Teams Scouting Yankee Pitching Prospects
According to Jim Baubach of Newsday, Yankee farmhands Ian Kennedy and Joba "The Hutt" Chamberlain have become quite popular. The stands become packed with scouts each team either pitches for the Yanks’ Double A Trenton club.
The White Sox sent one of their top pro scouts to watch the Trenton Thunder recently, despite the Yankees’ insistence that Kennedy and Chamberlain are not available.
All sorts of other teams have been scouting both pitchers, including the A’s, Rockies, and Orioles. Chamberlain is the upside choice, while Kennedy is the back-rotation command guy.
Yankees Interested In Buehrle, Dye?
According to George King of the New York Post, the White Sox have been scouting Yankee Double A pitchers Ian Kennedy and Joba Chamberlain. King says to "expect the Yankees to be interested" in Mark Buehrle and Jermaine Dye, which is not the same as saying the Yankees have inquired.
Jon Heyman of SI.com has a source saying the White Sox are seeking Kennedy, Chamberlain, or Phil Hughes. Heyman’s source also believes that the trio is unavailable.
My friend and I were trying to figure out how a Dye acquisition would work for New York, assuming Bobby Abreu is not included in the deal. Maybe Dye in left, Hideki Matsui in center, and Abreu stays in right? And then Johnny Damon plays first base or DH? The alternative would be Matsui at first base, but only if Damon is healthy. It seems a long shot.
The Yanks do have room for Buehrle in place of Kei Igawa, though Igawa has earned a second chance. And such an acquisition would shut Phil Hughes out if he were to return in mid-August. All in all I can see the Yankees poking around because the Red Sox are interested, but I don’t see them getting Buehrle or Dye. They could be after a number of other lesser White Sox players.
Meanwhile, the Red Sox are treating Buehrle as a want and not a need. Theo Epstein is in the catbird seat, and my guess is he won’t make a deal if Kenny Williams requires Clay Buchholz. Sean McAdam says Buchholz and Jacoby Ellsbury are "strictly off-limits."
Curt Schilling‘s health is the wild card; if he turns out to have a major problem within the next few weeks the Red Sox could step up their efforts.