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Yankees Trade Rumors: New York Stays Silent As MLB Trade Deadline Passes

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Yankees Trade Rumors: New York Stays Silent As MLB Trade Deadline Passes

As the MLB trade deadline passes the New York Yankees come out as neither a winner or loser. Why? Well, it's because the Yankees, who are usually wheeling-and-dealing at the deadline, didn't make any moves. The last time that happened was1999.

On Saturday, The Yankees were in hot pursuit of starting pitchers Ubaldo Jimenez and Hiroki Kuroda, but the Colorado Rockies wanted too much and Kuroda wanted to stay in Los Angeles. (Jimenez ended up going to the Cleveland Indians.) On Sunday, there were many reports that New York was interested in San Diego Padres closer Heath Bell, but he never moved, and then were trying to work something out with Houston Astros for left-handed starter Wandy Rodriguez, who also didn't change teams.

Meanwhile, the Boston Red Sox made a late deadline trade for starting pitcher Erik Bedard. And, possible first-round playoff opponent the Texas Rangers made moves for relief pitchers Mike Adams and Koji Uehara to shore up maybe the best bullpen in baseball. Luckily for the Yankees, the Tampa Bay Rays didn't move outfielder B.J. Upton and the Toronto Blue Jays did nothing major Sunday -- they did snag outfield Colby Rasmus from the St. Louis Cardinals earlier in the week, but that move isn't scaring anybody.

Obviously, Yankees' general manger Brian Cashman likes his team. And, he should. Right now, the Yankees are probably the fourth-best team in baseball -- Red Sox, Rangers, Philadelphia Phillies are in the top three after the deadline -- and still can beat anybody in a five- or seven-game series. Yes, the Yankees starting rotation is a bit thin -- currently, it looks like C.C. Sabthia, Freddie Garcia, Bartolo Colon, A.J. Burnett, Phil Huges/Ivan Nova -- but, it's still pretty good. Those guys can win you playoff games. And, New York's starting lineup is as good as any in baseball.

So, don't panic Yankee fans because your franchise kept all of their top-notch prospects and will be fine. Do they have enough talent to win a World Series? Time will tell.

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Yankees Trade Rumors: Houston Astros' Wandy Rodriguez Next-Best Option

With the New York Yankees missing out on two starting pitchers -- Ubaldo Jimenez and Hiroki Kuroda -- and a top-notch closer (setup man) Heath Bell, who has yet to be traded but probably wont be headed to New York, the next-best option is the Houston Astros' left-handed starter Wandy Rodriguez.

W-L G GS CG SHO SV BS IP H R ER HR BB K ERA WHIP
2011 - Wandy Rodriguez 7-7 19 19 0 0 0 0 122.0 120 49 47 15 38 106 3.47 1.30

Now, Rodriguez is a nice viable option for the Yankees if the price is, again, right. Currently, the Astros are looking to trade every valuable player on their roster -- they've already shipped former franchise outfielder, Hunter Pence, to the Philadelphia Phillies and leadoff hitter, base-stealing extraordinary, Michael Bourn, to the Atlanta Braves. So, Rodriguez is available if somebody gives the Astros the right prospects and will pay the remainder of his contract.

According to the Houston Chronicle's Richard Justice, Houston is shopping hard for suitors for Rodriguez, but it seems the Astros might need to absorb more of the lefty's $40-million contract then they want. If the Yankees and Astros can maybe, some how, meet halfway then this would be a very good pickup for New York. Of course, it all depends on who the Yankees will need to give up to get him.

As the day progress, check back to SB Nation New York for all your Yankee trade rumors news. For more reaction and insight on Yankees Trade Rumors visit SB Nation's Pinstripe Alley.

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Yankees Trade Rumors: Heath Bell Yet To Be Dealt, But New York Unlikely Spot

With all the rumors flying around, it looks like San Diego Padres relief pitcher Mike Adams was traded to the Texas Rangers, not top-notch closer Heath Bell. It seems as if Bell is still on the market, but it doesn’t look like the New York Yankees are in the running.

Right now, it seems as if the Houston Astros’ left-handed pitcher Wandy Rodriguez is the Yankees big target.

For more reaction and insight on Yankees Trade Rumors visit SB Nation’s Pinstripe Alley.

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Yankees Trade Rumors: Heath Bell Headed To Rangers Not New York

Fox Sport's Ken Rosenthal just tweeted minutes ago that San Diego Padres closer Heath Bell is headed to the Texas Rangers, not the New York Yankees. Earlier Sunday morning, SI.com's Jon Heyman tweeted that the Yankees were still in the running for the top-notch closer. However, ESPN's Buster Onley did tweet later Sunday that Bell moving to New York was unlikely to happen. I guess, Onley was a bit more accurate.

But, here we go. Again, the Yankees are not able to land another arm for their starting rotation or bullpen, which means with less than two hours remaining before the trade deadline New York has not traded for anyone that can help their very thin and inconsistent pitching staff.

Now, I think the Yankees did the right move on not picking up Bell. I'm sure that whatever the Padres were asking for was way more than what GM Brian Cashman wanted to give. However, another problem arises from the Bell trade to the Rangers. Texas, which traded for solid-relief pitcher Koji Uehara Saturday, has (on paper) maybe the best bullpen in the American League. Come playoff time, where the Rangers and Yankees could face in the first round, it may not be a good match up for New York. But, that's a long way down the road.

For more reaction and insight on Yankees Trade Rumors visit SB Nation's Pinstripe Alley.

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Yankees Trade Rumors: Padres' Closer Heath Bell On New York's Radar

On Saturday, the New York Yankees missed out on starting pitchers Ubaldo Jimenez and Hiroki Kuroda. The failed acquisitions made a lot of fans scratch their head and wonder where their team was going to find pitching help. Well, come Sunday morning it looks like the Yankees have switched their focus to the bullpen.

According to SI.com's Jon Heyman, New York is one of the teams interested in inquiring San Diego Padres closer Heath Bell. Now, this would be on interesting move if New York decide to make it. In the last three years, Bell has been one of the top closers in Major League Baseball and if the Yankees want to shorten games for their average starting pitchers this would be the best move.

However, one has to ask: If they Yankees wouldn't send some of their top prospects to Colorado, then why send them to San Diego for a pitcher who tosses just one inning per game? Many of us understand that if you're starting pitching is average then you try to shorten the game as much as possible -- and Robertson in the seventh and Soriano/Bell in the eighth inning, is as sure as Mariano Rivera in the ninth. But, it's hard to imagine that unless the deal is right, then these talks for Bell are just that.

As the day progress, check back to SB Nation New York for all your Yankee trade rumors news.

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Yankees Trade Rumors: Ubaldo Jimenez, Hiroka Kuroda Not Heading To New York

The New York Yankees headed into this weekend hoping to make a deal for right-handed pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez or Hiroki Kuroda to fill a void in the pitching rotation. However, it doesn't look like the Bronx Bombers are going to get either guy.

According to multiple sources, Jimenez is headed to the Cleveland Indians after negotiations with the Yankees broke down four days ago. The NY Post's Joel Sherman is reporting that the Rockies wanted a high-end prospect and good pitcher that they could place in the rotation right now. Unfortunately, the Yankees were not will to deal that much talent for an inconsistent starter.

"Yankees took all Rockies wanted off (the) table," Sherman wrote via Twitter. "Banuelos, Betances, Montero, Nova -- and offered Hughes and others."

In another tweet, Sherman shared this information:

"Post has learned that asked 4 days ago to do physical on Jimenez if deal agreed to, Col refused, so Yanks bowed out."

Meanwhile, SI.com's Jon Heyman is reporting that Kuroda is not going to waive his no-trade clause and stay a Los Angeles Dodger.

So, the question is what do they Yankees do now since there is not another good starting pitcher to trade for? I think Brian Cashman did the right move on not giving up a lot of young prospects for either pitcher, who each are above average pitchers. But, with a thin starting rotation, which features an old Bartolo Colon, an inexperienced Ivan Nova, an inconsistent A.J. Burnett and a struggling Phill Hughes, it will be interesting to see how the season pans out. So far, the rotation has worked out. I would not panic if I were a Yankees fan.

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Yankees Trade Rumors: Hiroki Kuroda, Ubaldo Jimenez Talks Intensify

In search of a starting pitcher before Sunday night’s MLB Trade Deadline, the New York Yankees appear hot on the trail of the top two starting pitchers who could be available — Hiroki Kuroda of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Ubaldo Jimenez of the Colorado Rockies.

The Yankees have reportedly been talking to the Dodgers and Rockies about both pitchers for a while now. Time, however, is growing short.

Kuroda, 36, has a no-trade clause, but in its Kuroda rumors roundup for today, MLB Trade Rumors indicates that the Yankees are on the list of teams Kuroda, 36, would waive the no-trade clause for.

There are conflicting reports as to how much the Dodgers and Yankees have spoken about Kuroda, 36. The Yankees, Boston Red Sox and Texas Rangers appear to be among the bidders for the right-hander, who probably would not cost as much in terms of prospects as the 27-year-old Jimenez.

When it comes to Jimenez, the Rockies had been insisting on a hefty package of three of the four top Yankee prospects — pitchers Ivan Nova, Dellin Betances and Manny Bauelos, and catcher Jesus Montero.

Per MLBTR’s Jimenez rumors roundup for today, that price appears to have dropped somewhat.

You have to think, however, that if the Yankees are serious about making a run at a 28th World Series title in 2011 one of these guys is going to be in pinstripes. Perhaps as soon as tonight.

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Yankees Trade Rumors: Felix Hernandez Perfect For Pinstripes

Seattle Mariners ace Felix Hernandez, the reigning American League Cy Young Award winner, pitches in the Bronx this afternoon against the New York Yankees. If GM Brian Cashman wants to see his team in the World Series this fall, he needs to do everything he can to pry King Felix away from Seattle by the MLB trade deadline and make his next start in Yankee pinstripes.

Since Andy Pettitte retired and Cliff Lee took Philadelphia's money instead of Hal Steinbrenner's. Cashman has searched under every rock for pitching. He has gotten more than he ever could have expected from veteran castoffs Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia. He got a couple of decent starts from career minor-leaguer Brian Gordon.

The GM has reportedly worked the phones like crazy and the Yankees have been connected to possible trades for Colorado's Ubaldo Jimenez, the Dodgers Kiroki Kuroda, Oakland's Gio Gonzalez, Tampa Bay's James Shields and just about any available pitcher with a healthy arm.

None of those pitchers, however, can be what King Felix would be for the Yankees. A bona fide star pitcher who would give the Yankees a second ace to go with the unbelievably dominant CC Sabathia, and put them in a position to seriously challenge for their 28th World Series title.

After all, isn't doing everything possible to try and win the World Series the mandate for the Yankees? Cashman reportedly said recently that the Yankees "have enough to make the playoffs." If he, and Hal Steinbrenner, become willing to settle for that, though, The Boss would roll over in his grave.

Making the playoffs and accumulating piles of cash is not what the Yankees about, although the piles of cash are certainly a cornerstone of the business model. Winning championships is what this franchise is about. Hernandez is the one player out there who, in my mind, can give the Yankees a chance to do that. Both this year, and for many seasons to come.

In a recent column, Andrew Marchand of ESPN New York agreed with me:

Hernandez, just 25, is the type of guy the Yankees dream about. They need a starter to team with CC Sabathia to get them through October. ...

The Mariners, for their part, have given no indications that they would be willing to trade Hernandez. He's 25 and a star; why would they?

Hernandez could be worth the "Herschel Walker"-type trade the Rockies want in exchange for Ubaldo Jimenez. If the Yankees could offer one of their Double-A Killer-B's (Dellin Betances or Manuel Banuelos), Jesus Montero and any two other minor league starters not named Ivan Nova and tempt Seattle, they should do it.

Of course they should. So what if it costs them Montero? The crown jewel of the farm system reportedly has a great bat, but can he catch? Even if he can, the Yankees have a relatively young All-Star catcher in Russell Martin nd a farm system flush with players who might be more complete catching prospects.

So what if it costs them Banuelos, Betances or both? Prospects, more often than not, don't amount to all that much. Realistically, what are the chances either of those guys is anywhere close to as good as Hernandez, one of the games five best pitchers, at any time during the next decade?

So what if it costs them Ivan Nova, or even Phil Hughes? As much as Yankee fans love home grown guys, neither one of them looks like anything more than a middle of the rotation starter.

The reality is the Yankees are not built for the future. They are built for now. Sabathia is pitching as well as he ever has, but he does not have enough help in the rotation to pitch the Yankees through the playoffs. Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez and Mariano Rivera are not getting younger. The window for them is nearly closed, and the Yankees need to go for broke while they can with those guys at their core.

Maybe there is no way the Yankees can convince the Mariners to trade King Felix. They need, however, to go to the wall trying.

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Yankees Trade Rumors: Report Says Yankees 'Have Better Than Average Chance' At Ubaldo Jimenez

Maybe the New York Yankees do have a shot at Colorado Rockies right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez. The Denver Post reported recently that the Rockies were not shopping the talented 27-year-old former All-Star, who won 19 games a season ago. Friday afternoon, however, the New York Post reported that the Yankees "have a better than average chance" of acquiring Jimenez, probably the best starting pitcher who might be available at the trade deadline.

This is how the trade deadline goes. Stories change by the hour, and depending on what reports you are reading.

According to the Post, the Rockies may soon decide that they will be sellers at the deadline, and would like to acquire top-shelf prospects. More from the Post:

According to a person familiar with the Rockies’ mindset, they believe Jimenez has pouted this year because Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez received contract extensions and he didn’t.

"They are annoyed at him,’’ the source said of Jimenez, who is 5-8 with a 4.08 ERA but pitching better lately after starting the season 0-5.

In Jimenez’s past six starts he is 4-1 with a 3.05 ERA. That’s quite an improvement from the beginning of the season when he went 0-5 with a 5.86 ERA and didn’t post his first victory until June 1.

The Yankees have to be concerned about veteran Bartolo Colon, who did not get out of the first inning Monday, as well as what they can get from Phil Hughes. The chance to acquire a 27-year-old front-line starting pitcher might be enough to convince general manager Brian Cashman to part with some of the organization's top-flight talent.

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Yankees Trade Rumors: Ubaldo Jimenez? Highly Unlikely

As the trade market shakes out over the next couple of weeks, will the New York Yankees be in the market for a front-line starting pitcher? They might like to be, but that market is very, very thin. And, it appears to have gotten even thinner as the Colorado Rockies are saying right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez is not being shopped.

The Denver Post says Rockies GM Dan O'Dowd has "no mandate to move money" and that he is not looking to trade his 27-year-old ace. From the Post:

The starting pitching market is thin and underwhelming. If he's made available, he could land a haul with 28 to 29 teams interested, namely the Yankees.

And that's where the logic veers off course.

There's little the Rockies could acquire that would justify trading the right-hander — unless someone wants to give them a front-of-the rotation starter, a top major-league- ready arm and a slugging outfielder.

The Rockies have never had a proven ace. Jimenez, when healthy, is that. Has he been a disappointment this season? Clearly. But he owns a 2.52 ERA over his last eight starts and has been among baseball's best pitchers on the road this season.

Might the Yankees be looking for a starting pitcher? Well, Phil Hughes has been injured and underwhelming and veterans Freddy Garcia and Bartolo Colon better than expected. Colon, though, set off alarm bells by not surviving the first inning Thursday night -- a reminder that the Yankees did haul the hefty righty off the scrap heap this winter.

Could the Yankees entice the Rockies to move Jiminez, who went 19-8 a year ago with a 2.88 ERA? Maybe, but best guess is the price probably starts with Jesus Montero, crown jewel of the farm system, and includes Hughes and/or a couple of other top Yankee pitching prospects. In other words, the price would be awfully steep.

Jiminez is under contract to Colorado for two more years and is owed a reasonable $17.5 million if the team exercises options for 2013 and 2014.

The Yankees dangled Montero last season in an effort to get Cliff Lee from the Seattle Mariners. If they want Jiminez they would likely to do it again. Even offering Montero, though, might not be enough to pry Jiminez from Colorado.

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Yankees Trade Rumors: Alfonso Soriano? Aramis Ramirez? Why?

A report out of Chicago Thursday indicated that the New York Yankees could be interested in acquiring either outfielder Alfonso Soriano or third baseman Aramis Ramirez from the Chicago Cubs.

I have just one question. Why would the Yankees be interested in either of these guys?

Soriano, of course, is a former Yankee who fans remember as an exciting young second baseman who could hit 30+ home runs per year, average near .300 and steal 30-40 bases per year. He is not that player any longer. He is a .250 hitter (.261 right now) with decent power (mid 20s in homers the past three seasons and 14 this year. He is also a 35-year-old player with bad knees who can't run any longer (one stolen base this season), who is a poor outfielder and is owed about $65 million on what remains from an eight-year, $136-million deal that runs through 2014.

Sure, the Cubs would love to unload Soriano on the Yankees. And, sure, the Yankees could use a righty bat as an upgrade from Andruw Jones. But not at that price.

As for Ramirez, last time I checked the Yankees had a power-hitting third baseman named Alex Rodriguez. Ramirez, the report said, has an option year left on his contract that comes with a $16 million price tag. Again, with Jones hitting just .210 and Jorge Posada a futile .133 from the right side the Yankees could use a right-handed bat. 

I guess Ramirez (.298/14/49) could play third and Rodriguez could be the designated hitter against lefties. Again, though, I don't see why they would pay that kind of cost for a guy who would be a part-time player.

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Yankees Trade Rumors: Is Francisco Rodriguez A Fit For Pinstripes?

Our man Jimmy Hascup wrote earlier today about the reports that New York Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez would be willing to set up for a contending team for the final couple of months of 2011. Meaning, K-Rod said in so many words ‘yes, I would go set up for Mariano Rivera.’

We know that Yankees general manager Brian Cashman has emphatically said he has no interest in the biggest fish the Mets might be dangling during the next few weeks — shortstop Jose Reyes. He has, however, admitted he is looking for bullpen help for a relief corps decimated by injuries to Rafael Soriano, Joba Chamberlain, Pedro Feliciano and Damaso Marte.

Is ‘K-Rod’ the answer? Let’s forget about the $37-million dollar contract and the $17.5-million vesting option if he finishes 55 games this season. Those are reasons the Mets will be looking to move him before July 31, but they won’t be factors in whether the Yankees acquire him or not.

The Mets would be extremely reluctant to move Reyes to the Yankees, but you would have to doubt that same hesitation would apply to Rodriguez. The Mets pretty much have to move him, he isn’t really a very likable guy — in fact I know Yankee fans aren’t fond of the guy, either.

Rodriguez would be a huge gamble for the Yankees. Yes, he has 20 saves and he will probaby have the biggest name and best resume of all the pitchers available in the trade market this summer. And I have to agree with River Avenue Blues that the Yankees should think hard about this.

Thing is, the former closer as setup guy has not always worked for the Yankees. See Soriano so far this year. What about nightmares like Kyle Farnsworth, Octavio Dotel and LaTroy Hawkins? A closer moving to setup man does not always work.

K-Rod does not throw with the velocity he used to possess, or the sharp breaking ball. He relies heavily now on his changeup and on deception. So far this season he is pitching to the second-highest ERA of his career (3.25), is giving up more than a hit per inning for the first time in his 10-year career (37 hits, 36 innings) and is pitching to the highest WHIP (1.417). So, those numbers might be a bit alarming.

Yes, the Yankees need some help for David Robertson in getting the ball to Mariano Rivera. And yes, K-Rod might end up being the best available option. For the Yankees, though, this is anything but a no-brainer.

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Yankees Trade Rumors: Cashman Says Reyes To Bronx 'Not Going To Happen'

See, I told you on Wednesday that the New York Yankees would not be trading for Jose Reyes. Now, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman has emphatically gone even further, pretty much saying Reyes won’t be a Yankee. Period.

“That’s just not going to happen,” Cashman told the New York Daily News. ""We have an everyday shortstop in Derek Jeter," said Cashman, who was at the Waldorf-Astoria for the CYO Club of Champions Tribute to receive the Sportsman of the Year award. “And I think we have an everyday shortstop that would be playing for a lot of clubs in Eduardo Nuñez. The Yankees don’t have a need now or in the future for a shortstop.”

The Yankees, obviously, like what they have in the 24-year-old Nunez. While filling in for Jeter Nunez has shown a quick, lively bat with some power — even though he is hitting only .241. The question about Nunez is his defense — in 24 games at shortstop he already has seven errors, and only an .891 fielding percentage.

Cashman did admit that he has been testing the market to find help for a relief corps that has been decimated by injuries to Joba Chamberlain, Pedro Feliciano and Rafael Soriano.

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