MLB Trade Rumors: Top 9 New York Yankees Targets at the Deadline
Although the July 31st major league baseball trade deadline may seem to be far off in the distance, there has been no shortage of trade speculation.
With one-third of the season behind us, the contenders are beginning to make themselves known, while everyone else is fading into the background. One of those contenders, as always, is the New York Yankees.
Despite holding a two-game lead in the competitive AL East, the Bronx Bombers have no shortage of holes to fill. Among them are a starting pitcher, a left-handed reliever and left-handed or switch-hitting designated hitter. If the Yanks can address those needs at the deadline, a 28th World Series Championship might be in the cards.
Here are the top nine players the Yankees should target at the MLB trade deadline.
RP John Grabow, Chicago Cubs
1 of 9
While it may not be the flashiest acquisition, John Grabow would add some much-needed depth to the Yankee bullpen. With both Pedro Feliciano and Damaso Marte currently on the shelf, the Yankees have just one lefty in their pen in the form of Boone Logan.
Due to their scarcity of southpaws, manager Joe Girardi is reluctant, at times, to “waste” Logan by bringing him in to face one hitter. With another veteran left-hander like Grabow in the fold, the Yanks would have the luxury of mixing and matching while still having another lefty in reserve.
Although Grabow hasn't exactly been a lock-down reliever this season with an ERA of 4.09 and WHIP of 1.55, he does have a history of success. Grabow absorbed heavy workloads in both 2008 and 2009, appearing in 74 and 75 games respectively. Most importantly perhaps, with the Cubs going nowhere fast, Grabow would cost the Yankees little more than a bag of gently-used baseballs. At that price, there's really no risk involved with trading for Grabow.
SP Aaron Harang, San Diego Padres
2 of 9
After floundering over the past three seasons while pitching for the Cincinnati Reds in the bandbox that is The Great American Ballpark, Aaron Harang seems to have gotten his grove back in San Diego. Although the move to cavernous Petco Park has certainly aided in Harang's renaissance, he has also benefited from keeping the ball down and creating ground-ball outs.
If Harang is to be successful in Yankee Stadium, he'll have to continue to harness his sinker. Harang got himself into trouble in Cincinnati when he got the ball up in the zone, but he's been able to get away with such mistakes much more easily in San Diego due to the sheer size of the ballpark.
Should Phil Hughes return to the rotation and succeed, then there wouldn't be much need for Harang. With the uncertainty of Hughes' shoulder fatigue, however, it's no guarantee that he'll be able to return to form this season. If the Yankees do acquire Harang, he should take the place of Ivan Nova in the Yankee rotation and serve as a solid fourth or fifth starter. His impending free agency should also allow the Yanks to acquire him at a bargain price.
OF David DeJesus, Oakland Athletics
3 of 9
DeJesus may be a little-known commodity to casual baseball fans due to spending his career in Kansas City and now Oakland, but his all-around game could potentially be a big asset to the Yankees. In fact, prior to being dealt from Kansas City to Oakland this offseason, the Yankees were rumored be one of Dejesus' possible suitors.
Despite getting off to a rough start in 2011, DeJesus has begun to put up respectable numbers in the form of a .254 average, five home runs and 22 RBI. While that may not seem fantastic, DeJesus put up great numbers as a Royal in the previous three seasons, hitting over .300 twice and eclipsing 70 RBI twice as well.
While DeJesus could add some depth to the Yankee lineup, he might be most valuable due to the defensive versatility he could supply the Yanks. Adding DeJesus would allow the Yankees to make Nick Swisher the full-time designated hitter while relegating the under-performing Jorge Posada to the bench. Additionally, Swisher could start at first on occasion, giving Mark Teixeira a rest when needed.
DeJesus would also give the Yankees three starting outfielders with experience in center field and tons of range. With his contract expiring at the end of the season, DeJesus probably wouldn't cost the Yankees much more than a mid-level prospect or two, making him a sensible option.
.png?w=256)
SP Ryan Dempster Chicago Cubs
4 of 9
After watching Ryan Dempster for the past three seasons, it seemed pretty likely that the Cubs would reward him with a new contract once his expired. With the expiration of Dempster's deal on the horizon, that simply doesn't seem very likely anymore.
Dempster has struggled mightily this season to the tune of a 6.00 ERA and a 1.49 WHIP. This is a far cry from his previous three seasons, however, over which Dempster averaged 14 wins, a 3.49 ERA, 1.28 WHIP and 189 strikeouts while earning one All-Star appearance. Due to his body of work and overall stuff, it would appear as though Dempster is the closest thing to a top-of-the-rotation starter among all readily available pitchers.
Since the Cubs are essentially out of the race and they may be saving up to make a run at Albert Pujols this offseason, trading Dempster is likely fairly high on their list of priorities. The main pitfall in trying to move Dempster, though, is the $14 million player option that is attached to him for the 2012 season. This might limit the amount of possible destinations for Dempster, although if the Yankees target him as a good fit, the option shouldn't be much of an issue for them.
SP Mark Buehrle, Chicago White Sox
5 of 9
Mark Buehrle will never be mistaken for a dominant or overpowering pitcher, but there's something to be said for predictability and consistency, which is exactly what Buehrle personifies. Buehrle's resume reads like a laundry list of accomplishments. With 152 career victories, four All-Star selections, two Gold Gloves, two no-hitters (including a perfect game) and one World Series Championship to his name, Buehrle possesses experience that few can match.
Buehrle currently has a 3.91 ERA and 1.37 WHIP which is a very typical performance for him; solid if unspectacular. He's never going to blow hitters away, and he allows plenty of baserunners, but more often than not, Buehrle finds a way to get out of jams based purely upon his will and baseball intelligence. Buehrle also has some added value due to being left-handed.
Of all the pitchers who are possibly available through trade, Buehrle might be the best fit for a contending team like the Yankees. Buehrle has a history of postseason success, and the demeanor to succeed in high-pressure situations, which arise quite often in New York. Buehrle would also balance out the Yankee rotation, as their only current lefty is CC Sabathia. While it's hard to imagine Buehrle in a different uniform, it doesn't appear as though the White Sox are going to compete for an AL Central title this season, so it's certainly a distinct possibility.
DH Jason Kubel, Minnesota Twins
6 of 9
Although the Yankee lineup is already laden with power, the addition of Jason Kubel would make life even more miserable for opposing pitchers. With Jorge Posada currently bringing down the bottom-third of the Yankee order, Kubel would be able to enter a platoon at designated hitter with Andruw Jones. As a lefty, Kubel would start the majority of games against right-handed pitchers, while Jones would start against southpaws.
The fact that Kubel has had some success against the Yankees in the past (.293/5/21 in 35 games) suggests that he could thrive in pinstripes. Acquiring Kubel would also take a known Yankee-killer out of the wild and into captivity, so to speak.
Kubel is currently on the disabled list with a foot sprain, but the injury isn't considered serious, and he should be plenty healthy by the deadline. Prior to going on the DL, Kubel was having another excellent season, hitting .310 with five homers and 30 RBI. Kubel certainly has the power to take advantage of Yankee Stadium's short porch in right field as evidenced by his average of 23 long balls per season over the past three years.
With the Twins suffering from a severely disappointing 2011 season and Kubel about to enter free agency, he's a prime candidate for trade.
RP Brian Fuentes, Oakland Athletics
7 of 9
As the lone player on this list who is still under contract in 2012, it may not seem likely that Fuentes would be dealt. I believe that Fuentes may have sealed his fate in Oakland, however, when he publicly criticized manager Bob Geren with regard to how Geren has used him and managed the bullpen in general.
With a 1-7 record and a 4.44 ERA, Fuentes hasn't performed up to his usual standards, but he has reacted well to changes in scenery in the past. Last season is a perfect example as Fuentes went from the Los Angeles Angels, with whom he performed well, to the Minnesota Twins where he didn't allow a single earned run in nine appearances. Fuentes also hasn't had an ERA higher than 3.93 over a full season since 2004.
Fuentes would be a great fit for the Yankees for all the reasons the aforementioned John Grabow would be. Fuentes would fill a void in the Yankee bullpen and give the Yanks a lefty they can trust, more so than the sometimes shaky Boone Logan. While Fuentes would cost New York a bit more to acquire than Grabow, he also has a longer history of success and has the ability to get out righties nearly as well as lefties, which makes him extremely valuable.
SP Hiroki Kuroda, Los Angeles Dodgers
8 of 9
Most teams would try to re-sign a pitcher who has had a sub-3.76 ERA in each of his first three seasons in the majors, but the Los Angeles Dodgers are a different story. Since the divorce of co-owners Frank and Jamie McCourt, the financial state of the Dodgers is murky at best and disastrous at worst. With the meeting of payroll being in question, it's quite clear that the Dodgers will do anything necessary to cut costs.
Seeing as Kuroda has been in the National League for the entirety of his career, most American League hitters have never faced him. When you couple that with Kuroda's deceptive delivery, it's very possible that he could be dominant down the stretch as a Yankee. Of course, it would take some adjusting, going from the laid back atmosphere of Los Angeles to the bright lights of New York, but if he can make the transition mentally, then he should be able to thrive.
Kuroda has built nicely upon his career-best 2010 season where he won 11 games and struck out 159 batters with an ERA of 3.39 and WHIP of 1.16. Kuroda almost certainly wouldn't cost the Yankees any roster players due to the fact the Dodgers will be looking to ship salary out without taking any in. With the depth of the Yankee farm system, trading a couple prospects for Kuroda would be a solid move, especially if he can slide seamlessly into the middle of the rotation.
OF Carlos Beltran, New York Mets
9 of 9
In my opinion, there is no player in all of Major League Baseball who is more likely to be traded than Carlos Beltran. Beltran is not arbitration eligible so the Mets won't receive any compensation whatsoever if he signs elsewhere this offseason. When you combine that fact with the Mets' dire financial straits, there's simply no reason to hang onto him.
Trading for Beltran makes so much sense that it would almost be silly if the Yanks didn't do it. Because of their ample bankroll, the Yankees would hold all the cards in a potential trade with the cash-strapped Mets. The Yankees could ask their Big Apple brethren to take on part of Beltran's remaining salary and essentially give up nothing to acquire him, and the Mets would almost have to oblige in order to save money.
As much sense as a Beltran/Yankees marriage makes from a business perspective, it makes even more sense from a baseball perspective. The Yankees really need somebody who can DH at least part-time because of Jorge Posada's quickly deteriorating skills. With Beltran being a switch-hitter, he could actually tackle the DH role full-time while keeping his balky knees fairly healthy in the process.
With a .283 average, eight bombs and 28 RBI this season, Beltran would give the Yankees a much more well-rounded lineup to boot. On top of all that, Beltran has a history of postseason success, specifically the 2004 playoffs with the Houston Astros. Maybe, just maybe, Beltran has one more magical run left in him.
.png?w=480)
