Perhaps, Cashman is just trying to find a taker for Bruney because he’s going to be non-tendered?

It does kinda make sense – Church is up for arbitration – the Braves have McLouth and Diaz in the OF and want to play Schaefer too.

Getting Bruney also might free them up to deal another arm to find a bat.

I don’t think the Yankees are worried about space on the 40 just yet. They have a few open spots on it and if they need space they have plenty of guys who are options to be Designated for Assignment (Edwar, Albaladejo, Chris Garcia…)

Upside might have been the wrong word. I’m just saying that when he’s healthy he’s a productive player.

I’m not saying he’s Paul O’Neill but if you look at Chruch’s stats to this point and Paulie’s before he came to the Yankees they’re pretty similar (and Paul was 30 when he came here too) so there is reason to believe that a guy, even at 30/31 can improve given a chance to play every day and taking him out of a division with big parks and playing him in a park that caters to LH bats.

Still makes no sense. Braves are an offenive starved team with the 7th thru 9th inning pitchers already in place.

Church is cheap for now, but there is no upside there. He’s 31 years old. What you’ve seen is what he is.

An injury prone RF vs. an injury prone RHP – it’s a wash that way but like I said, Church is a guy who, when healthy, would be a low cost decent upside insurance guy for RF.

Oh I agree with that. But if the Yankees were to get a guy like Church (low cost, decent upside) I would deal Bruney for him. I think they could plug Church in RF and Swisher either in LF or DH – think of it as insurance if the team doesn’t bring back Damon or Matsui – much like picking up Swisher was insurance in case they couldn’t find a better option at 1b a year ago.