TRADE GIVES YANKS TREASURE CHEST
By Joel Sherman
New York Post
By Joel Sherman
New York Post
http://www.nypost.com/
July 26, 2008
This is a 2007 file photo of Xavier Nady of the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball team. The Pirates pulled Nady after the first inning Friday night, July 25, 2008, and announced they agreed to a trade involving the outfielder and reliever Damaso Marte.
(AP Photo/Al Behrman,file)
BOSTON - Pittsburgh received four prospects, but the pirates were the Yankees. Their trade for Xavier Nady and Damaso Marte rose to the level of thievery.
An official from an AL team in playoff contention with the Yankees said: "It is a good deal for the New York Yankees. They filled needs without giving up anything that will hurt them."
Another executive from an AL contender said bluntly, "The Pirates took a bag of [bleep] quantity."
The Yanks did not get stars in this trade, but they did get supplemental parts that should greatly address deficiencies. Thus, the Yanks found a way in late July to honor both agendas they are following these days: Go for a championship every year, but do so without bankrupting the farm system.
The Yanks are a stronger playoff contender today, and did no real harm to any future Yankee squad.
The Yankees had three glaring needs when they awoke yesterday: Lefty relief, a righty corner outfield bat and a starting pitcher. Before their opener at Fenway was even complete, they had solved two of the shortcomings. By the time tomorrow night's game comes around, the Yanks could start Nady against lefty stalwart Jon Lester and use Marte to go after David Ortiz and J.D. Drew.
And they are still heavily involved in discussions with Seattle for lefty starter Jarrod Washburn with an eye on upgrading a dubious rotation back end of Darrell Rasner and Sidney Ponson.
This is a Feb. 24, 2008, file photo of Damaso Marte of the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball team. The Pirates pulled Xavier Nady after the first inning Friday night, July 25, 2008, and announced they agreed to a trade involving the outfielder and reliever Marte.
(AP Photo/Al Behrman, file)
The four players dealt were outfielder Jose Tabata, and pitchers George Kontos, Ross OhlendorfRoss Ohlendorf and Phil Coke. Not long ago Tabata was considered the Yanks' top prospect, but he has regressed as a player while also encountering off-the-field issues. There is no doubt his Double-A outfield mate, Austin Jackson, had moved well beyond him as a prospect and part of the Yankees' future.
The Yanks' ability to deal three pitchers speaks well of GM Brian Cashman's obsession the past three years in building an arms inventory. Ohlendorf, Kontos and the lefty Coke all have nice arms, but were well down on the organizational depth chart with no clear entry point any time soon onto the big-league roster.
The Pirates had been demanding big talent for Nady and Marte, and seemingly wound up collecting quantity over top quality. As an NL talent evaluator said, "The Yankees did well. They gave up some depth, but not any star power."
Obviously, the Pirates see Tabata, 20 next month, as a reclamation project worth taking, seeing his makeup issues as correctable. They have long liked Ohlendorf. Coke is 26, but an official from another team said Pittsburgh really believes he has blossomed this year. And another NL executive said, "We think Kontos is pretty good."
Still, there is a lot of projection in these pieces when Pittsburgh was a seller in a market that seemed to favor the sellers. An official from a team interested in Nady flatly said his club offered better quality, but Pittsburgh was too concerned with getting quantity.
For the Yanks, Nady and Marte fill specific needs now and, perhaps, the future. Nady was having a career year hitting .330 with 13 homers and 57 RBIs. It is hard to find a scout who thinks he is really that good. But his history of hitting lefties well, including .313 this year, raises his value to the Yanks. That he is not a free agent until after the 2009 season means the Yanks can either deal him again in the offseason or perhaps use him to replace Bobby Abreu, who is a free agent.
Unlike Nady, who played with the Mets and handled New York well, there is concern about how Marte will handle a big city. Also, he has not been quite as dominant against lefties (.255 batting average) as he had over the previous three years (.206). Still, the Yanks have no lefty in the pen now and Marte will help with matchups. Plus, he has a $6 million option for next year, so the Yanks can bring him back, renegotiate or let him go to free agency and recoup two draft picks.
Overall, the Yanks are better today without being worse tomorrow. As trades go that is a total victory.
joel.sherman@nypost.com
July 26, 2008
This is a 2007 file photo of Xavier Nady of the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball team. The Pirates pulled Nady after the first inning Friday night, July 25, 2008, and announced they agreed to a trade involving the outfielder and reliever Damaso Marte.
(AP Photo/Al Behrman,file)
BOSTON - Pittsburgh received four prospects, but the pirates were the Yankees. Their trade for Xavier Nady and Damaso Marte rose to the level of thievery.
An official from an AL team in playoff contention with the Yankees said: "It is a good deal for the New York Yankees. They filled needs without giving up anything that will hurt them."
Another executive from an AL contender said bluntly, "The Pirates took a bag of [bleep] quantity."
The Yanks did not get stars in this trade, but they did get supplemental parts that should greatly address deficiencies. Thus, the Yanks found a way in late July to honor both agendas they are following these days: Go for a championship every year, but do so without bankrupting the farm system.
The Yanks are a stronger playoff contender today, and did no real harm to any future Yankee squad.
The Yankees had three glaring needs when they awoke yesterday: Lefty relief, a righty corner outfield bat and a starting pitcher. Before their opener at Fenway was even complete, they had solved two of the shortcomings. By the time tomorrow night's game comes around, the Yanks could start Nady against lefty stalwart Jon Lester and use Marte to go after David Ortiz and J.D. Drew.
And they are still heavily involved in discussions with Seattle for lefty starter Jarrod Washburn with an eye on upgrading a dubious rotation back end of Darrell Rasner and Sidney Ponson.
This is a Feb. 24, 2008, file photo of Damaso Marte of the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball team. The Pirates pulled Xavier Nady after the first inning Friday night, July 25, 2008, and announced they agreed to a trade involving the outfielder and reliever Marte.(AP Photo/Al Behrman, file)
The four players dealt were outfielder Jose Tabata, and pitchers George Kontos, Ross OhlendorfRoss Ohlendorf and Phil Coke. Not long ago Tabata was considered the Yanks' top prospect, but he has regressed as a player while also encountering off-the-field issues. There is no doubt his Double-A outfield mate, Austin Jackson, had moved well beyond him as a prospect and part of the Yankees' future.
The Yanks' ability to deal three pitchers speaks well of GM Brian Cashman's obsession the past three years in building an arms inventory. Ohlendorf, Kontos and the lefty Coke all have nice arms, but were well down on the organizational depth chart with no clear entry point any time soon onto the big-league roster.
The Pirates had been demanding big talent for Nady and Marte, and seemingly wound up collecting quantity over top quality. As an NL talent evaluator said, "The Yankees did well. They gave up some depth, but not any star power."
Obviously, the Pirates see Tabata, 20 next month, as a reclamation project worth taking, seeing his makeup issues as correctable. They have long liked Ohlendorf. Coke is 26, but an official from another team said Pittsburgh really believes he has blossomed this year. And another NL executive said, "We think Kontos is pretty good."
Still, there is a lot of projection in these pieces when Pittsburgh was a seller in a market that seemed to favor the sellers. An official from a team interested in Nady flatly said his club offered better quality, but Pittsburgh was too concerned with getting quantity.
For the Yanks, Nady and Marte fill specific needs now and, perhaps, the future. Nady was having a career year hitting .330 with 13 homers and 57 RBIs. It is hard to find a scout who thinks he is really that good. But his history of hitting lefties well, including .313 this year, raises his value to the Yanks. That he is not a free agent until after the 2009 season means the Yanks can either deal him again in the offseason or perhaps use him to replace Bobby Abreu, who is a free agent.
Unlike Nady, who played with the Mets and handled New York well, there is concern about how Marte will handle a big city. Also, he has not been quite as dominant against lefties (.255 batting average) as he had over the previous three years (.206). Still, the Yanks have no lefty in the pen now and Marte will help with matchups. Plus, he has a $6 million option for next year, so the Yanks can bring him back, renegotiate or let him go to free agency and recoup two draft picks.
Overall, the Yanks are better today without being worse tomorrow. As trades go that is a total victory.
joel.sherman@nypost.com
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