The Yankees have inquired on Diamondbacks outfielder Justin Upton and Joel Sherman of the New York Post opines that GM Brian Cashman should make it happen. Sherman argues that three of their best trades of the past two decades involved landing outfielders in their 20s who had fallen out of favor with their clubs: Paul O’Neill, Curtis Granderson, and Nick Swisher. Upton would fit the profile as some in the D'Backs organization have questioned his heart and motivation. Here's more from around baseball..
- With the Red Sox possibly eyeing some major acquisitions before the deadline, Brian MacPherson of The Providence Journal runs down the movable pieces and the near untouchables in their farm system.
- One National League official told Ken Davidoff of Newsday (via Twitter) that he expects Ryan Dempster of the Cubs to be the "first domino to fall", followed by the Twins' Francisco Liriano.
- The new collective bargaining agreement and the altered free agent compensation system has made this year's deadline harder to figure out that most, writes Tim Britton of The Providence Journal.
- Buster Olney of ESPN.com (via Twitter) opines that while the Astros' purge might make sense from a baseball perspective, it is harmful from a business perspective as it will turn off a large section of fans.
The Yankees would probably have to bring in a third team to get the infield prospects the Diamondbacks want. And even then Upton can reject the deal. Laird and Nunez are terrible
Do you really think he’d reject a trade to a perennial contender? Not only that, but a perennial contender that can afford to pay him handsomely when his current deal expires? Of course it’s always possible, but I think having the Yankees on his no trade list is more for leverage than not wanting to pay here. That said, I don’t want him. He plays when he wants to and just goes through the motions when he doesn’t.
They could try and use Granderson to a contender in need of a bat to get said prospects.
So the Red Sox will be willing to trade their mediocre prospects, but not their really good ones?
Pretty much. They have a legitimate shot at a wild card, but the wildcard has to play a one game playoff now, and they are a long shot for the division, so it really wouldn’t be worth giving up top prospects just to make a push for the one game playoff.
If the Sox think they can’t catch the Yankees, then it’s almost better to retool for next year. According to coolstandings, they have a 9.4% chance at the division and a 26.5% chance at the wild card. With the play-in, it’s essentially a coin flip on whether they’d get to the ALDS. I think it’d be smarter to sell off assets that aren’t going to contribute next year (or simply lock up Ross, et al. to extensions), remain competitive, and acquire some talent to restock the top level of the farm system.
On some level I agree, but even to a high revenue team like Boston it’s important to keep people coming to games, and throwing in the towel would make that near impossible. I can even see the rationale for making a serious push just for the one game playoff because they haven’t made the playoffs the last two years (and even if they lose the one game they were still “in the playoffs” and it could help to appease a lot of fans). They need those fans to continue to come to games so they can afford to sign and/or retain top players.
Boston has a well stocked system. People listed, like a Brandon Jacobs and Bryce Brentz Garin Cecchini in a few systems I won’t even name would be top prospects, even Drake Britton. Just because they are listed as lower down in Boston’s shouldn’t mean anything because Boston is fortunate to have some top flight people they are *NOT* going to move in Barnes, Bogaerts and probably Bradley.
According to Morosi on twitter the Red Sox are interested in Anibal Sanchez and are scouting him today. Wonder what it would take to get him?
Maybe if a team like Boston could push on him while others are side tracked on people like Garza and shields the cost would be less and as you know.. I am more sold on Sanchez than either of those 2, rental or not..
Me? Get me into trouble with the trolls here on proposing an offer huh Maine?? 🙁
I’ll bite on this *1*, since it is us here..
Top would be willing and since what the Fish need is something Boston has?
1) Lavarnway to be their catcher, which is a position that helped bury the marlins chances in 2012..
2) Drake Britton
3) Garin Cecchini
Probably a bit much for Sanchez, but enough to not make them wait out and see what Garza and shields go for.
I could see them biting on that assuming they think Lavarnway is passable defensively.
Wasn’t going to post this before in earlier post, because mainly not sure how would have been taken.. Now am gonna throw it out to you here..
Straight up swap for Lester.
Fish will not get a 1st round pick next year, but will get a replacement SP by all counts should return to form. Most sane people are going to be thinking along the lines that lester is just having one of those years. Fish still get a year of control for someone, as a hedge on JJ’s always injured self and cost effective at 11m next year.
Marlins never went out and tried really hard to lock up Sanchez, So now they won’t have to for another, the same age and also not a lot of wear and tear on their arm.
I wouldn’t do a straight swap for Lester because I think he’s got more potential once he figures out his problems this year, and he’s got a lot more team control. For the Red Sox you’d essentially be replacing Lester and losing two years of control, so I don’t think it makes sense from their side.
It would make sense if Boston was intending to press on an extension for Sanchez. The figures would of course be a tad higher than lester is set to make with Boston, but not thinking by much. Just the number of years by 2 and hopefully a team option beyond 2 extra years guaranteed, meaning 4+1.
Trading someone like Bogaerts or Barnes so early would be nearly a bad move for any team. Both have incredibly high ceilings – and if they’re just selling them for someone who will not be able to help the team for years and produce, I am willing to think that most teams wouldn’t pull the trigger.
Maybe 5+ years ago, but teams are holding onto their top prospects more and more.
Trading someone like Bogaerts or Barnes so early would be nearly a bad move for any team.
depends on who its for. justin upton? that’s not a bad move at all for any team that doesn’t have an elite RF. a rental? no. prospects bust all the time.
I agree…but Cubs fans were requesting some of these people for someone like Dempster and Garza who wouldn’t be appropriate, non?
A large section of Astro’s fans have been turned off for years. What can you do?
i honestly think fans these days aren’t as turned off by rebuilding as they have in the past. With the increased interest in the minor leagues and the hype around top prospects, you can sell young talent just as well as you can mediocre veterans… honestly probably more so.
Also, this idea that trading off their so-so veterans is bad for the Astros’ business interests is silly. The best thing the Astros can do for business is build a good team and functional organization. That’s going to take a couple of years. Having Brett Myers and the bloated corpse of Carlos Lee around wasn’t exactly going to pack the house. Luhnow’s only concern should be building the next good Astros team, and I think he’s doing a good job moving in that direction.
Thumb up if the yankees suck!!!
Fielder isn’t really having a bad season. His Power just hasn’t really been there but that could be cause of the Tigers big ball park.
They got off to a slow start though
Don’t remember Fielder starting slow, Pujols yeah for sure.
Even if he needs time to adjust there is a chance Upton becomes one of the premiere players in the majors and you go get him.
This wouldn’t be a move for this year, it would be a move for the future as well. This team is going to need young bats going forward in the middle of the lineup. The best hitter on the team is Cano and he’s already in his 30’s, we need youth.
If I’m the Yankees I’d rather go get Liriano than Upton.
May I ask why?
you want to put a pitcher who’s biggest achilles heel is HRs in yankee stadium?
Really swisher was one of the Yankees best trades? that is one of the best jokes of the past 2 decades.
best trade the Yankees made in like a decade. It was way better than the Granderson deal. The Yankees traded away Betemit and Marquez for a very good hitter, who even made the AS game 2010, and helped bring a championship in NY
Are you kidding me? They traded Betemit and a prospect for a solid and affordable RF.
Uh yeah. Swisher for Wilson Betemit and Jeff Marquez? Granted, the Red Sox may have made better deals duping teams into taking their overhyped prospects for Adrian Gonzalez, etc. but that’s a great deal by Cashman.
This paragraph was one of the best jokes in the past decade.
can also throw in Bobby Abreu, which was a great trade. But im not quick to forget the Nady deal
Bobby was 32 when the Yankees traded for him, not exactly fitting the criteria of “in their 20’s”.
Silly Buster… he thinks the Astros have fans.
But really, as someone mentioned earlier, it’s probably a bit easier to market top prospects to your fans than it is to market mediocre veterans.
Upton and Garza seems like a nice fit for NY 🙂
Don’t want to see the Yankees give up prospects for a pitcher. The Yankees have more than enough pitching at the moment as they rank 2nd in the AL in Team
ERA. Would rather see them pounce on Upton, Span or Victorino at the right price.
These trades should not hurt attendance. They move to the American League which I would think possibly could increase attendance.
The trades this year won’t turn off Astros fans because the casual ones have been turned off since the trades of Oswalt and Berkman when the rebuilding started. The thing that I think will be harmful to business is the AL move next year. Luhnow has been excellent with the deals he has made. Couldn’t be happier with him.
I’m excited about the move the AL… No more watching pitchers hit when you go to games!
Instead You get to face the rangers and Angels, instead of the pretty weak NL central.
The Yankees farm system would take a hit trying to get Upton but in this case the talent might be worth the prospects it would take.
It would all but destroy the farm to make the deal, but I think it’s worth the gamble at this point.
I think that the cost would be too high. To get him would require giving up at least sanchez and williams, along with several other prospects.
dbacks arent looking for many farm guys, we want big league guys
Granderson in no way fell out of favor in Detroit. He will forever be loved in Motown. He was traded because of a backloaded contract and they got a very, very good return on him.
To this day I think that’s one of the best trades of the last ten years, just because every team benefited from it.
DBacks were robbed, stood at the pole, waiting for “7 good men” to fire and weren’t even afforded the privilege of a blindfold.
Kennedy reverted back to what a lot of scouts thought he would this season. he relies on pin point accuracy to be successful and hasn’t had that command this season. Scherzer has been a sturdy, if unspectacular #3 for detroit and still leaves hope he will find those finishing touches he gives glimpses of now and then each season.
Detroit did get Jackson (the “other” Jackson) who will be around the longest of the players involved more than likely and already has established himself as a star of the future.
Detroit won that deal and not a fan of any of the parties involved.
Coke has been a really solid lefty out the bullpen as well. If this Jackson we are seeing now is wha we get to expect for the future, then Detroit won that trade by a mile.
It’s becoming apparent, at least to me, that the Yankees desire to get an outfielder isn’t based solely on Brett Gardner’s absence. It seems to me that one of two things are factoring into this; 1, Brett Gardner’s health issues are a concern over the long-term or 2, Nick Swisher is not coming back to the Yanks next season. I can’t imagine why Cashman would be targeting young outfielders if they’re just looking to fill in the void for Brett Gardner this season, especially with the very capable 3-man platoon of Raul Ibanez, Andruw Jones, and Dewayne Wise.
I think it’s less about Gardner and more about the organization in general. Granderson, Swisher and Cano are all up very soon. That’s a lot of fire power in its prime and with their self-made salary cap, they may have to let one of them (Swisher is most likely) go. I think the Yankees are looking for a middle of the order bat in its prime in general, and they have the pieces to get one plus add depth to a potential WS team this year.
It looks like the Yankees and Redsox both would be good fits for Upton, but he can block both teams. Combine that with the fact that both teams have been linked to Garza, I can’t imagine Upton will get moved this season to either until the trade deadline zero hour to whoever doesn’t get Garza. Unfortunately for the Dbacks once Graza is moved they won’t be able to leverage the 2 teams against each other as well, and get the value in the returns they desire. Garza will be moved before the deadline and I would say both of these teams are top contenders, with the Dodgers now lurking today as well changing their focus away from Dempster. The best the Dbacks can hope for is the Dodgers landing Garza, forcing both AL East teams to address other needs, however, Upton may not be an urgent need for either team this season. The major benefit for both of these teams acquiring Upton would be that his contract is quite reasonable for both the Yankees and the Redsox. All things considered I think if it comes down to these 2 teams Upton stays put in AZ… But that’s not to say that he would not be moved to either team in the off season.
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Upton would fit the profile as some in the D’Backs organization have questioned his heart and motivation.”
to the Yankees are searching for somebody without motivation and heart? Sounds perfectly reasonable to me 😉
“some in the D’Backs organization have questioned his heart and motivation”
This is a complete BS statement