So much for those April whispers that this could be a rebuilding year.
The New York Yankees indicated Friday that they have their eyes set on a 27th World Championship when the team added right fielder Xavier Nady and left-handed reliever Damaso Marte in a trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
In the deal, the Yankees give up ineffective reliever Ross Ohlendorf (6.53 ERA), Double A starter George Kontos (3-9, 3.77), minor league starter Phil Coke (9-4, 2.60 in AA; 0-1, 9.00 in AAA), and Double A right fielder Jose Tabata (.248, 3 HR, 36 RBIs).
The trade is pending physicals.
What an outstanding trade for the Yankees, who didn't have to give up a whole lot in order to fill two voids on their roster.
With Hideki Matsui possibly out for the rest of the season and the remaining hitters struggling for most of the year until the recent series against the Minnesota Twins, New York needed another bat, specifically a right-handed outfield bat.
Richie Sexson was just a stop gap move until the Yankees could get Nady and Brett Gardner hasn't been able to get on base enough to impact the game with his speed.
With Nady, the Yankees get a .330 hitter with 13 home runs and 57 RBIs.
The addition of Marte, I believe, was not as needed, but it can't hurt. While the Yankees didn't have a lefty in the bullpen, the rest of the relievers have been outstanding this year, ranking fourth in the league in ERA (3.39) and second in batting average against (.227). In fact, New York entered Friday with a record of 44-1 when leading after six innings.
But Marte was the most highly-touted southpaw reliever on the trading block, thanks to his 4-0 record, 3.47 ERA, and 47 Ks in 46.2 innings.
Everyone can stop writing about Barry Bonds now.
Jordan Schwartz is Bleacher Report's Yankees Community Leader. His book "Memoirs of the Unaccomplished Man" is available at amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com and authorhouse.com.
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