On the Yankees beat

So, having learned what the Rangers wanted, i'm glad the Yanks did nothing. Gagne for 2 months is not worth Melkey or Kennedy with additional prospects i'm sorry.

Proctor has always been a class act, even when he's walked home the winning run on occasion.

It's absolutely UNFORGIVABLE if Cashman doesn't resign Mo. He's one of the ten best yankees of all time. period.

I've been hearing that this guy is getting on in years? Please.

He didn't start closing until he was about 25 or 26 and he had Tommy John surgery back when he was a starter.

So you point out his stats are worse this year? He's had no opportunities. Everybody knows that closers pitch worse in non-save situations. Joe has been forced to put Mo in lopsided games just to get him some action. His inflated ERA (and we're talking 3.00 which is impressive for your average closer. Hell, the wild card leader's closer has a 5+ ERA) is tied to the team's poor play thus far.

Look, Cash made the right moves keeping the big 3 kids but agreeing to negotiate with ARod and Mo and Jorge who gave you a dynasty? You need to check yourself.

RESIGN MARIANO AT ALL COSTS

and also give big Z $20m per.

Proctor has always been a class act, even when he's walked home the winning run on occasion.

It's absolutely UNFORGIVABLE if Cashman doesn't resign Mo. He's one of the ten best yankees of all time. period.

I've been hearing that this guy is getting on in years? Please.

He didn't start closing until he was about 25 or 26 and he had Tommy John surgery back when he was a starter.

So you point out his stats are worse this year? He's had no opportunities. Everybody knows that closers pitch worse in non-save situations. Joe has been forced to put Mo in lopsided games just to get him some action. His inflated ERA (and we're talking 3.00 which is impressive for your average closer. Hell, the wild card leader's closer has a 5+ ERA) is tied to the team's poor play thus far.

Look, Cash made the right moves keeping the big 3 kids but agreeing to negotiate with ARod and Mo and Jorge who gave you a dynasty? You need to check yourself.

RESIGN MARIANO AT ALL COSTS

and also give big Z $20m per.

excuse me ladies and gentlemen. i would like to inform you that as of now, we are at war with the ninjas. god bless america. and watch out for ninjas.

Keith Law- Gagne gives Red Sox a big boost
[quote]

http://insider.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?name=law_keith

By acquiring Eric Gagne, the Red Sox fortified their bullpen, which wasn't a weakness for them but was top-heavy. Adding another good reliever to the late-inning mix helps them redistribute the workload of leveraged innings across more quality arms, and can help them avoid using Jonathan Papelbon -- he of the shoulder that allegedly wouldn't let him be a closer -- too many days in a row. They also kept Gagne away from the three other American League contenders looking for relief help, particularly the Yankees, who traded away Scott Proctor but didn't add any arms from outside the organization.

In exchange, the Rangers got ... stuff. David Murphy and Kason Gabbard are both big-league ready, but neither is an above-average player, and Murphy is more of a fourth outfielder or a fringe regular in center field than a solid everyday player. He does have decent plate discipline, but despite his size doesn't get a lot of loft on the ball, hitting singles and doubles to the gaps but not enough of them to be a regular in a corner spot. The Red Sox sold high on Gabbard, a pitchability lefty who has succeeded in seven big-league starts by relying on his defense, which has helped keep his hit rate ridiculously low. He has good sink on his fastball, which is otherwise below-average, and hides the ball extremely well.

The wild card here for Texas is center fielder Engel Beltre, a 17-year-old signed for about $600,000 out of the Dominican Republic in 2006. Beltre is an exciting player with a lot of ability. He has a clean swing with some loft in it, a plus arm, and he might be able to stay in center. If not, his bat will play in an outfield corner. He's playing in the Gulf Coast League at an age when most Dominican prospects are still playing in the Dominican Summer League, and he's holding his own, with five homers (tied for eighth in the league) and a .198 isolated power (10th in the league). I like the Rangers' willingness to take a short-season prospect in each of their two deals this week (pitcher Neftali Feliz was involved in the Mark Teixeira trade), knowing that contenders are nearly always willing to part with those guys to get a deal done. If this trade is going to turn out to be a win for the Rangers, it will almost certainly be because Beltre developed into the star he's capable of becoming.[/quote]

The Yankees must change the attitude of the league when bargaining over trades. And Cashmn is showing that the Yankees will not just concede to get their guy in pinstipes. Cagne cost plenty when you consider that he's a free agent at season's end. He may pitch 25 times for them. Yes, they improved on paper but its about the reality of the team's performance and being in position for all the pieces to fit, muck like Joe T. putting Mariano in games just to get work and keep sharp. Many good things must occur before the Sox's get to Gagne. We shall see.

On another note, Giambi went 1 for 3 against the Sarasota Reds last night. No home run, he said, "no need moving up some of these kids make feel like I'm going against Drysdale." Isn't this comforting but with 8 HR last night there's no urgency.

Trade deadline winners and losers
Ken Rosenthal
[quote]
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/7080090

Rosenthal's trade roundup
With Eric Gagne joining Jonathan Papelbon, don't expect the Red Sox to blow many late leads, says Ken Rosenthal.
Still, the non-waiver deadline was far from the colossal bore that many predicted, thanks mainly to the Rangers, who traded first baseman Mark Teixeira, closer Eric Gagne and center fielder Kenny Lofton.

Winners

1. Braves

Wow.

They couldn't address their need for a No. 3 starter after the White Sox balked at shortstop Edgar Renteria and Class AA lefty Matt Harrison for right-hander Jon Garland. So, GM John Schuerholz did the next-best thing, upgrading other parts of his club.

The Braves fortified their bullpen by adding Octavio Dotel. (Lisa Blumenfeld / Getty Images)

Not only did Schuerholz acquire Teixeira, who was by far the best hitter on the market, but he also supplemented his bullpen by adding left-hander Ron Mahay in the Teixeria blockbuster and righty Octavio Dotel in a separate trade.

The Braves entered Tuesday's play with the eighth-best record in the National League. No longer are they the eighth-best team. Schuerholz probably will be retired by the time some of the prospects he dealt reach the majors, but so what? He usually trades the right guys.

2. Red Sox

GM Theo Epstein is always relentless, always creative. His acquisition of Gagne — and adept navigation through Gagne's no-trade clause to Boston — could make the Red Sox a World Series favorite. After losing Bobby Abreu to the Yankees last season, the Sox again operated more like — ahem — an uber-team.

Gagne will get the save opportunities that Jonathan Papelbon doesn't and maybe a few more, helping Papelbon stay fresh for the post-season. Epstein failed to find a better right-handed hitting outfielder than outfielder Wily Mo Pena, but that's nitpicking. His proposed acquisition of White Sox right fielder Jermaine Dye seemed excessive from the start.

3. Rangers

First off, owner Tom Hicks needs to shut up.

Hicks can spout off about offering Teixeira about $140 million for eight years, but it was an offer Teixeira was certain to refuse. Everyone in baseball knows that Teixeira's agent, Scott Boras, prefers his clients to determine their values on the open market. Heck, Hicks should know it better than anyone, having signed many a Boras client, including a certain $252-million bauble way back when.

As for the Rangers, their exact plan is unclear, but that's how it always looks when a team begins to reconstruct. GM Jon Daniels collected nine young players for Teixeira, Mahay, Gagne and Lofton. Some are so young, Daniels, 29, might be in his mid-30s by the time they reach the majors.

Stilll, if three or four of the prospects prove to be keepers — and Jarrod Saltalamacchia is pretty close to a sure thing — the trades will be considered a success.

4. Yankees

Yes, the Yankees. If you're going to rip them when they act like rich bullies, then at least give them credit when they show restraint. GM Brian Cashman is wisely hoarding his young pitching, and rookie right-handers Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain could be the Yankees' biggest second-half additions.

What's next?
If a player is claimed on waivers after July 31, he can be traded only to the claiming team.

If he clears waivers — as most high-priced veterans normally do — he can be dealt to any club.

A partial list of players who could get moved:

Armando Benitez, RHP, Marlins
Ben Broussard, 1B, Mariners
Shawn Chacon, RHP, Pirates
Jeff Conine, 1B, Reds
Adam Dunn, LF, Reds
Kyle Farnsworth, RHP, Yankees
Livan Hernandez, RHP, Diamondbacks
Troy Glaus, 3B, Blue Jays
Mark Grudzielanek, 2B, Royals
Jason Jennings, RHP, Astros
Byung-Hyun Kim, RHP, Marlins
Ryan Klesko, 1B, Giants
Mike Lamb, IF, Astros
Mark Loretta, IF, Astros
Kevin Millar, 1B, Orioles
Reggie Sanders, OF, Royals
Sammy Sosa, OF, Rangers
Steve Trachsel, RHP, Orioles

Chamberlain, who was drafted only a year ago, is desperately needed to fill a setup role, but the task might not be as daunting as it sounds. The Angels' Francisco Rodriguez, White Sox's Bobby Jenks and Cardinals' Adam Wainwright are recent examples of young relievers who thrived for World Series champions.

5. Dodgers

Like the Yankees, they get points for not doing anything stupid. They made a bold push for A's right-hander Joe Blanton, offering three highly regarded prospects, but in the end settled for right-handed reliever Scott Proctor from the Yankees.

It's difficult to embrace that move after Proctor was Torre-ized (i.e., worn down by excessive use), but it's not as if any of the other NL West contenders made significant improvements.

6. Devil Rays

At least they're trying. GM Andrew Friedman envisions the team fielding a potentially strong rotation next season, so he's hellbent on fortifying his cover-your-eyes bullpen.

Friedman made three trades for relievers, stunning the industry by landing Astros right-hander Dan Wheeler, who was coveted by several contenders.

Maybe none of his deals will work out — relievers are notoriously untrustworthy — but Friedman is just getting started on his bullpen overhaul.

Losers

1. Pirates

The idea of adding veteran right-hander Matt Morris to lead a young rotation isn't ridiculous. But has anyone with the Pirates seen Morris pitch lately?

Over his last eight starts he has allowed almost two hits per inning, his ERA rising from 2.56 to 4.35. Morris, who turns 33 on Aug. 9, is one of the game's great competitors, but his successful opening to the season now looks like an aberration.

No low-revenue team can afford a No. 5 starter earning $9.5 million, and that description could very well fit Morris next season. GM Dave Littlefield just keeps digging himself a bigger hole.

The Nationals had prime trade bait in Chad Cordero, but didn't make a deal. (Greg Fiume / Getty Images)

2. Nationals

Can anyone figure out what the heck they're doing?

While claiming to build for the future, the Nats signed two thirty-something veterans, first baseman Dmitri Young and second baseman Ron Belliard, to two-year extensions. They then failed to trade closer Chad Cordero, setup man Jon Rauch or any other players, irritating rival clubs with their excessive demands.

Cordero, 25, might never have greater trade value; he is eligible for free agency after the '09 season, and given the volatile nature of relievers, likely to decline before then. But hey, the Nationals couldn't move Alfonso Soriano in the middle of a career year, so asking them to move Cordero for say, two decent prospects . . . well, it was just too much.

3. Angels

It's amazing how one of the game's best organizations annually ends up on this list, but the Angels have this annoying habit of targeting one player — Paul Konerko as a free agent after the ‘05 season, Teixeira at this year's deadline — then retreating when their best efforts fail.

In fairness, the Angels had a deal in place for shortstop Miguel Tejada last season before Orioles owner Peter Angelos interceded, and they made a competitive offer for Teixeira. But too often, the Angels point out why deals don't make sense instead of why they do. And unless they make a waiver move in August, they'll again be left with too little around Vladimir Guerrero.

4. Mariners

Maybe this is why the Angels were comfortable standing pat. The Mariners dispatched scouts all over North America to investigate trade possibilities, yet the only player they moved was Class AAA right-hander Julio Mateo, who was charged with assaulting his wife in May.

5. Twins

It's not so much the trade of second baseman Luis Castillo for two minor leaguers, dubious as that move was at a time when the team is still in contention for a postseason berth. GM Terry Ryan, like the Angels' Stoneman, succeeds in part by valuing stability. Still, Ryan should have acted in June to bolster his offense rather than simply wait for Rondell White to return from the disabled list.

6. White Sox

They huffed, and they puffed, and they traded . . . Rob Mackowiak?

The Sox planned on right-hander Jose Contreras being their principal chip, but his poor recent performance and $20 million guaranteed in 2008 and '09 foiled that strategy. GM Ken Williams aimed too high with right fielder Jermaine Dye, and now must offer him arbitration to recoup draft picks.

In-betweens

1. Indians/Tigers

Neither club improved its bullpen, but think about it: Gagne was the only impact reliever who was traded. And, given his history of injuries, even he's not a guarantee.

Dotel, Wheeler, Proctor and Scott Linebrink all have struggled at times this season. The prices for Cordero and others were simply too high.

At least the Tigers added lefty Macay McBride from the Braves for righty Wil Ledezma, who later was designated for assignment and sent to the Padres.

They can acquire another reliever in August if righties Fernando Rodney and/or Joel Zumaya fail to make successful returns from injuries.

The Indians, who added Lofton, are not necessarily finished, either.

2. Padres

Michael Barrett, Milton Bradley, Scott Hairston, Rob Mackowiak, Morgan Ensberg, Shea Hillenbrand on a minor-league contract . . . it all adds up to what, exactly?

Still need bullpen help
Indians
Mariners
Tigers
Yankees
Mets
Phillies
Rockies

Replacing hitting coach Merv Rettenmund with Wally Joyner is yet another low-impact move that would have paled in comparison next to, say, the addition of an Adam Dunn.

3. Phillies

Second baseman Tadahito Iguchi and right-hander Kyle Lohse were reasonable grabs for a team with a thin farm system and injury-depleted roster, but the addition of Mateo is certain to draw criticism in Philadelphia.

The Phillies foolishly allowed right-hander Brett Myers to pitch last season the day after he was arrested for hitting his wife, Kim. Myers took a short leave of absence from the team, and his case was dismissed last October after Kim said that she did not want him prosecuted.

Mateo is Myers II, at least from a public-relations standpoint. Then again, Mateo was 3-1 with a 0.79 ERA, 29 strikeouts and two walks in 34 1/3 innings at Class AAA Tacoma. Any uproar will subside quickly if he pitches well for the Phillies.

4. Astros

The ultimate tweeners, thanks to owner Drayton McLane, who never wants to concede.

McLane's position is semi-understandable, seeing as how he signed left fielder Carlos Lee for $100 million, first baseman Lance Berkman for $85 million and right-hander Roy Oswalt for $73 million.

Still, the Astros needed to do more than just trade reliever Dan Wheeler for third baseman Ty Wigginton and Ensberg to the Padres for a player to be named or cash.

It would have made sense to trade closer Brad Lidge rather than pay him $8 million or more in his final year of arbitration, then potentially lose him as a free agent.

The Astros need to stockpile more young talent, and potential August deals involving players such as right-hander Jason Jennings, infielder Mark Loretta and third baseman Mike Lamb won't bring enough.

5. Reds

Class AA left-hander Matt Maloney was a decent return for Lohse, and the team still might trade Jeff Conine to the Mets in August.

Adam Dunn's contract, though, features one trap door after another, which is one reason he is difficult to deal.

The Reds could not get an adequate return for Dunn because his $13 million club option for next season voids if they move him, reducing him to a two-month rental.

If the Reds exercise the option, Dunn will gain full no-trade protection until June 15. If they decline it, they will receive only draft picks in return.[/quote]

Ken Rosenthal

The Yankees are rich bullies? No, Redsox are The New rich bully in town after getting Gagne and spending Matsuzaka this offseason

Ok. So who are we going to get off waivers for the bull pen......Armando Benitez? If Chamberlain fails then we are definitely doomed!

Seriously, the Red Sox getting Gagne was simply about keeping him away from the Yankees. Their pen already has a 2.7 ERA, Gagne will not improve that so it makes little difference. There is absolutely no way he was worth either Ian Kennedy or Melkey who the Rangers demanded or he "goes to the red sox".

Firstly, i don't see Chamberlain failing, then there is Ramirez who if given a chance might be a lot better than people think if he gets steady work. How many minor leagers EVER have an ERA for the year under 0.6 with almost 2k/inning. Also Chris Britton is a solid arm who should be ready soon (i think he strained a ribcage). I always liked Proctor, even though he came from LA's farm system he always felt like a homegrown Yankee, but to be honest his arm really is about to fall off so here or not he isn't going to hurt/help.

Next... neither the Mariners nor the Indians nor the Tigers did much of anything and all of them are slowing down to a halt.

As for next year... they better resign Posada, Rivera and A-rod because quite frankly they cannot replace any of them although i could see them dealing Damon and Abreau for prospects to get an impact righty (no idea whom...) putting Melkey in right since he definately has the arm for it and signing Torii Hunter for CF.

Chamberlin apparently has the tools to be a very good closer or setup man but needs patience from the organization and fans to mature which in NY canbe near impossible. Fans are already thinking about his failure and the next move. Geez! And he hasn't even thrown one pitch in the majors.

Dan Shaughnessy
Trade wins
Blockbusters have Boston going full speed ahead

By Dan Shaughnessy, Globe Columnist | August 1, 2007

http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/articles/2007/08/01/trade_wins/

Christmas Day. Graduation Day. Wedding Day. The day you got your first good job. The day you moved into your dream house. The day your first child was born.
Article Tools

And then there's July 31, 2007. The day Boston sports fans were rewarded with a stunning shower of gifts.

OK, there were some days in 2004 when it was pretty cool to be a New England sports enthusiast. And we had a pretty good run of championships in our town back in the golden year of 1986. But it's hard to remember a day like yesterday. After weeks of speculation and hours of rumor and negotiation, the Red Sox became World Series favorites and the Celtics made reservations for the NBA Finals all within a few hours.

Really now, has there ever been a better time to be a Boston sports fan? Is there any city in the country with more fun in store over the next 10 months? And finally, did the Bruins just punch a ticket on the southbound train that dead-ends in Oblivion, USA?

On the third anniversary of deadline deals that delivered Boston its first World Series championship in 86 years, the Sox yesterday acquired Eric Gagne, beating the buzzer by a half-hour and providing manager Terry Francona with a wealth of options in his bullpen. Then the Celtics held a news conference to introduce superstar Kevin Garnett, who is nothing less than one of the best players in the history of the NBA.

Gagne and Garnett. New stars in the New England sports galaxy. New reasons to believe. Rewards for the millions who care so deeply about our local teams.

We know championships are not won on paper. Stocking a roster with All-Pros does not guarantee ring ceremonies (ask the San Diego Chargers). Injuries and old age sometimes get in the way, and not every established star has been able to bring the magic to our region (anyone remember Jack Clark?).

But it's hard to hold back in these early hours after the two trades. Hard not to get carried away.

The Celtics were a joke, a bad product with no hope on the horizon. Twenty-four wins and then the poisonous ping-pong balls took them off the map and solidified ours as a two-team town. The draft-night deal for Ray Allen, by itself, made no sense. But now that Garnett has been brought on board, it turns out there was a plan after all.

The new Celtics look every bit as formidable as any team in the woeful Eastern Conference. They will have to learn to emphasize defense (a big problem last season), but you can surround Paul Pierce, Allen, and Garnett with Rajon Rondo, Kendrick Perkins, or two guys from the John Barry Boys and Girls Club -- they still will make the playoffs. And with three scoring stars, they are as good as or better than Cleveland, Chicago, Detroit, or Miami.

Christmas Day. Graduation Day. Wedding Day. The day you got your first good job. The day you moved into your dream house. The day your first child was born.

And then there's July 31, 2007. The day Boston sports fans were rewarded with a stunning shower of gifts.

OK, there were some days in 2004 when it was pretty cool to be a New England sports enthusiast. And we had a pretty good run of championships in our town back in the golden year of 1986. But it's hard to remember a day like yesterday. After weeks of speculation and hours of rumor and negotiation, the Red Sox became World Series favorites and the Celtics made reservations for the NBA Finals all within a few hours.

Really now, has there ever been a better time to be a Boston sports fan? Is there any city in the country with more fun in store over the next 10 months? And finally, did the Bruins just punch a ticket on the southbound train that dead-ends in Oblivion, USA?

On the third anniversary of deadline deals that delivered Boston its first World Series championship in 86 years, the Sox yesterday acquired Eric Gagne, beating the buzzer by a half-hour and providing manager Terry Francona with a wealth of options in his bullpen. Then the Celtics held a news conference to introduce superstar Kevin Garnett, who is nothing less than one of the best players in the history of the NBA.

Gagne and Garnett. New stars in the New England sports galaxy. New reasons to believe. Rewards for the millions who care so deeply about our local teams.

We know championships are not won on paper. Stocking a roster with All-Pros does not guarantee ring ceremonies (ask the San Diego Chargers). Injuries and old age sometimes get in the way, and not every established star has been able to bring the magic to our region (anyone remember Jack Clark?).

But it's hard to hold back in these early hours after the two trades. Hard not to get carried away.

The Celtics were a joke, a bad product with no hope on the horizon. Twenty-four wins and then the poisonous ping-pong balls took them off the map and solidified ours as a two-team town. The draft-night deal for Ray Allen, by itself, made no sense. But now that Garnett has been brought on board, it turns out there was a plan after all.

The new Celtics look every bit as formidable as any team in the woeful Eastern Conference. They will have to learn to emphasize defense (a big problem last season), but you can surround Paul Pierce, Allen, and Garnett with Rajon Rondo, Kendrick Perkins, or two guys from the John Barry Boys and Girls Club -- they still will make the playoffs. And with three scoring stars, they are as good as or better than Cleveland, Chicago, Detroit, or Miami.
Page 2 of 2 --

The Celtics have junked the future in exchange for the present. It's right out of the George Allen "Future is Now" playbook. And it makes us eager to get back to the Garden for the first time in a long time.
Article Tools

Garnett is a legitimate NBA force. There never has been anyone quite like him. He's a 6-foot-11-inch, backboard-eating, perimeter-roaming, jump-shooting former Most Valuable Player. And his arrival gives the Celtics a shot to make one of those turnarounds that accompanied Larry Bird's first year in Boston (29 wins to 61 wins).

I am reminded of Danny Ainge's early days with the Celtics. Red Auerbach saw Ainge playing a little poker with Kevin McHale and some other teammates and asked Ainge if gambling was a violation of his Mormon faith.

"It's not gambling when I play against these guys," Ainge said with a smile. "It's a sure thing."

Certainly, Al Jefferson may become an All-Star and Gerald Green someday may harness his gifts and better learn the game, but in the short term, this deal is no gamble. And kudos to the sometimes maligned Celtics owners. They have put their wallets on the line to bring a winner back to Boston.

Which brings us to the Sox. Remember when the Yankees stockpiled stars and contracts like the Cold War Soviet Union stacking nuclear missiles? The Sox have become the Yankees and John Henry is playing the part of George Steinbrenner with more believability (if less bluster) than Oliver Platt.

A team that already has Jonathan Papelbon, Hideki Okajima, and Mike Timlin adds Eric Gagne? The Sox' stable of starters now is backed by a raft of reliable relievers. The Sox have the best record in baseball and are getting ready to add Gagne and get Curt Schilling back. In one swift trade-deadline motion, the Sox made themselves October favorites. Meanwhile, the Yankees dozed. (Scott Proctor to the Dodgers for third baseman Wilson Betemit barely registers.)

Roll the tape back a little more to truly appreciate what is happening around here. The Patriots came within a minute of advancing to the Super Bowl, then reloaded with ferocity never seen before during the Bill Belichick regime. You know their names. And now the Patriots are favorites to make it to Arizona in February.

We are the town with Manny Ramírez, Tom Brady, Kevin Garnett, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Randy Moss, Ray Allen, Curt Schilling, Bill Belichick, Paul Pierce, David Ortiz, Adalius Thomas, Jonathan Papelbon, Tedy Bruschi, Josh Beckett, Rodney Harrison, Jason Varitek, Richard Seymour, and Eric Gagne. We have reasonable expectations of a World Series, a Super Bowl, and the NBA Finals. There never has been a better time to be a sports fan in Boston.

Dan Shaughnessy is a Globe columnist. He can be reached at dshaughnessy@globe.com.

Boston Sport Teams owned Ny? :lol:

Its always good to plan a few steps ahead, but yea i think people need to chill. Hopefully we can take the wildcard lead in the next week or two and then people will be a lot happier...

In addition to my comment of 9:35 AM, What if Jeter was booed out of NY in his first year. He had a boatload of errors.

Larry M.:

I agree with you on changing the attitude of the league. At trade deadline time, there are always two prices for players on the market: the going price and "the Yankee price." Other teams always demand more from the Yankees. The Red Sox gave up a laughable amount for Gagne.

(Still, Ian Kennedy and a bush-leaguer to be named later for Gagne would have saved the bullpen.)

And my thoughts on Rivera:

If he does to the Yankees what other teams do (demand a market price for other teams bidding for his services, but a higher, "Yankee price" for the Yankees to keep him) I say "Thanks for the Memories and good luck with the Astros."

Nobody has saved more important games for their team than Mariano Rivera. But nobody has blown more big games for their team than Mariano Rivera. To this day I think it was lame for him to blame Brosius for losing the 2001 World Series. He was thisclose to putting down the Red Sox in 2004, but couldn't nail it down. Sandy Alomar's home run in 1997 is still in orbit.

The Yankees haven't won since 2000. Mariano needs a dose of reality.

I am very surprised by the amount of people furious about trading Proctor. Here is why I think it is a good trade:

1. Proctor was already losing favor with Torre- Vizciano and Villone were already being used in games where the Yankees were winning. For the most part, Proctor was being used in games that the Yankees were trailing-look it up.

2. Betamit dooes not have to play anywhere. The Yankees' bench has been terrible all year- they had a few extra inning games when they didn't use one bench palyer. Now with Betamit and Molina, thye have major leaguers on the bench. Can you imagine if Cano, Jeter or Rodriguez had gotten injured in May or June. Now they have insurance for this. A team with this high a payroll should have major league quality reserves. Betamit has also been great as a pinch hitter this year.

As far as Gagne:

1. According to the stories in the press today, texas used the Yankees. They told Cashman we want either Kennedy or Cabrera or he is going to Bosoton. that's blackmail. Cashman did the right thing by not doing this. Who would play centerfield if Cabrera were traded? Damon?

2. The Yankees' starting pitching has not shown any indication that it is consistent enough to go late into games and, more importantly to hold leads in the middle of games. This is why Rivera has not gotten alot of work this yar. Most of their wins are blowouts, and Torre doesn't pitch his main bullpen guys when the Yankees are trailing. Therefore, there could be long streetches where Gagne would not be used especially if the "Three sub-.500 aces" of Mussina. Clemens and Pettitte continue their inconsistency. The yankees rested Rivera the entire month of September last year to get him redy for the playoffs. What happened? Mussina, Johnson and Wright flopped, and Rivera just sat there.

You can't trade your starting centerfielder or top prospect for a set up guy who might not be used in the majority of your games. If texas was giving hom away, I would take him, but not for the terms offered.

finally the deadline has passed. cash didn't trade away for any of the young guys, who in turn could prove worthy or not.

however, yanks can benefit from having a healthy hughes and giambi come back.

also, not trading anyone away in blockbuster deals or depleteing the farm system sends a positve vibe throughout the clubhouse. cash essentially said - this is the team we are going to win with.

and why not? u got your a-rod, your jeter, a locked in matsui, the youth movement in cano, melky and phillips. your starting pitching, as long as they stay healthy, consists of a proven pett, clemens and moose. you know what you get from wang...and hughes is more than ready to follow the older boys right along.

abreu is on when patient and stay on the ball. with giambi, we need him to not try and hit 5-r homers, but to get on base and work pitchers. damon needs to do the same...get on base and have jetes move him over.

this is the team we will win with. not a question if CLE or SEA or LAA can stay afloat, its more of a question if our 200 mill. ball players can play like the yanks we saw last night!

Melky, or Kennedy for 2 months of Gagne not worth mentioning. For once, Cashman did the right thing. Now need to pass Farns "not"Worth through waivers and trade him to Atlanta for Wickman. Kay backed off a little, with Girardi and Leiter doing a great job in the booth last night. Kay "mouth" must remember, less Kay is more Kay.
PS - Kay is still a JINX!

Mike,

I totally agree about Gagne, but if that is the case how come Boston got him for practically nothing?

Looking at the runs scored runs given up for yankees and red sox is pretty interesting. We've scored a ton more, but they've given up fewer runs. I feel like potential success from hughes and chamberlain and the fact many of those runs came at our lowest point indicate that we are playing better overall baseball than is boston. Getting Giambi back can't hurt either.

finally, what is the story with jason jennings? wasn't he reasonably well regarded a year or two back?

With 16 young pitchers and all this money this is the best Cashman can do?

Kept Farnworth = loss

Kept Igawa = major loss

Losing Proctor = loss

We could have had Wiggy or anyone for the utility position.

We lost a great guy, durable (though wild) who throws 95 miles per hour and is never afraid to take the ball and could handle NYC for a scrub.

We will probably make the playoffs and then Detroit and Boston will annihilate us. Cleveland and Seattle will fade as someone else noted.

Sickening really to pick up the paper this morning and see the Red Sox got Gagne for Gabbard. We would have topped that offer easily without selling off the farm system.

How many pitching prospects do you need?

We beat up on CWS, Tampa, KC, but when push comes to shove we may not have it when you have to pitch ...

Igawa
Mussina (iffy at best)
Farns

I hate to be negative, I just expected so much more.

Maybe it will all work out. And maybe there were things behind the scenes preventing a deal that we don't know about. Let's face it, we have an old team on the field, very prone to injury with horrendous character problems (we've addressed this many times) and horrible contracts. The guys we need to lock up are not signed. That's also a problem. And NY is a terror target haven, what player would want to be there when the next shoe drops? (I hope nothing happens but it should concern us all considering the "gut feelings" of our "elites.")

But the Red Sox and Braves will probably meet in the World Series now. If I were the Mets I'd be worried.

(But they have Glavine to pinch hit.)

Go Yankees!

Any real man, any real Yankee fan and any real American should be outraged at the idea of a ML game being played in China. This considering the evil leadership in Beijing's Politburo. People should write to Bud Selig and demand he stop this disgusting feting of the animals who brought you Tiananmen Square and have openly threatened us with nuclear war over Taiwan.

For even proposing this Bud Selig and the other "leaders" of ML Baseball should be send to a Chinese slave labor laogai gulag.

It's disgusting.

What the hell is wrong with people?

Yanks have won the past 2 series they played vs Boston and look out, it will happen again down the road. Good job Cashman for keeping the young kids instead of blowing it on a Tommy John oft injured Gagne who the Yanks can hit!

I meant "sent to a camp ..."

Sorry for the typo.

And any MLB player who goes to China to play should be banned from all MLB games forever.

If Chamberlain is the answer to the bullpen how come he hasn't been called up yet?

Because he had never pitched in relief before monday.

He struck out the side monday.

I think they may give him another inning or two in AAA before bringing him up.

to be honest, i think the biggest blunder this year was the psychological treatment of igawa. sending him down to the lowest levels of the minors is damaging especially when he is trying to learn the ropes in the u.s. and there were never any human interest stories about matsui bringing him along etc. (even if that isnt how they do it in japan).

My point is that one espn blogger noted that he might over think his starts and would be good out of the bullpen because of his high k rate. but that ship has sailed since he has been moved around and hated on so much.

oh well. he is still young and has many years to keep trying or scaring us. one or the other.

Buster,

I am sorry nut I disagree about Igawa. He walks way to many people for the bull pen. We already have that now. Why would we want more?

Nice softball game last night...I hope the boys saved some for tonight.

Buster,

That was supposed to be "I am sorry but" not nut.

I am now hearing "be patient" when it comes to Chamberlain and his probable "bullpen" morph. This is Aug. The time for patience is Spring Training, April, May, June. We coulda had Gagne for our "3rd" best minor league pitcher, and received 2 draft picks if he "walked" at seasons end. Basically, Gagne and 2 draft picks, for our 3rd best minor league pitcher and probably some minor league "trash". Throw in the fact that Gagne went to the team we will have to defeat in order to reach the World Series, and making this trade was imperative. Cashman continues to show he cannot "pull the trigger" on trades involving major league "big name" players. He has shown he will not hesitate to throw money at mediocre players, yet "freezes" when it comes to trading actual players, whether they be major or minor leaguers. I keep hearing how the Yanks have "stocked" their minor league system to the "gills", yet they can't spare their 3rd best minor league pitcher to fortify a "leaking" bullpen with a proven Saver? Ridiculous. Cashman needs to follow that Steinbrenner dictum, "Either lead, follow, or get the hell out of the way". Currently, Cashman and the Yanks are "treading" water. Clearly, this is not the way to get by the R\Sox and advance to the World Series.

Mike,
Indeed walks spell doom (listen to any Jon Sterling analysis in late innings), but then again, Igawa's best game came when Karstens got injured. Second, he might benefit from the opposing team only seeing him once through the order.

tough to say, but my point was mainly that we wont know this year because he is likely a mess mechanically and psychologically after all this shuffling.

just thought that with bp work you also deny him the ability to do that stupid pre-game workout.

Roy-

if you consider winning 16-3, 8 HRs and gaining a game on both teams ahead of us in both division and WC as "treading water", i'll certainly take it.

just despite you and your constant "sell the farm" trade deals, im estatic the yanks didnt trade for anyone you constantly mentioned.

would gagne help the yanks. sure, no doubt. but for what they were asking? not so much. however, i would have loved to seen your posts if we did make the deal, and gagne blows his oft-injured, yet "major league" elbow in the middle of a playoff hunt.

its good to see your posts though Roy. it brings the rest of us back down to reality and distingushes fans like you that live in a fantasy world.

Roy,

Do you really think it would be a good idea to bring up Joba into relief without even giving him a few chances in AAA to see what it is like to pitch in relief?

You make Gange out to be this amazing big name player. He is 31, injury prone and does not have the stuff he had when he was getting 50+ saves. To trade away a top prospect for 2 months of Gange is idiotic and goes against what Cashman has been trying to do the past few years.

Teams do not give away star pitchers anymore. They almost always have to come from within your organization. We need every high end pitching prospect we can get in order to move forward in the post Clemens, Mussina, Pettitte years.

We have a lot of options from within for the bullpen....Karstens, Joba, Edwar, Ohlendorf, Colter Bean....the list goes on

Being a GM is simple ...

A.

You get the best players.

B.

And you keep the best players away from your chief rivals.

The Mets and Yankees have both failed miserably in the recent trade a thon.

The goal is to win the World Series.

There is NO CHANCE of that in 2007 for either team.

THe Best Players went to the "Devil" Redsox?

Like Matsuzaka, Gagne...

in looking ahead, im going to save a lot of you the trouble of reading Roy's posts next year at the deadline.

a glimpse of what he will say-

go "after" santana and nathan from the "twins". here is a "block"buster-

santana and nathan "for" hughes, chamberlin, "jeter", cano and duncan.

"yankees" would be stupid "not" to do it.

hahahaha

Another thing....

The Red Sox already had one of the best bullpens in the league.

Yes, Gange obviously helps them even more.

But there is a big picture involved in all of this. You have to look past this season when making moves like that.

Trading Proctor who has already pitched a lot this year and was already showing signs of fatigue for an upgrade on our bench was a great move.

The only beef I have is that they did not get rid of Farnsworth.

Once again, Roy shows us his “misguided” wisdom on the Gagne non-trade.

First off, Gagne is NOT a “proven” player as he used to be. He is an injury-plagued walking rehab center who can’t stay healthy to save his life. He hasn’t pitched all full season since 2004 and has already spent time on the DL earlier this season.

It was too big of a risk to acquire a rental for two months and give away one of their top pitching prospects that is near major-league ready. Kennedy will likely be in the starting games for the Yankees at some point as early as 2008.

Kennedy probably wouldn’t be in the rotation coming out of Spring Training because there wouldn’t be room for him with the #4 and #5 slot occupied by Hughes and Chamberlain. However, an injury or a struggling starter could happen at any time -- as we’ve seen the last few seasons out of Yankee starters, and Kennedy could very well get his shot.

Yeah, they could have gotten draft picks when Gagne walks after this season (which he certainly would have done), but I’ll take a guy who has already flourished through their minor league system and is almost major-league ready than a “what if” draft pick that won’t be chosen for another year.

Most everyone, including guys like Rosenthal, Buster Olney, and even Peter Gammons thought it was the smart move for Cashman to keep the young kids. My guess is that most Yankee fans feel the same way.

I guess since the deadline is over and Roy can’t keep harping on getting Teixeira, he now has to harp about not getting Gagne for the next two months.

Keep on talking, Roy. Not many are listening to you.

Brian Cashman with the blessing of the front office has decided to stand pat except for an improvement on the bench. Many fans are disappointed with this present decision. Believing it makes the pennant unobtainable with the present bullpen staff. Athletes are funny animals. They all have the necessary skills to suceed or achieve at their game but most of the time a mental aspect will interfere with the physical. All the trades to bring the physical athlete to the team can be made but no guarantee of success. If our Yankee bullpen the guys who throw 95+ or there abouts pitch with some confidence than All the Gagne's in the league will not stop this team from playing in the WS.

The team offensively and defensively have hit their stride. Now for some confident pitching much like Viscaino is doing whom I have asked to be traded for one dirty water hot dog with sauerkraut.

Stack the Yankee team against the R\Sox or Tigers in Oct. and what have you got? Another quick exit, and a long winter. Oh yea, we also still have Kennedy. WOW

With "Homer" Gammons weighing in and backing Cashman's "standing pat", I now rest my case.

Roy you are exactly right.

The trade and non trades are a disaster.

But Cashman has a list an arm long of horrible deals.

Well, guess what?

The best teams on paper don't always win.

If that was the case, we wouldn't have wildcard teams like the Marlins, Angels, Cardinals, and the Red Sox of 2004 winning the World Series.

It's not about having the best team on paper. It's about playing the best ball in October.

We have about 20 prospects now that I count them.

We need Gagne, now.

And he's not only not with us, he's with freakin' Boston.

Viper this is a no brainer. Just to keep him AWAY from Boston would have been a victory.

We have not won the World Series in 7 years or so.

In 03 we were mauled by Florida and if AJ Burnett wasn't hurt we'd have been swept probably.

Kennedy is good. But how much better than Horne or Brackman or any of the other 17 kids we have?

I think Roy is right.

Thought Nullification of Roy's points are not fair.

We'll make the playoffs and get wiped out. Big deal, it happens every year now.

Just my two cents.

With "Homer" Gammons weighing in and backing Cashman's "standing pat", I now rest my case.
==============================

You forgot the other two guys I mentioned -- Olney and Rosenthal.

I guess those guys are "Red Sox homers" too, huh?

Olney wrote an outstanding book about the Yanks a few years ago and used to cover them a few years ago for the Times.

If anything, Olney is more of a Yankee homer.

You sound foolish, Roy. Give it up.

Roy, you forget... Cashman made sure The Farns was untouchable. Utterly brilliant. And with Joe DiMaggio Betemit, the pennant is ours.

Oops. The last post was mine.

Why are you guys worried about the Red Sox?

The Yanks probably weren't going to win the AL East whether they got Gagne or not.

The Yanks should be focusing on the wildcard to get to the post-season.

I wouldn't worry about the Red Sox in the postseason because the Tigers are going to beat them anyways.

Baseball Prospectus Redsox are Overwhelming Underdogs?
When to Panic in Boston

[quote][url=http://baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=6531]http://baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=6531[/url]

by John Perrotto

It's difficult to consider a team with a $143-million payroll and seemingly limitless resources as an underdog. However, Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz insists his team is always the underdog in the American League East. And how can you argue with the genial Big Papi anyway?

“Everybody in America picked the Yankees to win the division this year,” Ortiz said. “We’re the team that wasn’t supposed to win. We know we have a good team, though. I know a lot of people are still picking the Yankees to win. We’ll play the games and see what happens.”

It's certainly hard to portray the Red Sox as underdogs now that they have the best record in the major leagues (64-42) and hold a seven-game lead over the Yankees in the AL East. However, there are a few reasons why the Red Sox and their fans are worried. There is always that inferiority complex when it comes to the Yankees, as New York has won the last nine division titles--though the Red Sox last won a World Series in 2004, while the Yankees haven’t won it all since 2000. Furthermore, the Yankees have cut into what once seemed like an insurmountable division lead. The Red Sox’ lead was in double digits by May 20 and got as high 12 games on July 5.

Manager Terry Francona smiled and recalled something he was told in his first year as manager in Boston in 2004. “If you’re not in a panic then it’s time to move from East Coast to the Midwest,” Francona said. Francona understands if there is a bit of anxiety about the Yankees making a charge, but he isn’t surprised. “You knew there was no way that they were going to play poorly all year, that wasn’t going to happen,” Francona said. “There is too much talent on that team and Joe Torre is too good of a manager for that to happen. That’s why I’ve never gotten too excited, regardless of how big our lead got.
[/quote]

I just threw up After reading this garbage. Baseball Prospectus John Perrotto made a good point that Redsox are no longer consider Underdogs to the Yankees after acquiring Gagne yesterday and Dice-k , Nancy Drew and Lugo in the offseason.

as much as i hate him, gammons is the hall of fame caliber baseball analyst, along with other above avaerage guys like rosenthal and olney (yankee haters or not)....not you Roy.

as a matter of fact, the only "homer" out of all the names mentioned is ...you!

Wow..."Roy" is taking a "beating" today. I shared your "disappointment" yesterday Roy, but "after" some reading "up" on what "The Rangers" wanted for "Gagne", I think "Cash" made the "right" call.
With Karstens, Rasner, Chamberlain, Ramirez and Hughes all coming up or back, there will be plenty of "arms" to stick in "The Pen".
I don't "think" the Yanks should have traded "Melky" and "Kennedy" for "Gagne" so I'm "glad" it didn't "happen".

It did hurt to see Gagne go to Boston though, but he is a rental player whom the Sox gave up quite a bit for if you ask me, but I don't blame them, they have the team to beat right now so they may as well go for it. One reliever was not going to save the Yanks season.

Viper, Chip has tried diligently to educate Roy, he's not interested. He still thinks salvation can be found trading away prospects for other teams trash (anyone ask why Texas got rid of Gagne for nothing? Maybe they know something?). He doesn't care that it didn't work in the 80's for the Yanks or 02-07, he continues to plod along in a trance uttering mindlessly what he's been programed to believe. That other sheep are willing to follow him over the cliff is not surprising.

Does anyone else wonder why Texas wasn't able to get more for Gagne, given the high market for relief pitchers? Cleveland, Atlanta, Tampa Bay, Boston, the Yankees, San Diego, Arizona, NY Mets all were looking to upgrade their pen, and the best the Rangers could do is Gabbard and some 19 YOA prospect? This is the guy that we should have given up possibly our most polished minor league pitching prospect for, as if the Yankess are one set-up guy with a ruber band for an elbow tendon away from a world series ring?

Roy and others, keep spouting your nonsense about trading away the farm for veteran rentals in their thirties hoping for a quick fix. Most on this board realize just how foolish you guys are...

Couldn't agree more, michaelz.

I agree with you too Jim...

After all was said and done, keeping all our guys was the best decision.

If we do take the wildcard, it will be nice to see how our Yankees react to being underdogs. Sometimes situation like these makes our team play harder and smarter than the favorites.

These next few years are going to be exciting for the yankees and there fans. Looking forward to see our young guys play!

I agree. This will be the first time the Yanks are considered underdogs. I think it will put a fire in their bellies that they have not had over the past 3-7 years. They will play harder to show who they really are!

Ed Price in today's Star-Ledger quotes a scout on Betemit:

"nonchalant on defense....an overswinger at the plate....a very weird guy, a lazy guy."

That should add to clubhouse chemistry. Maybe F-Worth needs a roomie.