There are more reports today that the New York Yankees have asked the Chicago White Sox about the availability of starting pitcher John Danks. That seems like an agreeable move the Yankees, since the 26-year-old left-hander looks like a quality starter who would fit nicely into the middle of the Yankee rotation.
The problem is the outrageous ransom the White Sox have apparently asked for. Chicago reportedly wants both catcher/designated hitter Jesus Montero and pitcher Manny Banuelos in a deal for Danks. The White Sox lefty is a nice pitcher, but he is coming off a season in which he went 8-12 with a 4.33 ERA. He was 15-11, 3.72 in 2010.
Asking for both the top hitting prospect and top pitching prospect in the Yankee system makes that deal a non-starter for the Yankees.
Banuelos was 6-7, 3.75 combined at AA and AAA a season ago, but the Yankees still believe the 20-year-old left-hander has a bright big-league future.
"I thought he might come a lot faster," [Gene] Michael said here at the Winter Meetings. "I like him. He has a good arm. He has a great change-up, an above-average curveball. He needs to locate a little better. Maybe not pick quite as much as he was. But he is going to be a good one.
"He probably tries to hit spots a little too much. He should let his stuff work for him maybe a little more. I had a scout that told me -- and I'm using a line that a scout told me -- I said, 'I thought he was going to come a little faster, but the scout said to me -- and this is a good line, too -- 'He'll figure it out.'"