New York Yankees Reported To Be In Pursuit Of Jose Quintana
Jon Morosi is reporting that the New York Yankees are interested in acquiring starting pitcher Jose Quintana from the Chicago White Sox , and that “the Yankees have the prospects to do it”.
The New York Yankees have been toying with the idea of adding a reliable starting pitcher to a staff that, on paper, is mediocre at best. With the exception of Masahiro Tanaka , who made a serious run for the Cy Young last season, the rest of the staff is either old and injury prone (Sabathia), young and untested (Mitchell, Severino, Cessa), or prone to yo-yo like performances (Pineda).
Would The Yankees Really Trade Prospects Though?
But having said that, Yankee GM Brian Cashman has also been adamant about not giving up the farm in order to make a run at a title this year after having worked so hard to put themselves in a position with enough prospects to win potentially multiple titles in the near future. And for that reason, the idea presented by Morosi that the Yankees would trade high level prospects would appear to be off base.
But the suggestion that the they are pursuing Quintana is not off base, because he’s exactly what the Yankees need in their rotation. Quintana is a carbon copy of what C C Sabathia used to be not too long ago. He even looks like him. He gives you 30-35 starts, 180-200 innings, and 12-15 wins like a robot year after year with no fuss and no muss. And as a bonus, he’s a lefty.
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Quintana is only 27 and he is under team control at least through the 2018 season making him also attractive from the standpoint of money owed. All of which begs the question as to why the White Sox would be willing to part with him. But let’s assume they are and go to the question of where that leaves the Yankees if they intend to make a deal.
The White Sox would not be interested in taking retreads like Headley, Gardner, and Ellsbury, but they might take one in a package that includes a couple of decent prospects who are ready to step into their rather decimated (and soon to be more depleted when they get around to dealing Todd Frazier ) lineup.
A Proposed Yankees Package
So, here’s a package that might work. The Yankees trade outfielder Mason Williams , Brett Gardner with salary relief money for the White Sox, and the pot sweetener, Greg Bird, in exchange for Quintana. Parts are interchangeable, but at least the conversation can be started.
If made, the deal would mean that the Yankees would have to use newly acquired Matt Holiday regularly at first base while top prospect Clint Frazier makes himself ready to join the Yankees mid season. The loss of Bird is unfortunate, but the White Sox would insist on someone of his caliber.
Mason Williams has toiled in the Yankees system for what seems like forever and he was once “the” Yankees prospect. He turned himself around last season progressing all the way through the minors (again) and looks like he may be ready to blossom, which should be attractive to the White Sox. And Gardner would be the guy that Brian Cashman says the White Sox have to take to get the other two guys.
This is the kind of trade that doesn’t happen overnight. As we said before, the parts are interchangeable, and that means that every time a new name is introduced into the mix, the other side needs time to regroup and reevaluate. Sure is a interesting one though…
