Making The Call: Time For Action GM's

Photo of Brian Cashman by Luis M. Alvarez/AP

It’s deadline time and while the Mets and Yankees are going in very different directions, it is clear that they both need to do something at the deadline. For the Yankees, currently in first place, they have one clear and pressing need, adding another starter to the rotation. C.C. Sabathia and A.J. Burnett are a formidable tandem, but behind them are serious questions. Joba Chamberlain has been great his last two times out, but his overall work this season has been inconsistent. Andy Pettitte has a 4.67 ERA, a slightly below-average number in 2009. And with Chien-Ming Wang most likely gone for the season, the Yankees are using Sergio Mitre as the fifth starter. Mitre may have won his first start, but he has a 5.35 in over 300 innings in the National League. Brian Cashman doesn’t have to get Roy Holliday, but he needs to find someone who can give the Yankees some innings while keeping them in the game.

Omar Minaya is vowing to be a buyer at the trading deadline, which would be a colossal mistake. They are 10-1/2 back in the division and 7-1/2 back of the wild card, which gives them a 1.4% chance of making the playoffs. So, New York should use the trading deadline to try and restock their anemic farm system.

The problem is that the Mets don’t have many trading chips that are currently healthy. But one guy they do have who might bring something solid back in return is Pedro Feliciano. Feliciano is having a nice year and he is a lefty reliever, something that contending teams might be willing to overpay for. Livan Hernandez should be shopped, though it is doubtful he would bring much back in return. And Gary Sheffield can be traded when he is healthy again. Small moves for sure, but something that might help the 2010 Mets.

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By Peter Trinkle in News on July 26, 2009 3:15 PM

Comments [rss]

raji

You mean Halladay? Cuz Holliday was just traded to the Cards.

BTW, well said Jay C. Totally in agreement.

That said, I think the Yankmes are first-round playoff eliminations.

It is looking increasingly like, whether they win the division or grab the wild-card spot, they'll face the Angels or the Red Sox, and given A-Rod and CC's lousiness in the playoffs, Burnett being untested, and because they're not getting Doc (and would be stupid to go for him anyway), I like my chances of my prediction coming true. Even getting past the division series most likely would mean meeting the AL East or West champ.

jaycjay

The Yankees shouldn't give up anything for another starter. In fact, Mitre is a solid choice for that position. Throws strikes, works efficiently, and with only two starts in so far has kept the team in the game.

As things stand, the Yankees should make the playoffs with the current rotation and of course once the postseason begins the fifth starter becomes irrelevant. It makes no sense at all to give up any player of value -- and certainly not a prospect -- to plug a hole that doesn't exist.