The news that the New York Yankees are sending AAA reliever Mark Melancon to Houston as part of the Lance Berkman trade is a stunner for me.
Just a year ago the Yankees were touting Melancon, 25, as a possible heir apparent to Mariano Rivera as the team’s closer.
Melancon struggled in a handful of chances with the Yankees the past two seasons, however, and has had a rocky 2010 at Scranton-Wilkes Barre with a 3.67 ERA and a poor 1.67 WHIP. The Yankees apparently soured on his future.