All Apologies

Sorry about the lack of a post on yesterday's game. I only had time for this post and I thought you`d rather have this.

So, when I first wrote about the deadline I said the Yankees had four problems they had to adress.

• A right handed hitting outfielder
• A starter
• A catcher that can hit
• A left handed reliever

Well, I suggested two trades for the Yankees. Kennedy and Ohlendorf for Marte and Nady and Igawa and Gardner for Washburn. I had no hope for the catching situation.

Well I was almost right on the first trade. Cashman traded Tabata, Ohlendorf, Karstens, and McCutchen for Nady Marte. I prefer this to my proposed deal. I prefer Kennedy to Tabata and they probably would have had to add one or two lower players to my trade anyway. This perfectly solved the first and last needs. This deal also helped set up the next one.

Cashman came out of nowhere and solved the catcher problem by trading Kyle Farnsworth for Ivan Rodriguez. Farnsworth was made expendable by the Marte acquistion. Rodriguez also slides neatly into the catcher role and will get the Yanks and extra first round pick after the year. Another good trade.

The final trade I suggested never happened because of the Mariner's idiocy. Nobody else on the market was really better than what they have in the organization. They also made two other extremely minor deals. In addition, Brian Bruney is being called up and Britton goes back to Scranton. So here`s who's replacing who after the moves and the change in WARP3 (Note, I`m only using WARP3 as a quick easy method of evaluating, I realize the formula is unknown, also WARP3 is wins over the whole season):

Ivan Rodriguez replaces Jose Molina as starting catcher: +2.6 wins

Jose Molina replaces Chad Moeller as backup catcher: +2.6 wins

Xavier Nady replaces Brett Gardner as left-fielder: +7.5 wins

Damaso Marte replaces Kyle Farnsworth as reliever: +1.0 wins

Brian Bruney replaces Latroy Hawkins as reliever: +.3 wins

In addition they essentially trade these prospects:

Jose Tabata, Alberto Gonzalez, Dan McCutchen, Ross Ohlendorf, Jeff Karstens, and a second round pick for Jhonny Nunez, a first round pick, and sandwhich round pick

So they added 14 wins over a full season and the only major prospect they gave up was Jose Tabata. The others are all replaceable. They could get another top line prospects with the draft pick anyway. The damage to the farm is really minimal.

Another move was the Richie Sexson signing. I didn't add him because noody really had his role before him. However, it seems that he has had little effect on the team.

Cash gave up very little in the minors and the team is much better now then before the deadline (althought there record doesn't show it yet). Washburn could still pass through waivers if the Mariner's come to their senses. Kennedy and Aceves also may be able to make the jump. Besides this Marte and Nady will both be around next year as well. I think the Yankees had an excellent trade deadline and Cashman gets an A+. Now they have to start performing on the field though.