Scratch another pitcher off the list of potential targets for GM Brian Cashman to add to the New York Yankees starting rotation. In a bit of a stunner for its timing and seeming suddenness, the Kansas City Royals have traded ace right-hander Zack Greinke to the Milwaukee Brewers.
The Brewers are reportedly sending four young players to the Royals for Greinke. The move comes just days after Greinke, the 2009 AL Cy Young Award winner, had switched agents and had expressed a desire to be traded. You can find more details on the deal at Bernie's Crew, which broke the initial story.
Greinke, 27, was never really considered a fit for the Yankees. Having missed most of the 2006 season with an anxiety disorder it was thought that perhaps the pressure of the Bronx would make Greinke less likely to succeed in pinstripes.
Still, in an offseason that has seen the Red Sox add Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford and Bobby Jenks, and seen the Yankees lose the guy they wanted most -- Cliff Lee -- to the Philadelphia Phillies this narrows the quality pitching market even more.
Potential targets for the Yankees in an effort to beef up their rotation include Cleveland's Fausto Carmona, Carlos Zambrano of the Chicago Cubs, Matt Garza of the Tampa Bay Rays and Chris Carpenter of the St. Louis Cardinals. Each comes with questions, about both performance and availability.
