Ian Kennedy and Phil Hughes will have great MLB careers. If we trade one, we must receive fair value, hopefully packaged to bring a great Yankee: (Dream Halladay & Holliday...)
One must go. Here's why.
1. It would be insanity to project both Kennedy and Hughes in the 2009 rotation. That utterly failed this year. We can't just do it again.
2. Both are ready for MLB. Why send them back to Joe Bidentown?
3. A GM's job is to know which prospect to keep, which to trade. Boston has done this well. We must know Kennedy and Hughes better than anybody. Cashman must step up and decide which chip to hold, which to deal.
4. We have no position prospects in our farm system to trade. We must drill from our own oil reserves: young pitchers.
5. In a trade, Kennedy or Hughes would draw the most interest, because they can step in immediately. We could trade high-ceiling prospects, like Betances or Brackman, but we wouldn't get full value in return, and we could seriously burned.
6. In many respects, CC Sabathia will decide the futures for Kennedy or Hughes.
6a. If we DO NOT sign Sabathia, we MUST trade for a front-line starter. Other teams will demand both Kennedy and Hughes. We should tell them to go to hell, then chase AJ Burnett with a fire truck that shoots money from its hose. But we'd still need a pitcher, and we'd probably have to surrender the more highly sought Hughes. (Remember: To land Beckett, Boston coughed up Hanley Ramirez.)
6b. If we DO sign Sabathia, our needs aren't so glaring. The focus would shift to Andy Pettitte and Mike Mussina. If both retire, we still need one starter: Kennedy or Hughes.7. For both youngsters, this is their last period as solid pitching prospects. Yes, they tanked last year as rookies. A lot of great pitchers tank as rookies. But if they stink again this year, go back to Scranton, their value plummets.
8. Our rotation could be 1. (Free-agent), 2. Wang, 3. (Mussina or Pettitte) 4. Chamberlain, 5. (Kennedy or Hughes or Aceves).
9. Even if we trade one, we would still have a young staff, with (the other), Joba, Aceves, Coke, Sanchez, Robertson, and several out there who -- as we write -- are hopefully discovering the secret to a pitch that turns a batter's knees to butter.
We can afford to trade one. Theo does this well. It's time for Cash to step up.
We can afford to trade both of them for Roy Halladay.
ReplyDeleteForget Roy Halladay. It was a catchy, mirthful, exotic, literary play on words. That's why you love this site so much. We're hilarious.
ReplyDeleteDuque,
ReplyDeleteI would trade Kennedy in a NY minute.
If either one of them is going to win a game for the Yankees in the future, it will be Hughes.
Cautious ( and pessimistic ) as I am by nature, I think Hughes has a solid future.
Kennedy, and I'm serious about this, should consider afternoon TV opportunities.
Youll have to pry Hughes from my cold dead hands.
ReplyDeleteHughes and Joba are 22 years old. Thats a dynasty.
Kennedy's stock was ruined if you really cant live without trading him save him for a mid season trade and get his stock back up during the season. The kid is good. He had location issues while he was called up which was uncharacteristic for him. It can be dealt with. Especially if Mussina is retiring . He can come in and work with the kid all spring training.
We also have Aceves and Coke.
Believe that we wont go into this season light. We will probably only sight FA pitching. CC + Lowe. And not trade any pitching till midseason at the earliest.
I could part with Kennedy, but you'd get nothing back now. It is possible for these guys to figure it out. Look at guys like Cliff Lee and John Danks this year. One is probably going to win the Cy Young, the other was huge in getting the White Sox to the playoffs over the Twins. Both guys were terrible last year.
ReplyDeleteI would approve a Hughes deal if it brought back either an ace, in-his-prime pitcher, or a young, MLB ready, top tier 1B or CF.
ReplyDeleteIf Hughes could snag a Prince Fielder, or Jake Peavy, all for it.
Kennedy has zero trade value right now. An Ian Kennedy trade couldn't net a yearly subscription to MAD Magazine.
Guy is awful, ugly and was terrible in the pros this year. And he supposedly has an attitude problem.
To think him, Melky, and a few spare parts could have snagged Johan.
Jesus Mary and Joseph!
Yeah...
ReplyDeleteScrew Ian in his ugly ass-face.
My son was left at my door by a pack of wolves. I felt bad so I took him in....
I drink in the afternoon now.
Halladay is also already 30 years old.. trading them both away is probably poor value long-term. I agree, though. Shipping one of these guys out for something in return, whether it be a young, established position player or shipping him out with a few minor league minions for an established starter or group of relievers, fine. I agree completely. There's no reason to keep Kennedy around.
ReplyDelete