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Transaction Oracle
— A Timely Look at Transactions as They Happen

Sunday, July 30, 2006

Yankees - Acquired Abreu

New York Yankees - Acquired OF Bobby Abreu and P Corey Lidle from the Philadelphia Phillies for SS C.J. Henry, P Matt Smith, P Carlos Monasterios, and C Jesus Sanchez.

Looking at this trade, I’m thinking that maybe I should have traded for Abreu as I think the various trinkets and googaws in the trunk of my car could form the basis of a better package for the Phillies. 

OK, perhaps this is a little mean, even if my Rand McNally Road Atlas, my leather porkpie drinkin’ hat, and my leather conditioner are all fine, quality products.  C.J. Henry’s the biggest name here and while scouts have liked his upside, the fact remains that there’s a very long voyage from hitting 237/326/350 in the Sally League to playing in the majors.  There’s still plenty of time, however, but I generally prefer my low level prospects to be hitting.  I’m hitching my Henry wagon instead to the Pirate SS in the Venezuelan Summer League, the awesomely named Henry Henry, who’s hitting 384/514/500.  I’d be more excited if “C.J.” were in fact “F.J.” which we couldn’t find when we were going down the alphabet a couple years ago.

Next on the list is Matt Smith.  He’s earned a look after two solid seasons since switching to relief.  He’s got a pretty good injury history, but he could be a decent reliever for the Phils, though not the building block you’d want for someone as good as Abreu.  Then again, the Phils and Philadelphia residents don’t seem to generally appreciated that Abreu was that great a player, usually complaining about his defense.  I’m guessing that Matt Smith’s ability level is a little bit worse than the 0.00 ERA he has in 12 major league innings and he probably can’t maintain a .138 BABIP, especially without having Derek Jeter~! behind him on the field.

The other two are more speculative, low level prospects that haven’t been particularly heralded.  Based on play, Monasterios is the more interest prospect, having pitched very well in the GCL.

What does this trade do for the Yankees?  Duh.  They have Bobby Abreu’s bat in the outfield and will hope that Lidle isn’t too horrible in the rotation the rest of the way.  While I don’t root for the Yankees, I do hope that Abreu has super offensive games when Mike Mussina is pitching because I really want Moose to win 20 this year.

Dan Szymborski Posted: July 30, 2006 at 10:27 PM | 125 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
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Page 2 of 2 pages  < 1 2
   101. Sean McNally Posted: July 31, 2006 at 04:28 PM (#2119638)
The Bubba and/or the Chacon or Ponson era is over.
   102. Big Train Posted: July 31, 2006 at 04:30 PM (#2119641)
I am pretty sure they would hang onto Chacon before Sir Tubby.
   103. Matt Clement of Alexandria Posted: July 31, 2006 at 04:35 PM (#2119647)
While I have no problems with the move I do want to point out that I think the argument quoted above is BS, the major advantage of the Yankees and to a lesser but still true extent the RedSox should be to inulate themseleves from injury by having better backups on hand. The Yankees didn't, and that isn't a reason to rally behind this scrappy bunch, but another reason to accuse the FO of piss poor talant managemnet.

MHS, a logical extension of this is that if someone carelessly smokes in bed, starting a house fire, you wouldn't want to help him out of the fire.
I disagree.

A logical extension is that if Paris Hilton buys a $120 million home and finds out it has termites, we don't applaud her for hiring an exterminator, we laugh at her for not getting the house inspected beforehand.

No one is dying in a frickin' fire here.
   104. Hungry Hungry Hipolito Pichardo Posted: July 31, 2006 at 04:42 PM (#2119654)
But what if it's a really good exterminator? At a reasonable cost?
   105. Los Angeles Waterloo of Black Hawk Posted: July 31, 2006 at 04:42 PM (#2119655)
I'm just saying, but I SWEAR everytime I read defensive analysis of players at this site, the players are immediately downgraded upon being shipped to the Yankees.

JC, here is a Phillie phan's reaction to Abreu's winning the GG, and reader comments. The guy's just not a good defender in anyone's mind.
   106. cseadog Posted: July 31, 2006 at 04:42 PM (#2119656)
Whoa, MHS. Just exactly who were the Yankees supposed to keep in reserve and how were they going to keep him happy? Jay friggin Payton threw a fit when he wasn't getting enough playing time. Bernie took short money and knew his role. He was a perfectly respectable 4th OF... esp with Bubba available for D. Only in the department of redundancy department would you plan for both corners to be out for most of the year and for your 5th OF to end up on the 15 day.
   107. retro-shiite Posted: July 31, 2006 at 04:50 PM (#2119672)
Loaiza was on the team for two months. He wasn't big-ticket.

No, but they gave up an excellent pitcher for him, which is a pretty big opportunity cost, if not a big monetary cost.

Does Mel Stottlemyre still have a job, and if so, why?
   108. Matt Clement of Alexandria Posted: July 31, 2006 at 04:50 PM (#2119673)
Whoa, MHS. Just exactly who were the Yankees supposed to keep in reserve and how were they going to keep him happy? Jay friggin Payton threw a fit when he wasn't getting enough playing time. Bernie took short money and knew his role. He was a perfectly respectable 4th OF... esp with Bubba available for D. Only in the department of redundancy department would you plan for both corners to be out for most of the year and for your 5th OF to end up on the 15 day.
Bernie Williams is a replacement level ballplayer. He is not good.

The Yankees also had no reasonable depth at the following positions: 3B, C
   109. cseadog Posted: July 31, 2006 at 05:06 PM (#2119698)
MCA, that's my point he's replacement level, which is fine for the role. He knows the team, they know him, he got paid short money and he's happy to be there. Who were they going to get and at what cost? This off-season 4th OFers cost starting pitchers. anybody remember Arroyo/Pena.

and don't forget it's possible that the yankee front office believed Melky could step in and play above replacement level.

Is there a team in the majors with a good backup catcher? Maybe Minn because Redmond is having one of his good years. that's about it. Otherwise it's go into the club of proven veteran back up catchers.
   110. TVerik Posted: July 31, 2006 at 05:11 PM (#2119712)
Only in the department of redundancy department

Did you mean to write this? Because I like it.
   111. Bitter Calculus Instructor Posted: July 31, 2006 at 05:12 PM (#2119713)
The Yankees also had no reasonable depth at the following positions: 3B, C

When your starting 3B has played 160 games per year in his career, you don't need a back-up.
   112. HowardMegdal Posted: July 31, 2006 at 05:15 PM (#2119722)
"When your starting 3B has played 160 games per year in his career, you don't need a back-up."

Not true. They need to figure out who they will play at 3B in the playoffs.
   113. chris p Posted: July 31, 2006 at 05:17 PM (#2119726)
When your starting 3B has played 160 games per year in his career, you don't need a back-up.

when your starting left fielder has never missed a game in his mlb career ...
   114. cseadog Posted: July 31, 2006 at 05:20 PM (#2119729)
TVerik, Yes.
   115. SG Posted: July 31, 2006 at 05:24 PM (#2119743)
Bernie Williams is a replacement level ballplayer.


No. He's a slightly above replacement level player (1.0 WARP per B Pro). He's got an OPS+ of 95 which isn't horrible, but he does give back a fair amount of his value on defense.


He is not good.


Yeah, he's not very good anymore, but the fans love him. You may not understand it as a Red Sox fan, but you don't have to kick every player out and trash them on the way out of town. You can keep a guy around if the fans like him and if he has some uses. Bernie still hits lefties pretty well. If he doesn't have to play much OF, as part of a DH platoon with a decent lefty bat he's ok.
   116. Best Regards, Larry M. Posted: July 31, 2006 at 05:29 PM (#2119753)
Bernie's hit better than Abreu the last two months.
   117. Mister High Standards Posted: July 31, 2006 at 05:30 PM (#2119758)
MHS, a logical extension of this is that if someone carelessly smokes in bed, starting a house fire, you wouldn't want to help him out of the fire.


Actualkly eric -your wrong. It would be after helping him out saying what a bone head he was for falling asleep with a butt in his hand.
   118. Best Regards, Larry M. Posted: July 31, 2006 at 05:41 PM (#2119768)
The roommate of the guy who started the fire that burned down my apartment actually got another apartment with that guy. THAT'S stupid.
   119. AROM Posted: August 01, 2006 at 01:51 AM (#2120846)
Philadelphia made out pretty well on this trade. CJ Henry is a much better prospect than people think. He gives Philly some excellent insurance in case Alan Iverson gets hurt.
   120. Steamer46 Posted: August 03, 2006 at 02:34 PM (#2124875)
Far be it from me to deny the Yankees employ a huge payroll advantage, but you do realize that sans Abreu the team is tied for first in the loss column despite losing their two starting corner OF, right?


The whole scrappy Yankees argument gets a little tiresome. Yes, they played most of the year without Shef and Matsui and have lost significant time from Cano, but their division rival has played most of the year without their #3, #4, #5 and #6 starters and #2 reliever plus a good bit of time without their starting CF and 4th outfielder.

Now that 'tek and Nixon have gone down I'd say the Sox have been hit significantly harder by the injury bug this year than the Yanks.

Not counting Dotel, whom the Yankees picked up injured ala Lieber a couple of years ago, NY has lost the following players in order of impact to the team:

Sheffield 82+ days on DL
Matsui 84+
Pavano 124+
Cano 37+
Sturtze 82+
Small 29
Crosby 27
Rasner 61+

After Cano the dropoff in talent lost is such that the effect on the team is pretty negligible. The Sox haven't lost anyone of the calibre of Shef & Matsui (at least until this week) but have had a greater culmulative loss:

Wells 118
Clement 50+
Crisp 49
Foulke 53+
Wakefield 17+
Pena 50
Timlin 17
DiNardo 73+
Riske 47
Varitek 3+
Nixon 4+
Holtz 40 (then released)
Choi 34 (DFA'ed w/o yet making the Big Club)
   121. St.Philly Posted: August 24, 2006 at 05:07 PM (#2155293)
So, how's the trade working out for Yankees?
   122. Jolly Old St. Neck Wound, Moral Idiot Posted: August 24, 2006 at 05:23 PM (#2155314)
So, how's the trade working out for Yankees?

I dunno, you might ask those Red Sox pitchers.
   123. fables of the deconstruction Posted: August 27, 2006 at 06:59 PM (#2158522)
A logical extension is that if Paris Hilton buys a $120 million home and finds out it has termites, we don't applaud her for hiring an exterminator, we laugh at her for not getting the house inspected beforehand.

But what if it's a really good exterminator? At a reasonable cost?


#1) This is just assinine...! ;) ... An inspection is required by lenders before the financing will be approved. Who's got the cash to put down on a $120M home...? Besides, a $120M home is NOT a home at all, it's a friggin Castle...!

#2) That depends. If it's that big, the costs will not be all that reasonable. And the treatment options would be different based on whether it's subterrainian termites, dampwood termites or drywood termites. (Unprecidented size being beside the point.) Something that massive would be built to withstand the ravages of heavy termite infestation over a significant period of time, based on centuries, not years. So it would not use wood as supporting structure, only as design detail.

Roaches would probably be a bigger problem.


Your friendly neighborhood pest control professional... :) ...

-------
trevise
   124. 6 - 4 - 3 Posted: August 27, 2006 at 07:14 PM (#2158527)
Termites can be an STD? Damn, that c0nt gets around.
   125. fables of the deconstruction Posted: August 27, 2006 at 07:19 PM (#2158531)
Termites can be an STD? Damn, that c0nt gets around.

Not sure I understand what you're asking...!???


T
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