While the Yankees trade to fill short term holes, Tampa trades for long term success

Yesterday, the Tampa Rays once again did what the Yankees seem incapable of: They traded a player at the height of his value, so a younger, cheaper version can replace him.

Specifically, they dealt starting SS Willy Adames, 25, and reliever Trevor Richards, 28, to Milwaukee for two stud relievers - Drew Rasmussen, 25, and J.P. Feyerisen, 27, a former Yankee farmhand. The two should markedly boost Tampa's bullpen. Feyerisen, whom the Yankees received in the famous Clint Frazier/Justus Sheffield-for-Andrew Miller deal, has been lights-out this year.

Tampa then promoted Taylor Walls, a 24-year-old switch-hitting SS who was batting .327 in Triple A. (The Rays use Triple A to develop prospects, as opposed to the Yankees, who use Scranton as a place to stash aging lug nuts.) 

Every year, Tampa trades players at the crest of their talent curves, rather than wait until they're descending, and then trying to dump their salaries. 

Soon, they will promote Wander Franco, a 20-year-old wunderkind SS, reputed to be baseball's best prospect. Franco is hitting .281 at Triple A. (Comparatively, the Yankees top prospect, 18-year-old Jasson Dominiquez, has yet to see a professional pitch.) When Franco arrives in Tampa - possibly this summer - they'll likely trade Walls for more pitching. 

For the last 20 years, Tampa has been developing and trading young talent, and challenging for the AL East, while paying fraction of the costs incurred by the Yankees. 

My guess is that whenever Hal "Food Stamps" Steinbrenner screams at his employees, raging about the $210 million Yankee payroll, and orders Cooperstown Cashman to limit the payroll, he is staring at Tampa's roster and wondering why the Yankees cannot do the same?

Good question. 

Of course, the Yankees play a different strategy, based on how much money a player is being paid.  They absorb big contracts with the assumption that if you pay enough money, the player will perform well. 

Last month, they didn't really need a second-baseman. But with Texas offering to pay the entire salary of Rougned Odor, the Yankees signed on. It was a financial consideration. Thus, they traded young prospects for Odor. (By the way, they're running out of young prospects to trade.) And while he's rather plucky - great turn on the triple-play last night! - Odor has yet to crack .200. From an offensive standpoint, he represents a career in decline.

The Yankees almost never deal players at the height of their trade value. Cashman fears a star blossoming elsewhere, which would make him a pinata for the NY press. So... we keep Gary Sanchez. 

Right now, the Yankees have no emerging star in Scranton, a player who might force his way into the Yankee lineup. (I suppose you could say OF Estevan Florial, who was just promoted, but he doesn't look ready and - besides - we'll probably trade Florial for a CF band-aid. That's the kind of trade the Yankees make.) 

It's not that complicated. Every year, Tampa simply trades players at their peak value and replaces them with younger, cheaper versions. Yeesh, you'd think it was the Manhattan Project. So Tampa keeps chugging, Cashman fills another hole, and Food Stamps Hal, tucked away on his yacht, will continue to wonder why his team is always chasing the Rays?

(Note: You might ask why I'm not celebrating the winning streak. I am practicing reverse juju. As long as we are winning, nothing good can come from speaking hopefully. )