Discussion: The Yankees' Catcher

1. IF Posada can come back and resume primary catching duties upon return, the Yanks should sign a cheap FA catcher and let Cervelli play backup. Give up no prospects.

2. If Posada can't resume primary catching duties after his return, then that is the ONLY scenario in which a trade should be thought of.

I would let Cervelli play for about a week, but if he proves to be completely inept with the bat, then they might as well look around at options like Lo Duca.

One guy that they could possibly look at is Ramon Castro, or maybe try to pry out a solid backup like Ronny Paulino, although he's been playing really well in Florida, so I doubt that he's actually available.

The question is who are you going to trade for if they choose to go that path?

It is not like young starting C grow on trees. If the NYY wants one of the Texas duo it will start at Hughes. If they want Montero in Ariz, it is going to start probably with Jackson. Why would teams not ask for the moon at this point.

The more reasonable approach would be to trade for a nice journeyman or sign a junk vet. The main problem is that it does not address the longterm issue for the NYY behind the dish

Looking at the options:
1. Cervelli - That's not going to cut it. He can't play every day. Just not enough experience, so you are going to have to call up Stewart or Cash anyway and DFA Berroa or move Nady to the 60-Day. I'm fine with him as a backup though. There's also no guarentee that Posada or Molina will be catching full time in 3 weeks when either comes back

2. Sign LoDuca, etc. None of these guys are going to be ready day one. Who knows what kind of condition these guys are in Day 1. If you sign someone like this, at least a week before they are more than a backup.

3. Trade. You are going to get screwed making a trade out of desperation at this point. Only thing that would be smart would be to get a back-up guy. You do have some cheap relievers to move and maybe moving a slumping guy like a E. Ramirez or Veras kills two birds in one stone (probably cost you more a Robertson or Coke and Coke isn't really expendable now).

4. Swisher caught in college? No, not an option.

Solution: You are going to have to go with Stewart or Cash/Cervelli at least 2 weeks. Dangle out the Robertsons and Veras (a change of scenario could help a Veras out) but you aren't getting more than a back-up or someone else's problem. You aren't going to get Brandon Inge back (would have loved that, but he doesn't want to catch anyway), you are going to get a true back-up kind of guy.

If it comes up that Molina or Posada is out longer than 2 weeks (which you'd know soon), then try to sign Estrada (Lo Duca is done IMO) and pray. They are in serious trouble there if it's a month or longer on both Molina and Posada. When is the last time a good catcher moved on the trade deadline (does I-Rod last year count?)

I wonder what the Yankees might trade to the Giants for B. Molina and Winn [useful 4th OF]?

Is Kennedy too much?

Giants could then move Sandoval behiknd the plate and trade Kennedy for a 3B...

I am not seriously worried about the catching situation, or at least not enough to make a trade that might require prospects. Posada's inury has nothing to do with his shoulder and my guess is that once he's healed he can resume the catching duties in a week.

Arod is back today and if he prooves himself to be healthy and capable of posting his usuall power numbers then a line up like this:

Jeter
Damon
Tex
Arod
Cano
Swisher
Matsui
Cabrera
Cervilli

can do the job. All we're doing is subbing out the weak bat at 3rd for a weak bat at C.

Cervelli is a horrible hitter who will probably struggle to hit .250. Howeevr, he is an above avg catcher who handle the duties behind the plate. As for calling a game, the Yanks have a veteran staff w/ CC, AJ and Pettite pretty much knowing what they want to throw. Girardi and Pena are both ex-catchers and I'm sure they can school the kid on how to call a good game. The nuisances such as framing pitches throwing out runners and blocking balls in the dirt are things he should've picked up already but remain to be seen. They should sign a veteran catcher and let them start in AAA and call up a AAA catcher like Cash to back up Cervelli.

One option might be to trade for Irod again, as long as he can be had w/o giving up anything of signifigance.

I wonder what the Yankees might trade to the Giants for B. Molina and Winn [useful 4th OF]?

Is Kennedy too much?

Giants could then move Sandoval behiknd the plate and trade Kennedy for a 3B...
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Absolutely not. IPK is currently hurt with a bad finger now I think, but when he's healthy he would be the next in line to come up IF Hughes stays up as the #5. Also, Never, ever, ever should you trade a legitimate young pitching prospect for a rental. Posada is not going to be out for long. They say just 2 weeks or so. If he were lost for the season then maybe that would be cause to look for a long term answer but for now we just need to slap a band-aid on this and suck it up.

Texas has been asking for Buchholz for Teagarden or Salty. IPK will not work. The deal would have to be centered around Hughes.

I hate to say it but there is pretty much no way Texas deals Salty now, is Teagarden plus a mid level prospect for Hughes

Why is anyone discussing trading Hughes for what should amount to no more than a stop gap for a 15 day DL stint for Posada? The Yanks are not flush with top level pitching prospects. Trading Hughes or IPK would be just plain stupid, especially if Posada's hamstring inury isn't a season ending thing.

Hey hey hey, I had an idea!!

Why don't the Yankees look into dealing for Jeff Clement?

He's toiling in AAA right now while Johjima plays at catcher everyday, and although he struggled in the majors last year and isn't mashing in AAA right now, he'd be a much better option than anything else the Yankees could likely find.

The Mariners also have Rob Johnson and Adam Moore in their system, and Johjima's locked up through 2011, so it's not like they're seriously lacking catchers.

What do people think of a Jeff Clement for Ian Kennedy and Jairo Heredia swap?

Joe Girardi...

My wife did ask if Girardi would come out of retirement!

I don't think Kennedy's value right now with his injury, average spring and horrible year last year is high enough to get some of the guys listed above... too bad. Kennedy is not really that necessary a player to the organization anymore now that Joba and Hughes are more settled into starting roles. Kennedy is Alan Reyes (both USC guys, right?) at best, not a guy who is every going to be effective in the AL East.

I know he may not be ready but i say bring up Jesus Montero. Even though he is in low A ball his bat is major league ready i think.

I think people are waaayyyyy under selling on IPK. If he pitched for any othe team other than the Yanks then people wouldn't be so quick to give up on him, or HUghes for that matter. It disgusts me how fast fans/media are to overhype a guy before he plays 1 major league game and then poops on them when they struggle. IPK has only pitched , what 50 innings in the majors? He was a little gun shy and had control issue in his brief stint. However, his control and fearlessness were dead on throughout every level in the minors. That indicates that he has the make up to be a quality #3 or #4 starter but was nervous in his first stint as a full time starter in 2007. But a lifetime record of 19-6 with a 1.96 era, a whip of 0.99 and a walk/ko rate of 3:10 is straight up spectacular. Sell low on this kid and watch the fans and haters crawl out and scream Jay Buhner!! Doug Drabek !!! and Mike Lowell!!! if this kid realizes his potential elsewhere. Keep in mind that in 2006 the kid was still in college and in 2007 blew thru A, AA, AAA and pitched 3 games in the bigs. Can you say rushed?

As for trading him for Clement,....I guess...maybe. If scouts feel Clement is better than what he's showing now in AAA he could be a good stop gap until/if and when Montero or Romine are ready (probably in 2011). Also, depends on how many options he has left? He would remain behind Posada and Molina on the depth chart this year and next year he and Posada can bounce back and forth between catching and DH (especially since Manny probably isn't coming to NY). When Posada's deal ends in 2011 Clement can assume the duties or keep the spot warm for the other two kids.

Heredia I wouldn't want to include in the trade though. A 19 year old with his makeup and ko ability is too good to be a throw in. I would send Alan Horne maybe?

Molina is worth far more than Kennedy, walk year or not, all one has to do is take a gander at his statistics this season to see that and the Giants are now smack dab in a race with the hapless Ramirez out for 50 games, so don't see them trading him for the next couple of weeks anyway.

Mariners may have been willing to unload Johjima's horrendous contract a few weeks ago, but with the M's in contention doubt that will happen now either, he could have been had without sacrificing any type of prospect. Maybe Olivo fro KC? He is in his walk year and they already have Buck.

bjsguess, if that is what the Yanks plan is, then they might as well stick with Cashie. He is a pretty decent fielder and has a good arm, just can't hit a lick.

"With regards to IPK the only bad thing they have to say is that he doesn't throw hard (tops out in the low 90's) and has four pitches that rank mlb avg-slightly above average."

If Kennedy threw four pitches that were at least average and potentially slightly above average, then he'd be awfully close to top of the rotation status.

Few pitchers can throw and command four legitimately league average pitches.

I think you're overrating his raw stuff a good deal, to be fair.

And keep in mind that I'm one of Kennedy's bigger supporters. I just think that he's nothing more than 4/5 starter, it's just that even a 4/5 starter has some good value if he's young and cheap.

I'm not opposed to trading him, just not as a throw in and not in exchange for a fill in, back up or utlity stop gap player.

If he becomes a 12-15 gm winner w/ a decent bb/inning ratio and good command and can rock a era in the low 4's(ala Andy Sommerstine or Kevin Slowey) then he would be a valuable pitcher at $400k a year at the back of the roation as an innings eater.

"As for trading him for Clement,....I guess...maybe. If scouts feel Clement is better than what he's showing now in AAA he could be a good stop gap until/if and when Montero or Romine are ready (probably in 2011). Also, depends on how many options he has left? "

I don't think the Yanks should trade Kennedy for Clement. He's 25 years old, and he can't outseat Rob Johnson at C. He's suffered knee injuries already (HUGE red flag for catchers) and he's got a reputation as a poor defensive catcher (aka he's moving off the position soon).

I think that ultimately Clement ends up a 1B/DH type, and a weak-hitting 1B/DH is worth less than a BOR starter (which I think Kennedy ends up as).

Although a salary dump acquisition of Johjima would be beneficial, since the Yanks wouldn't have to give up prospects of value.

For all of you planning how to trade Ian Kennedy I'd forget about it - Pete Abraham is reporting on the LoHud Yankees Blog that Kennedy is having surgery for an anuerysm in his armpit on Tuesday.

The Yankees resolved all this, for now, by DLing Jose Molina, designating Steven Jackson for assignment and sending down Mark Melancon to make space for Rodriguez and Kevin Cash.

Supposedly there are more roster moves coming. I'm actually stunned the Yankees designated Jackson rather than putting Kennedy on the 60 Day DL or designating Angel Berroa. Hopefully they still designate Berroa and call up Shelley Duncan or John Rodriguez to give the bench a desperately needed boost. Ramiro Pena deserves to stick around as the utility infielder for the foreseeable future.

YFS78- I have to agree with this. I want to see more Melancon. And, with A-Rod back, no reason to keep Pena up. I'm not calling him a stud, but since he is the Yanks' best MIF prospect, send him down to get full time PT in AAA.