Yankeetorial: Preparing to Trade the Future

Open Letter to Hank "Stubby" Steinbrenner...

Dear Madam or Sir,

This weekend, as you sift through your Florida Horse Breeders Association calendar, hoping to trade Melky Cabrera, Philip Hughes, Ian Kennedy and $140 million for Johan Santana, as is being reported... please set down your Marlboros and consider the NY Giants and NY Knickerbockers.

Four years ago, the then-woeful Giants traded everything but Ernie Accorsi's wig to move up a handful of slots in the NFL draft and pick Eli Manning, the runt of a great QB family. In a league defined by parity, they've three times made the playoffs, twice to be instantly crushed by forgotten teams. Sunday, they do it again. Manning has risen to the status of average NFL lugnut. Meanwhile, Super Bowl powers like the Chargers and Bears rose and fell. The Giants maintain a certain level, good enough for the playoffs, mediocre enough to lose them.

Sound familiar?

Then look at the Knicks, thanks to President/Coach/Sexual Harrasser Isiah Thomas. These days, to write anything about the Knicks is an exercise in cruelty worthy of the CIA, so let's be brief. Isiah's first big move was to trade a slew of high draft picks for Stephen Marbury. They made the playoffs that year, for about six days. Ever since, they've made the Bush administration look good. And nobody wants to ponder all the talent the Knicks squandered in those deals.

Want to strangle a team? Trade youth for a superstar.

Just look around.