NY Yankees Trade Talk: 5 Reasons They Should Chase Matt Garza

Theo Epstein now runs the Chicago Cubs, and while he has stated that Matt Garza is "exactly the type of pitcher we want to build around," he has also acknowledged that there is a market for a front-of-the-rotation arm like Garza's and he would not rule out moving the 28-year-old righty.

In what has become par for the course, the New York Yankees are looking to add quality pitching to their starting rotation.

If there is a real chance to land someone like Garza, expect Brian Cashman to burn up his monthly allotment of cell phone minutes with his former AL East adversary as he tries to bring Garza back into the fold of the AL East.

Let's take a look at why Garza makes sense for the Yankees.

He Is Just Entering His Prime

Matt Garza is coming off his first season with the Chicago Cubs, one that saw him go 10-10 with a 3.32 ERA and 1.26 WHIP with 197 strikeouts over 198 innings pitched.

His 3.32 ERA, 197 strikeouts and 9.0 SO/9 ratio are all career bests.

Unlike 31-year-old C.J. Wilson, the man considered to be the best pitcher available via free agency during this Hot Stove League, the 28-year-old Garza's best days still lay ahead of him.

Under Team Control Through 2013

Matt Garza is a "super two" player, meaning that the team he is on has an extra year of arbitration rights with him than with other players who may have made their major league debuts in 2006.

That means Garza is essentially under team control through the 2013 season, when he will turn 30.

A.J. Burnett, the bane of most Yankees fans existences, sees his lucrative contract with the Yankees expire following the 2013 season.

While the Yankees have never had to worry much about having the money to re-sign their own free agents, Brian Cashman has tried to become more fiscally responsible.

A coincidence for sure—but the fact that Burnett's salary would come off the books at the same time the Yankees would be looking to re-sign Garza could be blessing in disguise.

Additionally, having "control" over Garza after the 2012 season could allow the Yankees to focus on one or two pitchers specifically rather than cast a wide net in the expected pitching bonanza that will dominate the free agent class following the 2012 season.

He Has Had Prior Success in the AL

Garza spent three seasons, from 2008 through 2010, as a member of the Tampa Bay Rays starting rotation.

His overall numbers in Tampa were solid: Garza would post a 34-31 record with a 3.86 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 467 strikeouts over 592.1 innings pitched.

More Specifically, He Has Had Prior Success Against the AL East

Against the AL East specifically, his numbers were more impressive: 18-13 with a 3.18 ERA and 1.19 WHIP with 216 strikeouts over 305.2 innings.

Let's break the numbers down even further.

Against the Boston Red Sox: 5-4 with a 3.61 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 44 strikeouts over 99.2 innings pitched.

Against the Toronto Blue Jays: 6-5 with a 1.41 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 67 strikeouts over 89.2 innings pitched.

Against the Yankees: 1-3 with a 4.22 ERA, 1.34 WHIP and 45 strikeouts over 59.2 innings pitched.

A Dynamic Duo

CC Sabathia is a better pitcher than Matt Garza, of that there is no doubt.

But there is no doubt that Garza could become the Robin to Sabathia's Batman, giving the Yankees the dynamic duo at the front of their rotation they envisioned in 2009 when they signed both Sabathia and A.J. Burnett to lucrative, long-term deals.

If we look at Sabathia and Garza side by side, there are a number of similarities:

Over his career, Garza has put up the following numbers: 8.6 hits, one home run, 3.1 walks, and 7.5 strikeouts per nine innings to go along with a 2.41 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

Sabathia has performed similarly: 8.3 hits, 0.8 home runs, 2.8 walks and 7.7 strikeouts per nine innings to go along with a 2.78 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

In 2011, the differences between their performances was even smaller.

Last year for the Cubs, Garza allowed 8.5 hits, 0.6 home runs 2.9 walks and nine strikeouts per nine innings with a 3.13 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

For the Yankees, Sabathia, gave up 8.7 hits, 0.6 home runs, 2.3 walks and 8.7 strikeouts per nine innings with a 3.77 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

Again, CC Sabathia is a better pitcher than Matt Garza—but the numbers show that Garza is not as far off Sabathia's mark as some may initially think.

Final Thoughts

The cost to acquire Garza could be cost-prohibitive, especially having seen what the going rate for quality starters who are both under 30 years old and with multiple seasons of team control remaining is.

But two facts are indisputable.

First, that aside from CC Sabathia, the Yankees lack anyone who is truly a front-of-the-rotation starter on their staff.

Second, the Yankees mission statement each and every year is simple—win the World Series. Anything less is viewed as a failure by the Steinbrenners.

That being said, Matt Garza is a proven commodity who immediately upgrades the Yankees pitching staff..

If Brian Cashman is able to get creative—perhaps work a three-way deal involving the Cubs and San Diego Padres, a team that has a suddenly available 22-year-old first baseman in Anthony Rizzo who the Cubs are rumored to have interest in, then perhaps Cashman could acquire Garza without having to give up Manny Banuelos, though Dellin Betances, among others, would likely be on the move.

Just over a week ago we looked at the past 11 years of Yankees prospects and how they fared in the major leagues—no matter how highly touted they have been, the vast majority have not lived up to the lofty expectations bestowed on them before ever taking the field in a major league game.

Matt Garza is a known commodity, while the pieces that may be required to acquire him are not.

The Yankees need known commodities to win now—lest we forget that mission statement of theirs.