Yankees' Offseason Thread

[Optimist]

I thought we could just use a thread for this (rather than the 100+ page Yankee thread.)

Moves Summary:

Trades:

November 11, 2006: OF Gary Sheffield to Tigers for SP Humberto Sanchez, RP Anthony Clagget, RP Kevin Whelan

November 12, 2006: SP Jaret Wright to Orioles for RP Christ Britton

Free Agency:

[Optimist]

There are reports of a White Sox - Yankees deal in the making.


Yankees and White Sox officials ate dinner together last night at the general managers' meetings, and the White Sox are shopping all of their starting pitchers. The Yankees know two of those pitchers, Jose Contreras and Javier Vazquez, too well, however, and probably wouldn't want to bring them back. Mark Buehrle, Freddy Garcia and Jon Garland can also be had.

http://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/mets/ny-liyanks1115,0,4107118.story?coll=ny-sports-headlines

[Gom]

This would be good, just edit the first post every time a new move is made. Easier to keep track.

[a700hitter]

I thought we could just use a thread for this (rather than the 100+ page Yankee thread.)

Moves Summary:

Trades:

November 11, 2006: OF Yankees Cleanup Hitter to Tigers for Two hopes and a prayer
November 12, 2006: SP 11 game winner to Orioles for Fat middle reliever with 50 ML innings
Free Agency:Pardon my edits, but this is much more entertaining

[26 Reasons to Hate Us]

Fixed it for ya...


Moves Summary:

Trades:

November 11, 2006: 38 yr old Yankees Cleanup hitter coming off wrist surgery who hasn't proven he will be the same player to Tigers for two pitchers who will be among the top ten pitching prostpects for the yankee organization and another promising young arm

November 12, 2006: A guy we would have cut anyway who wouldn't have won 11 games for any other team in the league to Orioles for A 23 yr old with major league experience who throws smoke

[Optimist]

Pardon my edits, but this is much more entertaining

A below average pitcher and aging, broken down hitter for a bunch of 'unproven' talent is a bargain considering some teams are dishing out $50+ million for that this offseason.

[Mr Crunchy]

sheffield was the yankees most dangerous hitter over the past few years
the 1 guy i feared most on that roster is now in detroit.
much more of a power threat than abreau and a rifle for an arm

he is of course a surly cocksucker who is a cancer in the dugout but until they lose the tall man and mr may that lockeroom will never be a beacon of harmony.

im not sure if i should be more worried that detroit got him because they are in fact the favorites going into this season after they left ny in a trail of dust in october but i am relieved we wont have to see him 19xs a year

dumping wright for anything was a solid move
the man sucks,never goes 5 innings and is responsible for taxing that bullpen to death
i dont care who they got for him
its an upgrade for everyone involved

[Coco's Disciples]

sheffield was the yankees most dangerous hitter over the past few years
the 1 guy i feared most on that roster is now in detroit.
much more of a power threat than abreau and a rifle for an arm



I have to agree. Sheffield put fear into me every team he took a whack at a fastball.

[ORS]

Wow, it didn't take long for Sheffield to go from "still one of the game's better power bats" to a "broken down aging slugger" in the minds of Yankee fans. How convenient.

[Mr Crunchy]

sheff is easy to hate but anyone who saw him play cant argue about his production
the man is a fucking beast at the plate

if youre a yank fan you wanted more than what they got for him
if youre a whitesox fan you want to kill cashman for giving him to in division rivals
if youre a redsox fan youre breathing a bit easier but are more amused at the rivals responses to us winning the bid for matsusaka and the departure of the ""over the hill"" sheff

by the way
didnt matsui have wrist surgery too??

[a700hitter]

My version was much more entertaining and accurate.

[jacksonianmarch]

I have no doubt that sheff will continue to hit. He has bat speed to spare and will likely play for the next 3 yrs and call it quits. At the same time, HE HAD NO POSITION. How many times does it need to be said. The guy was not going to win the RF spot because his defense is totally dreadful. He wasnt going to play 1b, because his defense is totally dreadful. Giambi is the DH who is locked up for huge money for another 2 yrs. Where the fuck is this guy going to play? At the same time, prospects these days are worth more than they were 30yrs ago. Nowadays, scouting is so good, that top talent is usually considered top talent for a reason. When you can get a pitcher who has potential #1 starter who is 23 and in AAA already, then you have a find. Thow in Whelan as a potential closer of the future and you have a good deal for both teams.

[ORS]

Thow in Whelan as a potential closer of the future and you have a good deal for both teams.
Thought it was a raping? Gotcha.

[jacksonianmarch]

Thought it was a raping? Gotcha.

Remember, perceived value ORS. Sheffield was not worth nearly the amount that was given up, but both teams will benefit. The tigers in the short term and the yankees in the long term.

[ORS]

Remember, perceived value ORS. Sheffield was not worth nearly the amount that was given up, but both teams will benefit. The tigers in the short term and the yankees in the long term.
Maybe and maybe.

Perceived value? Exactly, you are a Yankee fan so you perceive this trade to be in your favor.

[ARod2212]

Maybe and maybe.

Perceived value? Exactly, you are a Yankee fan so you perceive this trade to be in your favor.
It was either let Sheff walk for nothing, or get three young pitchers back. I'll take the pitchers. Sheffield is an amazing hitter, but wasn't a necessary part for the '07 Yankees and was expendable.

[ORS]

It was either let Sheff walk for nothing, or get three young pitchers back. I'll take the pitchers. Sheffield is an amazing hitter, but wasn't a necessary part for the '07 Yankees and was expendable.
I'm not saying it was a bad move for the Yankees. I think this trade was a good fit with a degree of risk for both sides. Jacksonian characterized it as a raping for the Yankees, and that is all I took issue with.

[Beckett95]

yankees rumors


Carl Pavano: the Rockies would have him, but only at the price of $12-13MM for 2007-08. According to the New York Post, the Yankees will hold off on this one but could revisit it. Back in '04, Pavano ranked 15th in the NL with a groundball percentage of 48.2. Hard to believe Carl once threw 222 innings in a season. Ah, contract years.

A-Rod: talk of his out clause was strong enough to bring a statement out of him. He said all the right things, but you have to wonder.

After retaining Mike Mussina, the Yankees might turn their focus to Barry Zito (scroll to bottom). Failing that, 28 year-old righty Gil Meche could be the target. And don't forget Randy Wolf. The Yankees also are expected to bid on Kei Igawa. Finally, the Yankees are interested in Ted Lilly, whose deal will exceed four years and $34MM.

Internally, New York has talked about the possibility of adding Dontrelle Willis. Could they flip Humberto Sanchez and Melky Cabrera to Florida? Would that be enough? Bill James projects Cabrera to hit .285/.351/.411 as a 22 year-old. On top of that, James's panel of experts ranked him as the fourth best defensive LF in the game. As for Sanchez, George King confirmed his availability. ZiPS projects a 4.42 ERA for him next year.

As the Yanks are looking for a right-handed hitting first baseman, Nomar's name has surfaced again. James's experts labeled Nomar the fifth best defensive 1B in baseball. However, Ken Davidoff says that Garciaparra "seems poised to re-sign with the Los Angeles Dodgers." How many right-handed hitting 1Bs are left? Kevin Millar, Phil Nevin, or Chris Shelton could fit the bill.

Finally, Brian Cashman is looking for a backup catcher after failing to sign Henry Blanco. Where's Sal Fasano's mustache when you need it?

[Gom]

I'm not saying it was a bad move for the Yankees. I think this trade was a good fit with a degree of risk for both sides. Jacksonian characterized it as a raping for the Yankees, and that is all I took issue with.

I'll leave our "debates" in the respective thread it belongs in...so...

Talent wise, the Yankees lost out on this deal. However, considering that the Yankees wanted no part of Sheffield whatsoever, they got a good prospect and two mid-level ones for a player they wanted to dump. The deal, from the Yankees perspective, was an absolute steal.

The funny thing is that from the Detroit angle, you can also characterize the deal as a steal. They gave up no current major league players, and got, when healthy, one of the top 5-10 hitters in the A.L. So it has a potential of being a steal for the White Sox.

The difficulty with deals today is how to judge intent. The Yankees got Abreau and Lidle for four marginal prospects. Talent wise, this was ridiculous, but it was a salary dump for the Phillies. In that case, for them, it was the same viewpoint the Yankees had about their prospect end for Sheffield. So it's all a matter of perspective with all the salary dump deals.

[jacksonianmarch]

http://www.nypost.com/seven/11172006/sports/yankees/shea_its_so_yankees_george_king.htm

The yankees are apparently eyeing Shea Hillenbrand as their top 1b target now that Nomar is all but set in LA. Cash wanted to go defensive, and this is not the way to go. His bat is still very potent and he has been known to be a solid clutch player. The problem is that he is a malcontent who can be equivalent to sheffield in his bitching and he is not a solid OBP kind of guy. It would make the lineup even more dangerous, but I dont think it is a fit.

[rician blast]

I agree with the Hillenbrand sentiment regarding attitude and clubhouse impact. They say he's a real prick, not a team player. He's a decent bat...but I wouldn't call him potent.

I do believe that in SOME cases, coming to the Yankees can actually be the one thing that gets a guy to fall in line, so he might be able to fit in.