Trade Deadline

With the trade deadline only 15 days away, I'm going to be taking a look at some of the needs and wants of the New York Yankees. Just by watching the games, its fairly obvious that the Bombers need a middle of the lineup type guy who can hit left handed pitching, lefty reliever, and a back of the rotation starter.

Xavier Nady - .321 .377 .525 12 HR's 56 RBI's. Against lefties Xavier is hitting .313 .427 .522 , but hasn't shown much power against them with only 4 HR's. Nady's average does jump from .304 to .340 away from PNC Park. I think the starting price for Nady would probably be Horne or Tabata, plus a guy like Ross Ohlendorf. I would have to pass on a trade for Nady.

Casey Blake - .282 .359 .449 9 HR's 52 RBI's. Casey is hitting .313 against lefties, but does not show any power against them, with only 2 HR's. Blake doesn't seem like anything more like a platoon player, do the Yankees need another one dimensional type of player?

Matt Holliday - .337 .421 .553 14 HR's 51 RBI's. Rakes against lefties hitting at a .357 .438 .586 clip. But what do you really get with Holliday? He is hitting 67 points lower on the road than at home and doesn't show the same power, so he is definitely better off in Coors Field. I think the Yankees need to pass on this guy, for the fact that it will cost an arm and a leg and he becomes a free agent soon.

Damaso Marte - Nady's Pirate teammate is having a decent season with a 3.22 ERA and 1.1 WHIP. He has a strikeout to walk rate of around 3:1. He will be a free agent at the end of the season if the Pirates or a team that trades for him declines his $6 million option for 2009. I'd say Ross Ohlendorf and a lower prospect could get this done, but I am very hesitant to give up on Ohlendorf yet, because I think he can develop into a power arm that could pitch the 8th inning. I make this trade if the Pirates take Shelly Duncan or Jeff Karstens.

Brian Fuentes - 3.41 ERA with a 1.18 WHIP. Free Agent at the end of the year and will still probably command a high level prospect, like an Ian Kennedy or a Mark Melancon. I would definitely pass on giving up that much for a free agent-t0-be lefty reliever. Fuentes' ERA might be under 3.00 away from Coors Field, I would still pass on him.

Erik Bedard - Erik has a 3.67 ERA in 81 innings. He is currently on the Disabled List and is a malcontent. I would stay far away from Bedard for those reasons. Bedard would also command a couple of top prospects and a hefty extension.

Paul Byrd - 5.47 ERA in 102 innings for the Indians. I would stay far, far away.

Joe Blanton - Joe is a workhorse pitching in 127 innings with a 4.96 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP. As sub par as his numbers are, they get even worse when he is on the road. Blanton has a 5.73 ERA with a 1.45 WHIP in only 37 2/3 innings. There is no chance in hell I would trade for him. Oakland General Manager Billy Beane will demand only the best prospects for his mediocre pitcher.

Freddy Garcia - Freddy is currently a free agent, rehabbing from surgery. He would only cost money and should be ready to pitch late August or early September. I would take a flier on him, only costs money.