Ellsbury during the ALCS. The Red Sox' every-day lineup is set for 2008, but they could use some depth among their hitting prospects as they move toward the end of the Manny Ramirez -- David Ortiz era. The White Sox are focused on the short term, as shown by their extending the contracts of veterans Jermaine Dye and Mark Buehrle. So 20-year-old first baseman Carter, who was third in the Class A Sally League with 25 homers, is expendable. Getting Crisp, 28, who is owed a very reasonable $11 million over the next two years, at a down moment would be smart shopping.
I would almost agree with this if the Red Sox on record hadn't already said they would target high talent in the lower minors. With that in mind, the Red Sox would be more likely to target Faustino De Los Santos, a impact righthander in the White Sox's Low A affiliate. That would probably kill the trade.
A more plausible trade would likely be with Texas, who could offer a young arm in Jake Brigham, a highly projectable right hander who is similar to Sox prospect Michael Bowden, or the Dodgers, who have a load of ammunition they could offer in return.
Rockies trade 3B Garrett Atkins to the Twins for RHPs Anthony Swarzak and Eduardo Morlan. Ian Stewart (.304/.379/.478 at Triple A Colorado Springs) is ready to take over at third base for Colorado, which should be looking to add strikeout pitchers to a staff heavy on contact guys. Minnesota has a glut of young pitchers and desperately needs to add a bat to help Justin Morneau and Joe Mauer. Swarzak, 22, a starter who projects as a mid-rotation guy, is buried in the Twins' system. Morlan, 21, struck out 12.6 men per nine innings as a reliever in high A ball and could be a 2008 version of closer Manny Corpas.
Actually, I'm all about that trade. Sheehan nails this one. It will never happen, however, as Minnesota stockpiles arms and never uses them, which has possibly killed several trades that could have helped the team. Another thing is that Atkins is untradable thanks to the recent success and the fan backlash may not be desirable to the Rox. Stewart is more likely to be traded and he could fetch a solid young arm in a trade. One trade likely to be bandied about: Stewart to New York for Ian Kennedy.
Orioles trade SS Miguel Tejada to the Blue Jays for OF Adam Lind, RHP Brandon League and LHP David Purcey. The Blue Jays' window is fast closing since they'll lose the services of Troy Glaus, A.J. Burnett and Frank Thomas after 2008. With the Yankees going through a transition, it may be '08 or never for the J.P. Ricciardi regime. Tejada would give Toronto a big offensive boost over the current shortstop, glove man John McDonald. The rebuilding Orioles won't get the Jays' best prospect (outfielder Travis Snider), but they would get three major-league-ready guys, at low cost.
Not Happening. The Orioles could probably get a lot more for Tejada than Lind, a solid outfielder, Purcey, a okay, but not great lefty, and League, a setup man. If they really wanted to shop Tejada, they could probably get something better from the Angels, likely 3B Brandon Wood, a Troy Glaus-esque third baseman and RHP Ervin Santana, who could be an ace if he gets out of LA. A third prospect, possible Reggie WIllits, could go back in return and could be passable in center if they so chose.
Another option would be the Dodgers, who could sent back a package of CF Juan Pierre, 3B Andy LaRoche, and LF Andre Etheir. EIther option would be a lot better than what Sheehan offers in his column.
Brewers trade SS Alcides Escobar to the Rangers for 3B Hank Blalock. Milwaukee could then move Ryan Braun, the first third baseman in 14 years with a sub-.900 fielding percentage, to rightfield, rightfielder Corey Hart to center and centerfielder Bill Hall to third base, where he'd platoon with Blalock, another high-split guy. That would put two players, Braun and Hall, in positions where they're better suited, while stretching Hart slightly. Blalock would provide a key lefty bat for a team that lists to the right. Meanwhile, with Escobar, 20, Texas G.M. Jon Daniels would add to his collection of prospects a glove-first shortstop who could eventually move Michael Young to third base.
Won't happen. The Rangers already have a highly projectable shortstop in Elvis Andrus and a similar version of Escobar in Joaquin "The Machine" Arias. They'd be more likely to add someone else that could play centerfield, or a highly projectable athlete. If the Rangers were to trade Blalock, which likely won't happen because Blalock's value is low, they'd target someone like Crisp, actually, though a more realistic option would likely be Luke Scott of the Astros, who reporteldy have been thinking about using Wigginton at second.
Indians trade SS Jhonny Peralta to the Cubs for OF Matt Murton and RHP Sean Gallagher. Rather than move Peralta to second or third base to make room for Asdrubal Cabrera, Cleveland should trade him near the peak of his value for a much-needed corner-outfielder bat. The Cubs made do with fan fave Ryan Theriot at short this year, but Peralta, 25, is a clear upgrade. His below-average defense with the Tribe wouldn't be as much of a liability with the Cubs' high-strikeout, fly ball staff.
First of all, I don't think that Gallagher would be a good fit for the Jake, or the AL for that matter, so he's out. Murton is a solid outfielder, but the Indians have David Dellucci on the team and rather than admit they made a mistake and move on, they'll likely stick him in left field next season as the starter. Nice try, but this deal would be a disaster for the Indians, who would get a player with the same upside as Cliff Lee. I really don't see why this would work out.
Tomorrow night, I'll post my own trades that should be done.
I'm a long time Texas Rangers fan who has come to love baseball as a whole. I recently began this blog as a way for me to showcase my opinions, provide some analysis, and hopefully entertain those who happen to stumble upon my little soapbox online. I'll toss in an NFL, College, or NBA nugget every now and then. Enjoy the posts everyone, and yes, getting a little love in a Deadspin post was probably the highlight of the year, blogwise.
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