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RAB trade deadline podcast

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Update: After listening to the mixdown through the internal audio player, I changed the levels and uploaded a new version. So if you caught a broken link, it’s back up and running now.

We’re going to try something a bit different over the next few weeks, leading up to the July 31 trading deadline. It’ll be a weekly podcast going over the trade environment at the time. We’ll talk about needs, wants, rumors, and other potential maneuvers.

This week, it’s me going solo, though I’ll be joined by Mike and Ben as time permits. Also, if you’d like to “call in,” so to speak, just hit me with an email and we’ll try to work something out.

Today I talk about — what else — starting pitching, Cleveland’s situation in evaluating a return for C.C. Sabathia, bullpen help, and a defensive first baseman.

If you want to download the podcast, you can right click here and hit “Save As.” Otherwise, it will launch the podcast in a new screen. Otherwise, you can just use the audio player below.

[audio:http://riveraveblues.com/podcasts/TradeDeadlinePodcast.mp3]

Replacing a broken Wang

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So Chien-Ming Wang is down for what could be a while, a gigantic blow to the Yankees’ playoff aspirations. When discussing replacements, the first name to pop up is CC Sabathia and rightfully so. He’s young, durable, a Cy Young Award winner, a lefty, and a strikeout machine. The problem is that Cleveland GM Mark Shapiro is going to expect a hefty bounty for his hefty ace, again rightfully so. The initial reaction is one of desperation, the “give them whatever it takes” mentality, but Brian Cashman can’t operate like that for obvious reasons.

So what do the Yankees do? Do they mortgage the farm for CC? Do they go with a patchwork rotation until Ian Kennedy and/or Phil Hughes are back, and hope they pitch up to expectations? Do they hope a kid like Alan Horne or Dan McCutchen step up (neither has been particularly impressive in Triple-A)? Has Dan Giese shown enough to be trusted every 5th day? Whatever solution Cash goes with, he’ll be heavily scrutinized. It’s part of being the Yanks’ GM.

While CC is the most desirable option, the price might not be right. Bill Gates didn’t get rich by bending over backwards for IBM, and the Yankees won’t make the playoffs by overpaying for established players, no matter how great they are. Here’s a handful of players that could be had on the cheap, or at least cheaper than Carsten Charles. Fun starts after the jump.

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Maybe Scott Proctor wasn’t the problem…

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Around the trade deadline yesterday, as Scott Proctor packed up his stuff and headed west, everyone assumed Proctor was traded because of his inconsistent pitching. He had after all allowed 20 baserunners in this last 10.1 IP and 40 over his last 28.2 IP. It’s amazing he hadn’t been hit harder.

But what if the Yankees traded Scott Proctor to protect the team from Joe Torre? That’s why Tyler Kepner intimates here:

On July 8, the day before the All-Star Game break, the Yankees led the Angels by 10 runs when Scott Proctor was sent in to pitch the eighth inning. To the Yankees’ decision makers, this was an obvious sign that Manager Joe Torre would probably always favor Proctor over a pitcher just up from the minors, no matter how promising that pitcher seemed.

So when the trading deadline arrived at 4 p.m. yesterday, the Yankees took away Torre’s go-to reliever, shipping Proctor to the Los Angeles Dodgers for the utility infielder Wilson Betemit.

At the time, that was Proctor’s fourth appearance in a span of six days, and it was an unnecessary one for sure.

Now, if what Kepner writes is true – that is, if the Yankee braintrust has figured out that Joe Torre’s bullpen management is actually hurting the arms of the relievers – why is the solution to trade the reliever in question? Wouldn’t a better solution be to root out the problem?

Steve Lombardi today notes that, increasingly, coverage of Joe Torre makes him sound like a lame duck manage. I couldn’t agree more. When your manager is hurting your team, it’s time for him to go.

Author’s Note: I could have sworn another blogger noted this last night, but I couldn’t find that post this morning. If anyone has it, drop me an e-mail, and I’ll add the appropriate hat tip.

Gagne heading to Boston?

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The tireless Ken Rosenthal notes that Eric Gagne appears to be Boston-bound. The Red Sox are waiting for Gagne’s medical records and need him to waive his no-trade clause. I don’t really understand this move. The Sox already have a dominant closer in Papelbon and a great bullpen with Okajima, Delcarmen, Kyle Snyder and Javier Lopez. With Brandon Donnelly on the DL, the Sox have the pitching. Considering their needs, whatever they give up is too much, and getting everyone adequate work will now be a challenge for Terry Francona.

Update: Just to stress a point, Jon Daniels is a terrible GM. When the dealings and negotiations for Gagne started, he wanted either Joba or Phil Hughes from the Yanks. Then he said he would take Kennedy or Melky Cabrera straight up. Then he said he would take Alan Horne. So now he’s going to get Kasson Gabbard and Dave Murphy from the Red Sox. That’s poor. He can’t make either of them into a legitimate good player. Terrible trade for the Rangers. But at least the Yanks aren’t giving up too much for Gagne.

Edes: Gagne may be staying

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While some sources had previously reported that Eric Gagne was Bronx-bound, the latest word has him sticking in Texas. According to a report by Gordon Edes, Rangers owner Tom Hicks has pulled Gagne off the table and wants to sign him to an extension. What’s Plan B?

Update: Ken Rosenthal, who by my account hasn’t slept since Saturday night, echoes this report. The Yanks are no longer confident that they can acquire Gagne.

Trade deadline day

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Right now, as I type, we’ve got 5 hours and 40 minutes until the trade deadline. The Yankees, we know, want Eric Gagne, and want to move at least Kyle Farnsworth and possibly Kei Igawa. Bigger trades, while unlikely, are off the table.

We’ll keep updating with news and rumors as we hear them. I promise: No more advocating for Eric Gagne-for-Melky Cabrera trades.