YankeesRedSox.com

Peter,

If that's really the case, and I'm not convinced until Johan signs someplace alse, then it's great.

Flip side? One of the things that I think all Yankee fans are forgetting is that we have an abundance of proven players available to move. Some of them have some "issues", but they are valuable nonetheless, Might we have to ship out some cash with some of these guys? Probably, but so what?

Damon, Matsui, Giambi. Add names you think are movable. We still have an excess of talent in some ways. Can one of these guys get us some bullpen talent? Who knows, but I'll bet Cashman is thinking along these lines.

Mitchell, I don't see Giambi as moveable both in that he isn't in demand and his contract. Matsui has a no trade clause although there would/should be demand. Damon is a possibility though but there isn't too much you'd get for him. Either way, I don't know how much return there is for any of them.

Tim,

I think (?) Giambi's contract is done after 2K8, which means he can be shipped out with some $ in exchange for some bullpen arms.

I'm thinking of shipping one of these guys out (think the Sheffield or Big Unit moves) for a boatload of young talent from whom we get to rebuild the franchise. Someone, somewhere needs power and has a surplus of bullpen talent.

The Yankees have a team option for Giambi in 2009 at $22 million, or a $5 million buy out. He makes $21 million in 2008.

Mitchell, $5mm buyout + $21mm, so he's basically making $26mm this year. Two questions then: 1. What would you pay for 1yr? 2. What would you give for the right to pay it for 1yr?

If you look at what he's actually done the last two years, I would think the Yanks would need to eat close to $15mm [10mm now & 5mm next year] and that's being generous.

Now, what could the Yanks expect in return for the oft-injured, DH with the steriod history? Not much. Plus, the only suitors for Giambi would be AL teams competing with the Yanks. You want to see him with the Angels [just in case he has a huge year]?

Big Unit had a 200+ innings and a 1.20 WHIP despite his 5.00 ERA. Sheffield was an MVP candidate the year before he got hurt. Neither are good examples and I don't doubt people out there need power but reliable bullpen arms are coming back for Giambi. Mid level prospects at best are.

Hi Tim,

Unit had to go as he was living on a medical fault line - which ruined him right after he left. Sheffield also spent time on the DL after departure and he'll not get better or stronger with age. I think we're agreeing it was a good move to ship them out. We got salary relief for 2K7 and some good arms.

Giambi's 21MM this year and will be owed the 5MM almost a year from now with somewhat cheaper dollars. I would be willing to send 7MM to 9MM in a single check in order to get good young bullpen arms or decent trading chips to allow us some trading flexibility. I also look at it this way, I can't worry about Giambi coming back to hurt us (glass half empty and continuing to empty) so much as I can see the glass half full and rising by getting back players to bolster our team. I think some team needs a strong DH or they need to add some pop to their lineup. If they have a few arms "to spare" to give us in return, then we should sit and see what develops.

I think that Damon would get us an even better selection of talent.

Whether the inbound are high minors stars or established MLB players is up to the needs of Cashman's trading partner.

I see problems now in the bullpen plus a need to groom our next closer and catcher, plus a man to play 1B for us every day. I see four OFs plus too many candidates to DH and play 1B in their declining years. I don't want us to agonize about the same things in 2K9 and beyond so my tactics would be to move the excess in exchange for some needs then let the farm system feed us younger replacements as the current crop of players declines. That's where Cash was/is going, that's even what Hankenstein mentioned when he was waxing eloquent (LOL) about breaking off the talks for Johan.

It's all about the money. In addition to losing good young players who are relatively cheap, they have to sign a guy for 20-25 million per year for 6 years and pay luxury taxes. Even the Yankees have financial limits.

Money? Yup. That's also a big factor. Plus the length of the demanded contract: pitcher's are typically a heck of a lot more fragile than position players.