When it comes to pitcher Adam Warren, the Yankees didn’t know what they had until it was gone, Jared Diamond of the Wall Street Journal writes. The Yankees’ acquisition of Starlin Castro got plenty of attention, but the less heralded Warren could be tricky for New York to replace. Warren, 28, gave the Yankees 17 starts in addition to providing much needed help in the bullpen. He can also be controlled for another three years in arbitration, which is another major plus.
Here’s more from the AL East:
- Rays first baseman-turned-pitcher Dan Johnson says he is committed to getting better at his new craft, with no real timetable for getting things down pat, as Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times writes. “I’m into it,” he said. “It’s completely up to the Rays how they want to work it. I’m coming in with an open mind. Send me to the Dominican league, I don’t care.” Johnson played first base for the Rays over parts of three seasons and spent 2015 with the Cardinals and Reds organizations.
- Orioles Rule 5 Draft pick Joey Rickard is turning heads in Sarasota, Florida, as Brittany Ghiroli of MLB.com writes. “I like him,” Orioles manager Buck Showalter said of the outfielder. “Good defender in center and left so far. Timing is everything. He’s 24, lot of guys start figuring it out. He’s kind of come into his own the last year, carried it over into winter ball. He’s got a chance to make our club.” Rickard was plucked from the Rays organization over the winter.
- Rays right-handers Brad Boxberger and Jake Odorizzi as well as center fielder Kevin Kiermaier all turned down meager raises as a matter of principle in 2016. Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times checked in with all three players about their decision and all three indicated that they did not take the matter personally this offseason.
- Over the weekend, MLBTR caught up with Blue Jays hurler Marco Estrada to discuss his return to the Blue Jays and his decision to forego testing the open market this offseason.
Warren was the Yanks’ 3rd most valuable pitchers last season, only behind Betances and Tanaka. Almost 5 times more valuable than Castro. Cubs flat out ripped the Yankees off. They didn’t even have to contribute to the $40M owed to Castro.
I wouldn’t say they flat out ripped them off. Castro was a lot more productive in a short sample after he moved to second, and he’s had 200 hits in the recent past. I like the acquisition for them, even though Warren was very good himself.
That’s utterly insane. Castro is going to be a great Yankee. I’ll miss Warren for sure. I think we’ll miss Justin Wilson but I also think we win the East! Cashman is brilliant if stooge Joe can manage it we have talent!
It’s amazing how much better he got since he left NY.
Haha.
I agree. Warren was a useful piece but I didn’t blink an eye when they traded him. Enough already with the, ” How are the Yankees going to replace him?” nonsense.
Please. The Yankees got an all star player in the deal. You only wish they got ripped off.
Bar must be really low for Allstars. 6 years in the league, 11.3 fWAR accumulated. 1.9WAR /year. That…. is not an allstar.
Your own words were that the Cubs ripped off the Yankees. Yet you have yet to explain how.
At least you’re using numbers though, and you point out Castro’s low fWAR. But I see you forgot to put Warren’s WAR/year which is just 1.2
You’re acting as if the Yankees traded a front line starter for Castro. Warren was valuable but it doesn’t mean his value is higher than Castro. He’s a back end starter/long reliever. They gave him up for a player who averages 180 hits per year per 162 games.
Are you dense? The Cubs stole the Yankees 3rd most valuable pitcher who is cost controlled for a washed up infielder who was one of the worst offensive performers in baseball 2 of the last 3 years. And the Yankees have to pay him $40M for the next few years.
Where are you getting this 3rd most valuable pitcher thing from?
He finished 5th on the Yankees in fWAR (with Andrew Miller BEHIND him)
I’m not saying Castro will be or is very good, but he has certainly shown signs of being good in the past. I think it was a fair trade for both teams.
Starlin Castro is not all All Star. He’s currently a barely above replacement level player who was offered all around the league and all they could get for him was a decent swing man.
“When it comes to pitcher Adam Warren, the Yankees didn’t know what they had until it was gone”. You have ti give up something to get something.
I agree..
The Yankees got killed for trading Shane Greene last year, then he came back to Earth. Warren is talented, but they had a need, which Castro may be able to fill, Sometimes writers like to play gotcha early, to show how sophisticated they are when things go bad. Maybe they are right this time. But, perhaps we can give the two players a few months of actual performances.
Shane Greene was worth 0.6 bWAR fir the Yankees before they traded him. Warren 2.7 WAR. They aren’t the same caliber player.
I get it. It’s the worst trade in the history of baseball. Because the Yankees made it?
He pointed out that the two are different players. You’re just being ridiculous
Nope. He has a thing about the Yankees. Look at some of his other posts, here, and in other articles. It’s quite possible he’s right about Warren–but it doesn’t come from mere dispassionate analysis.
Any bias he may have has zero effect on the validity of his statement.
Truth is painful.
Like calling you a troll 🙂
I always thought Warren would make a solid #3 but Girardi seemed to prefer him in the pen. I think he will breakout with the Cubs either this year or next. With that said, Castro is a very talented player himself, with all star potential every year. Last offseason there was tons of talk about trading him to the Mets for one of their young arms. One bad half a season and all of a sudden Castro isn’t worth anything? Had this been last year before the Yankees traded for Didi and they made this exact trade, it would have been seen as a major coup for them. The Yankees needed a solid 2nd baseman and the Cubs needed pitching. This trade seems like a win for both teams. Even though Warren has proven to be solid you have to give up someone with talent to get someone with talent.
That talk was from the fans. The only pitchers they might have got for him was a hurt wheeler or maybe matz. Thor was never on thr table umfortunately.
Warren might have been third most valuable but had less trade value than Andrew Miller. He also was only third most valuable because Yankees’ starters weren’t very valuable. They also filled Miller’s role with Aroldis Chapman.
What i’m curious about is if you add up Caleb Cotham, Eric Jagielo and Adam Warren’s “value” compared to Aroldis Chapman, Starlin Castro and say, Bryan Mitchell, which side has more value? If it’s “B” then everyone needs to stop talking.
“He also was only third most valuable because Yankees’ starters weren’t very valuable.”
Good thing they upgraded their rotation this offseason.
A full year of Severino will likely help.
Addition by addition.
Eovaldi, Tanaka, Pineda or Nova staying healthy and effective and a full year of Severino ranges from slight upgrade to major overhaul on a team who won 89 games without those things happening last year. Seeing as they weren’t going to get rid of any of those guys, they’re stuck in the bed of six starters, all MLB, AL East proven at some point, with high ceilings, who are unreliable.
Adam Warren was certainly not going to send the rotation to the next level and Nova took his spot as the sixth starter. Which means you’re stuck seeing what’s more valuable: Adam Warren, Caleb Cotham, Eric Jagielo and Justin Wilson combined, or Aroldis Chapman (minus a month), Bryan Mitchell, Starlin Castro and Ivan Nova combined. Something tells me I know the answer already.
I like Warren, but IMO the Cubs boned themselves on Castro’s value–they sold him at his nadir. It was clear from day one that his mental approach to the game was never a good fit for Epstein’s Cubs. Epstein could have received far more value for Castro but he rolled the dice and held on to him too long.
No, they held him because russell wasnt supposed to be up til september, but injuries got him up early and he outplayed castro.
The reasons don’t matter, Castro was never a fit and they were always going to move him. They should have moved him long before last season. Epstein sold low on Castro, he made a mistake, it happens. Epstein and his scouts better learn from this mistake and make up their minds on who to move between Soler & Schwarber asap while their value is at its peak. One of them is going to be moved it is just a matter of time.
Castro is a really overrated player, he’s put up a 10.3 WAR in 6 years. His on base tool is weak and he has gotten slower and thicker each year. I just don’t get why anybody cares about him. He’s a dime a dozen player, especially at 2B.
The reasons don’t matter? This is just stupid. They didn’t trade Castro because he was their starting short stop. They had no idea what Russell would do vs. MLB pitching and Baez was also still a question mark.
I’m not sure how this situation shows that Castro would inevitably be moved. It’s Theo Epstein that gave Castro the current extension he is playing on.
Seeing as he has a two month sample size at 2B to make that evaluation, I don’t put much stock into that statement.
Castro and Didi will be a great middle infield for many years to come. Good move by Cashman.
Warren was a decent pitcher, nothing more, nothing less. He is a swingman. He is never going to be a full-time starter because his stuff plays up much better in the bullpen. Pitchers like him are easily replaceable. Enough with all the NY papers acting like the Yankees traded Seaver in his prime. Jeez.