And pitching wins championships. It is being reported that the Yanks have dealt Jesus Montero and Hector Noesi for young stud Michael Pineda and Jorge Campos. It's the second time Brian Cashman has agreed to send Montero to Seattle.
You always are more worried about young pitchers getting injured than position players, but then again maybe calling Montero a position player is a misnomer. Not to toot my own horn, but I've never developed an attachment to the young slugger because I always thought this day was coming. It was clear that the Yanks didn't buy their own hype about his catching prospects. He was essentially stuck as a DH since he never would have the chance to take over first base with Teixeira around.
Both clubs do well here. The Mariners get the best hitting prospect in the game. The Yanks get the #2 they've desperately wanted for a while. Heck, Pineda has the stuff to be a number one. Campos and Noesi both rate as B prospects according to John Sickels, with Campos having more upside and Noesi ready to contribute now. Seems like a fair trade to me.
Update: Word is the Yanks also got Kuroda on a one-year deal. Suddenly the pitching staff is a strength!
26 replies on “Yanks Trade Jesus for Pitching”
THIS IS BEYOND AWESOME!!!!! We have waaaaaaaaaaay to many pitchers now…another move in the making???
I fucking love the Yankees. Especially while I watch my Sabres fucking implode.
I have a Yankee boner.
I agree with most everything you’ve said Nick, although I do have some concerns. I tried to compose a post this morning but my kids obviously do not appreciate the magnitude of this trade.
I am concerned with how the Yankees will handle Pineda innings wise. He’s a young man that has thrown just 170 (or so) innings in the big leagues. The Mariners not being in the playoff hunt last year and the fact that they were invested long term allowed for Pineda’s innings to be limited and controlled. What happens now that he’s being thrown into the middle of the AL East and hopefully a playoff run? Do the Yankees institute the Pineda Rules? (I hope not) How does Girardi balance the future and the present? Pineda turns 23 in four days and by all accounts he should have an extremely bright future barring injury. Unfortunately for Pineda Yankee fans have been craving that #2/support pitcher for CC for quite some time. Patience and long term thinking is not always a strong point of ours. Added to that the core of this team is built for the now. Pineda is not a CC Sabathia or Roy Halladay type horse(yet!). He is a (soon to be) 23 year old pitcher still developing and growing. He’s going to take some time to build up his innings and refine some of his skills. He may very well end up being that type of horse, but right now the Yankees will need to tread lightly and let this kid continue developing. I just hope that we as fans and the Yankees as a team allow for that to happen.
Secondly, his Pineda’s struggles with LHB’s is a little concerning. Not something that would be a deal breaker but certainly something to pay attention to. LHB’s hit 50 points higher and his K/9 drops just about from 10.44 to 7.77. He’s young so there’s room for this to change for sure, it’s just something to keep an eye on.
Third, Pineda is a fly ball pitcher in a park that doesn’t really support fly balls all that well.
My hopes are that Kuroda can be that support that CC needs innings wise and the Yankees can walk the fine line between contention and development with Pineda.
At first glance I wasn’t ecstatic, but after really looking at it I think if he’s handled properly this is a trade you make everyday of the week and twice on Sunday. The key will be not to put too much pressure on the kid right away…Seems like an easy task in NY, on the Yankees and in the AL East, no?
PS: I am glad we as Yankee fans can finally stop trying to defend Jesus and his ability to catch. It was exhausting. ;)
Quit being a buzzkill John!!! ;)
I read an article that said the Mariners were really good about not over using him and that 200 IP this year was about right…I can’t find it now though.
I’ll keep looking.
I’m in Beirut of all places and this news only reached me when my brother texted me “I love this move by the Yanks”, so I’ve spent the last couple hours studying up. I gotta say I’m pretty thrilled. Your one caveat John is well taken but is all about how they manage Pineda, not the wisdom of the trade. Trading superb young hitting talent for superb young pitching talent seems a no-brainer to me, especially given where the Yankees have had their biggest holes lately. The 2011 Yankee rotation had no business winning all the games they did so this is a great move made at the right time (or, actually, a year late!). And getting an inning-eater like Kuroda on the same day is most welcome.
Man it was a quiet winter in the Bronx until today.
I was a bit giddy when I read of this trade, and my first impulse was to write a post on this blog titled, “Yippee!” Fortunately, Nick got here first.
Now that I have calmed down, I have decided that I love it. The Kuroda signing is fantastic, and combined with the hope of what Pineda will be in the rotation, how can this not look brilliant? And, what if the electric outages are completely eliminated… Okay, that’s probably hoping for too much.
I’m a geographic fan of the Mariners, I can only hope that Montero continues to blossom as an offensive powerhouse. It is impossible to describe how bad Seattle was last year. What started as infuriating became utterly depressing by the end of July. Montero is just one piece of improving what was a cataclysmically bad offense. Like Brody said, “You’re gonna need bigger boat.”
Don’t get me wrong, as I said make this trade everyday of the week, etc…but it certainly comes with some risk. It boils down to being able to manage his youth/growth that’s all. The more I look at Kuroda the more I think he’s the buffer for Pineda. He should take the necessary pressure off him in ’12.
Beirut?????
IH. International Man of Mystery. :)
Both great moves for pitchers I had hoped the Sox would get. The Yankees are looking pretty formidable right now.
Here is the article I read regarding the M’s handling of Pineda:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/cliff_corcoran/01/14/pineda-montero-trade/index.html?eref=sihp&sct=hp_wr_a1
Next move: Sign Carlos Pena. It’s not ideal from a position flexibility standpoint but the offense it could generate should erase all that. It’s simple math really: Pena mashes RHP. Andruw Jones mashes LHP. Together they equal a very good DH combo. Add to that the short porch in right and this could be a match made in heaven. Pena’s defense is also a plus as if he needed to fill in for Tex 1-2 a week we’d lose nothing defensively. In addition Jones doesn’t always have to be the RHB in this DH platoon that could be Jeter and Alex. Against LHP either of those guys could DH and Nunez would move to SS/3B. I’ve yet to find any downside in a move like this other than $ and Pena only plays 1B.
John, did you see that Hughes for Billy Butler rumor? I assume it’s made up, but I do wonder what role the Phranchise has now on this team…
Where did you see that Nick??? That’s interesting…
As for the DH spot…
I am in the bring back Johnny Damon(clap, clap, clap clap clap)crowd. I think the intangibles he brings, plus experience and personality, would help. Not to mention the dude is clutch.
Godzilla wouldn’t bother me either.
Padilla to the Sox.
There could very well be a brawl against the Sox this year.
CC and Pineda can brawl.
Nick, I am torn. I guess if the Yankees could get a young guy like Butler it’s a risk worth taking.
Here it is Krueg: http://kansascity.sbnation.com/kansas-city-royals/2012/1/15/2709464/mlb-rumors-yankees-royals-trade-could-involve-billy-butler-for-phil
Count me out of that crowd. I want no part of Damon or Matsui. No offense Krueg.
I’m a sentimental fool.
I read today that Jorge Vasquez could be an in-house DH option. The dude can hit.
Hey krueg, the impression I get of Vasquez is he’s not going to be able to get on base enough for his power to matter much in the majors. He’s posting a .314 obp in triple a, with high k rates. I don’t think that will translate well in the majors.
I love Matsui and I like Damon for obvious reasons, but I tend to agree with John. They’re old and there’s a good chance they are sub replacement next season.
So Nunez then…we are comfortable with Nunez playing 100 games this season?
I’m not. He is terrible defensively and average at best offensively.
PS I watched Jorge II light it up all last Spring…let’s see what he can do this Spring before passing judgment.
But we are the Yankees so I wouldn’t be surprised if Prince is our DH. ;)
The good thing is that they have options. Here’s a few I think would work:
1. Sign Pena, platoon L/R with Jones. I think you can also platoon the LHP side with Alex at DH and Noonie (channeling my inner Girardi)at 3B. I think the problem with guys like Andruw Jones is that they get over exposed. Barring injury this could lessen Jones’ exposure, capitalize on both his and Pena’s ability to hit the opposite side pitcher AND give Alex a chance to rest regularly.
2. Dangle Hughes or Burnett. I would however roll the dice and see how spring training goes 1st. Burnett has little to no trade value and in Hughes case we might get slightly more IF he can prove his velocity is back and that he’s in shape. Ideally though I really don’t want to move Hughes, I just hate giving up.
3. Play JoVa and see what happens. Offense isn’t a weakness. Maybe they catch lightning in a bottle. It’s not like he’s going to tarnish his trade value, teams know what he is and he’s not a prospect. Worst case he stinks and they make a trade at or before the trade deadline. Teams are always looking to dump overpriced DH types.
Forget Damon, forget Matsui. Unless we can get a time machine in the deal let them decline further with another team. No disrespect of course, I just don’t like investing in the hope that this won’t be the year they forget how to hit and father time catches up.
What investment? I’m reading they don’t want to spend more than $1-$2 million. Pay one of those guys that for a 1 year deal? Seems reasonable.
I like idea #2. I think that’s what everyone would like to see happen. The problem with having a true full time DH is that ARod, Jeter, Tex, Cano etc. need some rest and DH keeps the bat sharp.
I don’t know the answer. I just think the veteran, WS champ pedigree is worth something.
You are right Krueg there is value in that for sure. Between you and me, the real issue is I have never been a fan of Damon or Matsui. They were terrific parts of some very good teams here in NY, but I was happy when we moved on. No disrespect to them, sometimes I can’t see past my own personal opinions. Seriously though I’d rather them (and the idea is not original, came from RAB) go after Branyan than Damon/Matsui. I think having the option to platoon at DH will help keep Alex fresh. Branyan is the same case as Pena, he kills RHP, stinks against LHP. Big difference is Branyan can’t play the field.
I’m starting to think that we should just roll with the team as is…screw it.
Let Eduardo Suave play. See what he can do. He has some speed. Plus, maybe keep the spot open for the trade deadline. With the new, sick starting rotation and what I hope is a resurgence for both ARod and Tex, I have to think we won’t be out of the race by June in the East…
Yeah that’s the feeling I get as well. I do think however they should bring in a Vet just to see what he has. My vote is for Branyan. I guess Fielder, Pena, etc would be just too expensive at this point.
No comments on the awesome moves the Red Sox made recently? I mean, Cody Ross!! Also trading away the shortstop, replacement to be name later, possible Mike Aviles who they had play in the outfield in winter ball.
Glad we learned last year that it’s not about winning the off-season.