Jackson: Getting ready to play… wherever
Posted by: Chad Jennings - Posted in Misc on Dec 08, 2009 
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It’s been cold down in Texas. It might not be cold and snowy like in Indianpolis, but it’s been below freezing where Yankee center field prospect Austin Jackson has been working out, hitting in a cage and getting occasional updates on the latest trade rumors involving his name.
“I haven’t really followed it,” Jackson said. “But I’ve had people call me.”
Jackson’s agent called to say there are rumors of a trade to Detroit, but said there’s nothing set in stone.
“My agent is calling me, but I don’t think even he knows very much,” Jackson said. “I don’t know how I’d hear anything, but he said if I hear anything, let him know. If he hears anything, he’s going to let me know.”
So far, Jackson hasn’t been told anything that isn’t popping up on Twitter or various baseball blogs. He said he’s not bothered by the rumors. If he’s traded, it’s because another team wants him. If he’s not traded, it’s because the Yankees want him.
“Whatever happens, it’s a win-win for me,” he said. “That’s how I feel about it. I can’t control what goes on anyway.”
And so, he sits in chilly Texas and waits. After taking a few weeks off — he needed the break after a second straight 500-plus at-bat season — Jackson has started hitting again and he’s working with a trainer. His focus is on spring training, specifically on big league camp.
“I took a good little break, but I wanted to start a little bit earlier this year just because I want to start preparing for next year,” Jackson said. “I’m training right now to be playing up there. That’s my mindset right now is to be up there in the big leagues, wherever I am.”
UPDATE, 1:54 p.m.: It was less than thirty minutes from the time I got off the phone with Jackson, wrote this post and clicked submit. In that time, it looks like the trade was finalized.
Timing was odd for the new thread, but good luck to AJack!
Granderson replaces Damon.
Candidates to replace Matsui:
Matsui
Cust
Nady
per Jon Heyman (http://twitter.com/SI_jonHeyman), trade is official.
Yanks send AJax, Ian Kennedy, and Phil Coke
and receive Curtis Granderson.
So: does this mean no Halladay for sure?
After all the hype I’d like to see AJax don the pinstripes. He does seem, finally, to be a natural successor to Bernie in CF.
Granderson a Yankee pending physical according to olney. Tigers get: coke, Jackson, and schirzer. Dbacks get Kennedy and Edwin Jackson. Yankees get granderson
Well if you believe the rumors he’ll be playing in Lakeland come February. Not sure how I feel about this deal. Granderson probably is what he is, can’t hit lefties but great fielder. AJax is the unknown. I don’t have much of a problem with the Kennedy inclusion, but adding Coke is an awful lot (not that he’s great, but still). This seems like way too much to be giving up for a guy who may or may not be better than Jackson in 2-3 years anyway. At least his contract is right (3 years/~$25M).
Granderson in CF, Swish in RF, and who takes LF? If not Damon, then who? Also, I wonder what happens to Melky. Possible LF, Utility OF, or trade bait? Interesting turn of events I must say…
I don’t get what the heck Arizona is including that allows them to get Kennedy and E. Jackson. In my opinions for what the yankees are giving up they should get edwin jackson AND granderson.
I’m very uneasy about this. This might very much alter our plans to get Toronto.
Get Hallady FROM Toronto from what I meant to say.
Nevermind my Halladay question. For some reason I thought the Yanks were getting Edwin Jackson as well.
I love this trade.
Good luck and hopes of a long career, Austin
Melky moves to LF. If they sign Holliday, Melky moves to RF and Swisher to DH.
The Yankees are a great core right now with a lot of players who are only getting older. At best AJAX would be a solid CF for the Yankees in 3 years. Go for the known commodity and add to core for the next 3-4 years.
I’d rather have Jackson stick around and replace Damon. I don’t think Granderson is worth trading for. He is good from one side of the plate. He is one more bad year against lefties away from being a platoon guy. Plus, the guy who replaces Damon should be a number two hitter. Jeter is much better at leading off then he is batting second, the numbers back me up on that too.
TERRIBLE trade.
Now we add salary and can’t afford Pettite and Halladay
Ugh, perfect. Dumb trade Brian. A guy who hits .240, cant hit lefties for 2 big prospects. Now we dont have the salary or players to get Doc.
I should have never gotten my hopes up on Doc, but I didn’t think Cashman would purposefully take himself out of the talks so soon.
Bye bye Austin
Now sign Halladay, Lackey, and DeRosa for the bench and we should be in a good position for next year.
How long is Granderson’s contract for? Also, please tell me we are still in for Damon. I want Damon back!
for the past 3 years, Curtis Granderson has been my second favorite non-NYY player in baseball (Ichiro #1)
i couldn’t care less if NYY pursues Doc Hallady now.
Well, given my post above, I wish we had kept Jackson.
They are probably figuring granderson in left. I’m not sure why the Yankees would do this. Damon is a much better hitter than Granderson, and Granderson’s arm is only marginally better than Damon’s. Seems like it would have made sense to have Damon for another year and then promote Jackson. Hopefully they know that Jackson isn’t all that he’s made out to have been??? Or this is hopefully freeing up money for Lackey or Halladay.
thank you Brian Cashman.
Its Damon OR Matsui now. No shot at both unless there is another trade. Personally, I’d prefer Damon.
Your OF then looks like this:
RF/DH – Swisher
CF – Granderson
LF/RF – Melky
DH/LF – Damon
bench/PR – Gardner
The pitcher that Arizona Traded (Max) is basically their version of Phil Hughes.. Tall kid who throws 95MPH. He was lights out at times this season and terrible and erratic during others.
This trade sucks.. What is Cashman thinking? We just traded our #1 prospect for a CF who can’t hit left handers, bats .270 and strikes out 145 times.. Genius.
John Heyman tweeted this 20 mins ago, “yanks to get granderson, e. jackson, i. kennedy to dbacks, scherzer, schlereth, a. jax, coke to tigers.”.
Yankees are also getting Edwin Jackson!?
I hate reading quotes from departing players. It’s so sad.
Even Bruney, who I had no love lost for, made me kind of sad with his comments on the trade to Washington.
Wow.
I figured it would happen today. But I figured later today.
I have very mixed feelings.
I wanted Granderson.
But I thought — I don’t know what I thought. Kennedy and Jackson gone. I liked Kennedy. But this will be better for him. I was hopeful for Jackson getting to the Yankees because we’ve been watching and waiting for so long for him.
But I do like Granderson.
I’m kind of in shock. Waiting for the exact details. I’m guessing this is good for AJack – he’ll probably be starting for Detroit, right? Rather than SWB.
And I suppose no Damon.
Another thing I was getting used to the idea of, but, still…
Wow.
Despite Granderson’s prodigious power his OPS+ last year was still only 100.
Melky Cabrera’s OPS+ was 99.
Cashman and co. must really believe they can get Granderson back to being what he was in ’07 and ’08.
I like Granderson, but this trade does have its risks.
Very very good deal. We still need another hitter though. I say, sign Cameron since he can play CF when we are facing a lefty and stay in LF when a righty is starting.
My ideal offseason would go like this:
1. Finish this trade with Detroit/Arizona
2. Sign Pettitte
3. Sign Cameron
4. Sign Sheets to an incentive laden deal
DONE
People against this deal really need to take a deep breath and look closely at what the Yankees are giving up.
There are disparate opinions on Jackson’s potential, but have you heard any talent evaluator say he’s going to be a can’t miss superstar. Of course not. “Solid regular” is more his eciling.
Coke is a fungible reliever. Nice guy, and an abusable arm. With Marte in the picture no need for him to play the LOOGY role.
Kennedy’s ceiling is a back of the rotation starter.
The Yankees came out on top on this one.
Granderson has 40-HR potential in Yankee stadium. He had a .861 OPS away from Comerica. He also ia a terffic basestealer and great clubhouse guy.
T-Rex December 8th, 2009 at 1:52 pm
Granderson is an ATTROCIOUS defender.
Didn’t anyone listen to Francessa last week about how he cost the Tigers games with his horrible defense down the stretch?
He makes the occasional circus catch, but his fundamentals in the field are pretty brutal.
—————————–
LOL. Please tell me this was a joke (from the last thread).
Who are these super incredible lefties we’re going to face on a regular basis that are going to make getting Granderson a bad deal?
Outside of Lester and David Price in TB, I’m not seeing how our division (where we play most of the games) is stocked with Lefty starters.
I’m not unhappy to have Granderson, but IPK provided pitching depth which people were clamoring for last year…..Now we don’t have anything.
Heyman had said the Jays liked Jackson, so who knows? Granderson is supposed to be a great guy and I’m sure he will fit in very well; it’s also nice to have a real CF – Melk to left?
I still want Doc and I just don’t see how this gets done now……
That should kiss Johnny goodbye. Melky/Gardner are the 3rd and 4th outfielders now unless one of them gets put in a Halladay trade or if Swisher becomes the DH.
How can you prefer Damon to Matsui?
It’s Matsui or Cust or Nady.
I like Granderson, he is a good guy and I think would fit it nicely with the Yanks….
mel, sorry! I guess I’ve been away from the boards too long. I should have known you’d be on top of the real deal.
my prediction:
if Austin Jackson is a bust, the yankees just got Curtis Granderson for nothing.
Yanks get an all star who is going to contribute now and for several more years, for a guy who may not have ever cracked their starting rotation, and a guy whose ceiling isn’t that high if he doesn’t cut down on the strikeouts and hit for more power. Plus Coke, who gives up a lot of HRs for a late inning reliever and who they can replace internally. Good deal.
One thing this three player move does is opens up three more spots on the 40 man roster. That’s a big deal.
Again, Austin Jackson was not the Yankees number one prospect.
It’s Jesus Montero by a mile.
Doc is not worth the 100+mill and all our prospects….
lets clear something up…austin jackson was/is not he yankees #1 prospect…he was going into last year, he definitly got past by montero though..montero would be #1 this upcoming season with ajax here or not
If I were the yankees I would get rid of Matsui. Bring Damon back to DH. Melky in left and Gardner as the 4th outfielder.
Damon was great hitting 2nd. He is a much better hitter than Granderson. I would bat Granderson 5th. He will probably hit around 35 homeruns at the new stadium.
I love how people are saying, ugh now the Yankees can not pursue Halladay. You guys must be smart than Cashman because I am sure that never crossed his mind. He is making this deal and then Halladay talks are going to start and he is going to say oh damn forgot about Halladay when trading AJAX.
Cashman has a plan. He is not just making moves without thinking about his plan. Halladay probably is not in that plan and AJAX or Kennedy are at best add ons in a trade for Halladay. Hughes/Joba + Montero would be the centerpieces.
I love this trade and I am going to go out on a limb here (sarcasm) and say if the Yankees FO thinks Grandy is more valuable then Jackson and Kennedy I trust them.
just opened up 2 roster spots.
We can still get Doc using Joba or Hughes, if we want.
We are gettng just 1 player in return and losing 3 ? What the ? Its just Fungible.
Ledger_Yankees From Heyman: latest 3-way looks like this: yanks get granderson; dbacks e-jax, i.kennedy; tigers scherzer, schlereth, a-jax, coke.
5 minutes ago from TweetDeck
I agree with the majority of comments here……Yankees got fleeced on this trade. Just terrible. I’d like to see Granderson in pinstripes too but we gave up way too much for him. He’s not worth all three players. Actually, I think that if you put the 4th Yankee back in, you might have gotten Carl Crawford for that!
I never can tell when there’s a new thread.
Unbelievable.
They got Victor Martinez, a good hitting catcher, which is harder to find then an OF, for Nick Haga”career”done and Justin Masterson.
We just gave up 2 decent trade chips and a great trade chip (Jackson) for a guy who cant hit LHP.
Gotta love getting fleeced.
I guess they figured they got all they were going to get out of Phil Coke. Marte is the only left in the pen right now.
Seems like they’ve got some work to do.
you all watch. long will get granderson ready and he will be a beast next year. AND hit lefties.
Yanks also listed as one of the teams interested in Ben Sheets
At the very least, we should have tried to get Edwin.
If we want Halladay, we have more than enough to get it done.
Still have to include Hughes or Joba though.
nyp_joelsherman #Yankee execs think deal will get done, but not be finalized today because minor details, mainly medicals, take time, must be worked thru.
1 minute ago from web
To repeat what I said in the last thread:
After reading about how many prospects don’t make it, why don’t the Yankees just trade Montero, Hughes and Joba for Halladay?
I mean, what’s the point in holding on to those guys when you can get Roy Halladay and you can win now?
Payroll, smayroll I say.
Heyman on with Francesca….
This trade sucks.. What is Cashman thinking? We just traded our #1 prospect for a CF who can’t hit left handers, bats .270 and strikes out 145 times.. Genius.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
I think Jackson has been passed by as our #1 prospect. Montero certainly ranks higher than Austin, at least.
Does that put Melky and/or Gardner on the block? Team have been interested in the past for Melky. Can trade one for the number 7 starter that Kennedy is. And don’t forget the Nats #1 Rule 5 pick. Package both for a mid-level prospect.
Good deal for the Yanks. When the only complaint is “he can’t hit lefties,” I can live with that. Everything else is average or above average. Got younger, more athletic.
If Matsui goes, who bats 5th behind A-Rod??? Posada? Cano? Swish?? Certainly not Granderson.
Great post, Chad.
Arizona is getting Kennedy and Edwin Jackson
This is highway robbery by the D-backs.
I don’t get how the Yanks were willing to give up this much for just Granderson…
For the final time prospect huggers, the Blue Jays aren’t high on Austin Jackson.
This trade doesn’t impact anything regarding Roy Halladay since the Jays didn’t (and don’t) see Jackson as a cornerstone part of any potential trade.
Its pretty clear that if the Yankees had the same feeling about Austin Jackson some of you have (he’s the next, great Yankee CF) they wouldn’t have made the deal.
In the view of the organization, the holes in his game outweigh what Curtis Granderson brings to the table.
Speed, power, all star calibur CF defense, cost controlled for the next few years, and another quality guy in the locker room.
Pretty hard to rip the Yankees on this one.
“I agree with the majority of comments here……Yankees got fleeced on this trade”
———————————
the majority? Take it you don’t work as an accountant.
Francesca killing Granderson’s D
this deal is atrocious
Well they free’d up roster spots on the 40 man if this trade goes through. Now that pitching depth that they had with kennedy, they need to find another starter…..Halladay? NO DAMON
Granderson might hit 40HR and steal 25-30 at NYS
I’m not unhappy about this trade. Granderson always raised my blood pressure when he played against the Yankees. The defense just got better, they got a little more speed, even though Granderson doesn’t steal a lot of bases, his speed is good for going 1st to 3rd and stretching out some hits into extra base hits.
Its tough seeing a prospect that we’ve heard about for a while leaving in a trade instead of playing for the Yankees, but I see the sense in this deal.
“This trade doesn’t impact anything regarding Roy Halladay since the Jays didn’t (and don’t) see Jackson as a cornerstone part of any potential trade.”
It does because even assuming you’re right they could trade AJack for prospects they like.
wow, I would’ve like to have seen a little more but Granderson is a great player. He has the same work ethic of Derek Jeter from everything I’ve been told/read. Ian Kennedy is going to be GOOD in the NL.
what a great trade!
Granderson will be a BIG star in NYC
as a previous poster had speculated, now is the time to trade Melky Cabrera. NYY is set with Granderson and Gardner in CF, and Melky’s trade value will never be higher.
Doreen – Coke was the only lefty out of the pen most of the year….no big deal to have only one. Righties can also get out lefties, especially Robertson.
And this doesn’t rule out Damon for left. Granderson salary is now replacing Matsui…there is always money in Yankeeland.
as i wrote here before, cokes attitude was a problem and the yanks werent pleased with it esp in the way he handled bad performances and acted…good deal
Not a fan of this one.
What an unbelievably stupid trade… you’ve pretty much got the outfield covered already but now you won’t have Ajax waiting a year or two away. Stupid move.
vinny b – it is never even worth looking at what a traded prospect has done for this reason (or even a free agent or regular trade). Nobody can know what the person would have done with the Yankees. If you like the deal you just got, you run with it.
So I know we both say, RUN YOUNG ___________, RUN!!! (last line in Camelot, cannot remember the name of the young stowaway.
CR9,
What do you expect man? There is always going to be a Yankee-tax. We can’t let it stop us from pursuing trades, we just have to over pay. The Sox get discounts, we have to pay tax.
Francesca killing Granderson’s
—————————-
who cares.
SJ, I’m not a prospect hugger…..I understand you have to give something to get something. I assume, then, you think the Yanks will have to give up Phil/Joba or Montero for Doc, right? That the Jays will either get one of those (or Bucholz, Kelly, etc…) from the Sox or just hold onto him?
What did the Yankees give up in this deal?
Ian Kennedy is about #10 on the list of Yankee starting arms. In other words, only in the fantasies of prospect huggers was he going to be in the rotation next year.
Phil Coke is a lefty relief pitcher who gives up HR’s to lefty hitters. Very fungible.
They gave up a good, not great, prospect in Austin Jackson.
All this to get one of the 5-6 best CF’ers in the game, who is cost controlled and under 30.
They didn’t get fleeced. They did the fleecing.
Why trade Melky? He might be our LF……Damon’s not coming back.
Come on people. AJax ceiling is probably Granderson. Why wait for him to reach his ceiling when you can get it right now????? IPK has no place on this team anymore and Coke gives up too many HRs to lefties. GREAT move for the Yanks. Plus, it keeps everything else in play…Halladay, Damon, DeRosa, Matsui, etc.
Bottom line is . Cashman and the front office knows AJAX better than we do.
Sorry, I meant #1 Outfield Prospect. Jesus is our #1 now, this I know.
I’ve calmed down… Slightly. But I’m not thrilled about this. However if Austin becomes a nobody, we basically stole Curtis in his prime… Big IF though. I’ve seen Austin play in person, he can be that good.
Uncle Ellsworth (content to be on the Group W bench)
December 8th, 2009 at 2:05 pm
just opened up 2 roster spots.
————————————————————
Yeah, my mistake. I had added the bruney spot in there. Now, I’ve confused myself. Must be the lack of food…or beer. I think that NYY is at 37 right now.
“Melky’s trade value will never be higher.”
That’s the same thing people were saying two years ago about Melky when everyone was hot and heavy for Santana.
I guess they figured they got all they were going to get out of Phil Coke. Marte is the only left in the pen right now.
Doreen – look for Mike Dunn to take Coke’s spot.
We just gave up 2 decent trade chips and a great trade chip (Jackson) for a guy who cant hit LHP.
Kennedy is at best a 5th starter and that’s only if guys like McAllister, Brackman, Mitchell, et al…don’t develop and the Yankees don’t bring in another pitcher. Coke’s a 27-year old middle reliever who gives up too many homeruns to left handed hitters and Jackson – well you have to give to get.
If Jackson develops into an Adam Jones – which is an excellent possibility – this deal was horrible, especially considering we also gave up 2 pitchers.
IF Granderson can bring up his OBP, I can live with the strikeouts and lefty splits. But, thats a big IF. His OBP is completely atrocious!
trisha: point taken. Thankful to know you delighted with this trade : )
GRANDERSON IS LOWERING PAYROLL!
Why is that so hard to understand. He is making 5 million next year and 8 the year after. No one on the free agent market to play LF or CF is going to make that little.
Granderson also plays in one of the biggest CF in baseball next to two atrocious defenders. CF in YS with Melky and Swisher next to him and he will be back to his superb defense.
And also anyone listening to Francessa’s opinion is an idiot
Want to save the newspaper industry? Trade Melky to the Cubs for Bradley to DH/LF. I can only imagine the quotes……..
i just posted on the last thread but, is it just me who thinks we should at least get 1 of those dbacks prospects going to detroit?
Hey guys,
Where does Granderson hit in the order then, because Jeter only hit first because he hit into too many double plays. Granderson is faster than Damon so are we likely to see Jeter back in the native two spot?
-Jon
Someone explain the fact that Grands avg is going down the last three years and homers going up. IS he swinging for the fences? and thus not a natural 30 HR guy?
NO WAY YANKS DO THIS TRADE WITHOUT JACKSON(P) IN it for them.
NO WAY…….
Granderson will play CF, moving Melky to RF and Swisher to LF.
I, if I’m C$, still go after Halladay with Joba, and a combination of prospects not named Montero. Jesus is untouchable now with Jackson gone.
So anyone with a differing OPINION on the trade is a prospect hugger?
You guys are hilarious.
Great Move.
You’ll all be loving Granderson soon.
“Sherman notes that the Yankees managed to pull off the Granderson acquisition without giving up Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain, or Mike Dunn”
He acts like that is a big thing that we did not have to give up any of Phil or Joba for CG.
The Sox have to give up Casey Kelly, a guy in Low A who picked a position 2 days ago.
He acts like we got away with not giving up 1 of 2 stud pitchers, ML ready pitchers.
There was 0 chance we were giving up Joba or Phil for CG alone. 0. Zero. None.
Besty,
If the Yankees ever do a Halladay deal, either Joba or Phil would be part of it.
Montero? Much less likely.
The Jays didn’t think much of Austin Jackson. Frankly, they don’t need him. They need starting arms, middle infielders, and catching help. Those are their needs in the organization.
If they do trade Halladay it will be for players in those areas of need.
Joey A. Ajax is going to turn into Adam Jones .
Come on .
Granderson will get special attention from Kevin Long all during spring training and through the season. He’ll be an opposite field hitter against certain teams / pitchers.
“Why trade Melky? He might be our LF……Damon’s not coming back”
———————————————-
Melky doesn’t hit enuf to make it as a corner OF’er. His value is in his ability to play CF.
if Damon doesn’t resign, at worse the yankees can pick-up a stop-gap for left field, who is a better hitter then Melky
From the Yankees perspective, this deal is almost too good to be true. Heading into his age 29 season, Granderson is a legitimate +4 win center fielder signed to a bargain contract for the next four years. I ranked him as the 22nd most valuable asset in terms of trade value in baseball over the summer, and the Yankees are getting him for a variety pack of role players. He instantly makes their team better, giving them a legitimate all-star center fielder who should thrive in Yankee Stadium. For as much as the Yankees have a payroll advantage, they continue to win because Brian Cashman targets the right players. Granderson is a fantastic acquisition for them.
I read a report that said even with Granderson, Damon could come back.
An OF od Melky/Gardner, Swisher, Damon and Ganderson with someon DHing (i like the idea of trading Melky that is popping up around here though) sounds good to me.
That takes care of the DH and LF question and then the Yanks can just go after Pettite and a Dushuerer/Sheets/Harden type character and this winter is over.
Maybe some Doc intrigue but if the Yanks did that above I am a happy camper.
JoeyA
December 8th, 2009 at 2:12 pm
If Jackson develops into an Adam Jones – which is an excellent possibility – this deal was horrible, especially considering we also gave up 2 pitchers.
————————–
And by excellent do you mean very very very very very very very very very very unlikely?
“Sherman notes that the Yankees managed to pull off the Granderson acquisition without giving up Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain, or Mike Dunn.”
Maybe Androdiljuouopslous likes Dunn?
Jackson, by all accounts, sounds like a great kid. Best of luck to him (except when he’s facing us).
Kennedy is behind the SP yet to be acquired, Joba, Hughes, Aceves, and presumably Gaudin. I like it when our prospects go somewhere they have a chance to play. I don’t think people realize how difficult it is to toil in the minors buried on the organizational depth chart.
Who’s the official Cola of Detroit’s park? Is there a Coke sign? Or will Phil have to settle for pointing at the big tiger?
Fine.
Phil Coke is a loser. But a ML player.
Ian Kennedy has been injured in years past. I am not a prospect hugger, but I would have liked to keep IPK or Ajax for another trade opportunity.
Ajax, while not a “great prospect,” has to be better than a guy who only picked his position of RHP 2 days ago. A RHP who only throws 90 mph, like IPK.
Wow, I can’t believe everyone who is against this trade. Really, what did the Yanks give up? Coke is a middle of the road LOOGY (and easily replaceable) and IPK is at best a #4-5 starter (and maybe not even that in the AL East) – again, easily replaceable.
As for A-Jax, who knows? Scouts are mixed on him, but I have not heard one who thought he has ‘superstar potential’. Solid regular seems to be the consensus on him. Granderson is only 28 and a perfect fit for the new Yankee Stadium. As someone else pointed out, how many tough lefties are there aside from Lester and Price in the AL East, and in the AL for that matter? The Yankees improved themselves greatly today IMO, and the cost was fair.
vinny-b:
yes….successful accountant actually, and yes….”the majority”. (Keep the sarcasm to yourself.)
This may not have been the worst trade ever, but it was not the best either. Bottom line, we could/should have gotten a bit more for that package or gotten Granderson for a bit less.
I’m sorry but I just don’t see the Yankees keeping Melky as a starter at least. I think they’ll go after a big bat for LF. C’mon…it’s the Yankee way.
Wow.
On the one hand, I’m excited about Curtis Granderson. He’s got a lot of potential in the new Stadium, and I agree with SJ44 and Pat M, that whatever’s wrong with his swing, Kevin Long is the guy to fix it. Look at Alex for proof – he turned into a beast with his new mechanics, someone nobody wanted to face in the postseason.
And, as a fellow graduate of the University of Illinois at Chicago, I know Granderson will do very well
However, it is disappointing, after reading so much about Kennedy and Jackson, to say goodbye. It’s only human, I guess. And Phil Coke tried his best, and succeeded at times, for us. He just needs to be a bit more consistent, and cut down on the dingers.
Overrall, Cash and Co. must have decided that Austin Jackson was enough of a risk, with the Ks and lack of power last season, that a still young Granderson, albeit at more $$$, was worth it. And that they really like Michael Dunn (successor to Coke as second lefty out of pen?).
“as i wrote here before, cokes attitude was a problem and the yanks werent pleased with it esp in the way he handled bad performances and acted…good deal”
Said the same thing to a friend in an email this morning. I think I might have said it on the forum this morning also. Yankees do not cater to players who aren’t making the grade but are blaseing it and acting like it’s never a big deal. Unfortunately Coke fell into that trap.
Well since I got one wish, I will say my next wish is that Melky is still with the Yanks next season. And that Matsui is with the Yanks, and that both Joba and Hughes are also. I think Halladay is a tremendous pitcher, obviously. That said, I have great ambivalence when it comes to trying to get him on the Yankees. I am content with Hughes and Joba.
I don’t think the Yankees need Halladay to win another WS. They did it without him this year. I think they can manage without him next year.
I absolutely no longer care about Damon.
I like this alot. Granderson is great, but also a great person.
But what does this mean for Damon?
I’m curious if Girardi will leave Jeter in the leadoff spot and bat Granderson second or flip them (which would be my preference). With Granderson leading off, NYY has a chance at a quick first inning run, but, mainly, Jeter would give him a chance to steal bases and keep Jeter out of the GIDPs.
GRANDERSON KEY TO HALLADAY DEAL:
I predict that the Yanks will turn around and make the following deal for Roy Halladay:
a. Curtis Granderson
b. Joba
c. Romine
To get Halladay, you are going to have to give up Hughes or Joba, there is just no way around it.
Coach6423
“To get Halladay, you are going to have to give up Hughes or Joba, there is just no way around it.”
Alex Anthopoulos in the house!
Melky’s bat is not good enough for LF. If we could get back Damon, maybe use Melk as a trade chip.
But I’d hate to put Cano without his best pal Melk.
Mike C -
True. And Marte did seem to be quite healthy at the end of last season. Coke did give up way too many HRs.
I like the deal. I wanted Granderson. I think the Yankees did a good job here.
It’s just some sentiment in the way. As I said, Kennedy was a pitcher I have hopes for, even though I know his “ceiling” isn’t that high.
It is a little interesting though, that Cash said job 1 was pitching, pitching, pitching and then left field, and in the first two deals, three pitchers are gone. Just the funny way things work, I guess. And how great is it that Cash has been a very busy man? Right from the get-go. You gotta like that.
On XM, when they were discussing the prior trade proposal, they were saying if the Yankees get Granderson (and now they have him for the most part), they can afford to say to Damon, here’s our deal.
I seriously don’t see anyone giving Damon a 4-year contract. 2 with an option, 3 at the very, very most. But no way 4. Oh, well.
GRANDERSON KEY TO HALLADAY DEAL:
I predict that the Yanks will turn around and make the following deal for Roy Halladay:
a. Curtis Granderson
b. Joba
c. Romine
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No way. No way at all. The Yanks wanted Granderson independent of Halladay. He fill a position question for them. Why would they flip him? That makes no sense. Plus, i’m not sure Toronto is interested in Ganderson OR Romaine. That prob wouldn’t be enough to get Halladay.
vinny-b
December 8th, 2009 at 2:10 pm
as a previous poster had speculated, now is the time to trade Melky Cabrera. NYY is set with Granderson and Gardner in CF, and Melky’s trade value will never be higher.
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I agree to me Melky is kind of useless coming off the bench. He is really bad at pinch hitting. If he doesnt start they are better off trading him. His value is probably the highest it will be right now. To me Gardner is the better 4th outfielder because of his speed.
“You have to give to get”
A team did not have to give up anything to get a stud catcher, top 5 in baseball.
Catchers are much harder to find than an OF.
I think Detroit wins big, but that doesn’t mean NYY necessarily loses. Sounds like we gave up Coke, Jackson, Kennedy for Granderson. Coke is a RP, maybe a setup type down the road. Jackson seems to become an average MLB OF, which isn’t a bad thing in general (but Granderson is already very good). Kennedy seems like an average SP, but probably wouldn’t do well in the AL East. Granderson plays great defense, has great power, and great speed. He’s set to earn: 10:$5.5M, 11:$8.25M, 12:$10M, 13:$13M club option ($2M buyout), which is very reasonable for a NYY starting CF. His career numbers look very good and his power #’s could go up in our stadium. I like Coke, but this trade doesn’t look too bad. Must be a reason why Cashman wanted to keep Dunn instead of Coke. I understand his high-ceiling, but he’s still very raw and wild, whereas Coke was establishing himself as a solid late-inning guy. Oh well, I trust Cash + company. I think Granderson could do quite well in NY, and I’m thoroughly looking forward to it.
So if we get Damon back, we are essentially swapping Matsui for Granderson.
I love Matsui and his clutchness and his ability to hit LHP, but a defensive CF and Damon being able to play the field a bit sort of helps.
Question– Where does this put us w/Damon, Matsui?
The OF Melk (Left) Granderson (CF) Swish (RF). Sort of puts us in a position to sign either, Damon as an OF/DH type, and also lets us possibly just sign Matsui as a full time OF witg Gardner as the 4th of. Make sense?
No way Damon gets more than 7-8mil from the Yankees now. His production can be replaced by Granderson.
I like the trade.
Granderson is an upgade over either Melky or Gardy in CF.
AJax is an unknown that does not have Granderson’s power. Kennedy may or may not make it in the bigs and did not do well at all in 2008 when he was given his shot on the ML team. Coke will be replaced by Dunn.
I wonder if NYY will put Colin Curtis back on the 40 man roster. Not even sure if they can. If NYY does need to add an MLB ready catcher to a Halladay trade, I’d try to push Cervelli and then sign John Buck to back up Posada.
Hey -
I just realized, that’s two players that I’ve admired from afar with pipe dreams of them becoming Yankees, and both of them are now here – Tex & Granderson. Yay for my pipe dreams!
NYY can easily carry Cabrera’s bat in left field. You can do that when you have a center fielder with a corner outfielder’s bat.
Don’t get your hopes up about Cashman turning this around into a Halladay trade.
I don’t care about losing IPK or Coke…those are non issues for me.
Jackson, I won’t overhype but from a financial perspective, I don’t see the logic in trading a young CF who is nearly ready for ML for a another CF who is really no better than Damon apart from age (which I know is a legitimate difference).
I’d have just stuck with the cheaper option and tried to do something else.
Oh well.
Good luck to Jackson.
Congrats again to Cashman.
While I’m on record as saying that I didn’t want to trade Kennedy, as I believe he has as much upside as Hughes and Joba – yes, as much as, I do understand that you have to give to get. Jackson also has potential and I wish him well. At least he’ll most likely make the team out of Spring Training, earlier than had he stayed in the Yankee organization.
Kennedy wasn’t going to get a shot at the rotation anytime soon. 2010 would have been a AAA year for him, as he rebuilds his arm strength and rebuilds his innings.
Coke was nice, but definately replacable, so overall, not a bad deal. I’d say that Detroit made out very well. I would have preferred if the Yankees came back with at least a prospect as part of the deal, but the thinking must be that none of the available prospects in the other systems (excluding the ones in the deal already) are better than what we have.
comparing jackson to granderson… really ?
I heard a rumor that the Cubs may be interested in Melky. Do the Cubs have any prospects we could flip to Toronto for Halladay?
Melky to the Cubbies
Joba, Romine, and Cubbie prospects to Toronto
Doc to NYY
Don’t forget that this takes away leverage from Damon.