The first chip you will see Cashman deal this week is the afore-referenced ( see Christmas message of Alphonso ) Eric Almonte.
He is young, fast, had an excellent winter in the Dominican league, and displays 4 tools ( I don't think he is a big HR guy ), which is 3.5 more tools than any other Yankee outfielder who will survive spring training.
It is, of course, Almonte, whom other teams do covet. Why covet Almonte, you ask? Because he is young, somewhat proven from his time with the Yankees last year, is from the Dominican, and has plenty of upside. The Yankees won't use him because they have Vernon Wells who is cheap, slow, and finished but a great, veteran clubhouse presence.
The Yankees actually still believe they can win with resumes.
I see Almonte either going alone or, more likely, packaged with some other prospect ( the name Sanchez comes to mind). In return, we get a formerly average, national league starting pitcher who, now well into his 30's and with lingering injury issues, will rarely see the fourth inning.
That "free out "every 9th batter ( the pitcher has to hit in the real game of baseball ) just doesn't happen over here.
The second trading chip, per El Duque, has got to be Brett Gardner. The Yankees are bound and determined to field a team that has no original Yankees on it. Gardner has the grit and hustle we just don't want. If he can't hit 30 homers ( just like Tiexiera, I might add ), the Bronx Bombers ( choking on my egg nog ) , don't want him. Once Derek retires, and Brett is traded, I think David Robertson becomes the lone ranger of original Yankee chips.
The team, accordingly, will soon be re-named, " The New York Amalgum," or, " The Melting ( I think, "melted" is better) Pot." We'll have time to run a poll.
Remember back in the late 1800's, out on the prairie, when our grandparents were rooting around trying to carve out a life, and the grannies would stitch together old, used up rags and pieces of worn out clothing to make a quilt for warmth? Their way of getting some value out of detritus.
That's how the Yankees build a team.
Only today they use discarded Fendi bags and scarves from Bloomingdales.
I was there to see Almonte's only HR as a Yankee. At the time I was hoping it was going to be the first of many. Foolish me. Now, for his sake, I hope we trade him. Kid deserves a chance and he'll never get one on this team.
ReplyDeleteIf they trade Gardner, that's the final straw for me!
ReplyDeleteMyabe we can trade Wells for a bag of doughnuts to relieve the outfield glut. Maybe we can trade Beltran for some coffee after he signs, with a broken-down formerly decent pitcher thrown in. Of course, we'll have to throw in some money to cover his stupid contract. Then maybe we can trade Tex for new toilet seats in the clubhouse, if we throw in cash to cover his crazy contract. We might also be able to trade A-Rod to a GM who never reads the paper, watches TV or gets out of bed. Then we trade McCann to ourselves for Gardner and our young catchers, and throw in Soriano to sweet the deal with ourselves.
ReplyDeleteYeah. This could work. Now all we need is some pitching. Preferably three or four starters with ERAs under 1.50 who allow no walks and only three baserunners per game, on average.
Then we buy our WS tickets early before Hal gives them to J. Crew in exchange for a new 2015 wardrobe.
Cookin'!
I agree Ken. Gardner and his love of chew is the heart and soul of this team.
ReplyDeleteLeistery--your and Ken's maudlin heartbreak about Gardner is just oozy-gooey girly-man stuff. Are you too stupid to know that this site is all about sarcasm? What an idiot!
ReplyDelete