New York Yankees Needs As Trade Deadline Approaches

The Major League Baseball trade deadline is just ten days away. Teams will likely start moving along in trade discussions.

Normally you can expect a big trade or two to come through before the deadline passes. There is however some uncertainty this year. Teams seem to be holding on to players or asking for a lot in return.

The Yankees, while having te best record in the league, do have some holes they would like to fill. The main needs are pitching and bench depth.

The original thought was that the Yankees did not need to worry about starting pitching and just focus on the bullpen. With an injury to Andy Pettitte, a mental breakdown by A.J. Burnett, and an innings limit on Phil Hughes, the Yankees may want to think twice about not pursuing a starting pitcher.

The team continues to maintain the stance that their pursuit of Cliff Lee was a special case. General Manager Brian Cashman says starting pitching is not the teams priority.

Relief pitching is a concern for the team as well as many Yankees fans. After closer Mariano Rivera, the bullpen is very shaky. Eight inning guy Joba Chamberlain has been inconsistent while others like Chan Ho Park and Chad Gaudin have not pitched well at all. Dustin Moseley is not the answer.

David Robertson has pitched a bit better of late but even he has struggled this season. Sergio Mitre had been an option to help out of the bullpen but due to the Pettitte injury, he will now be placed into the starting rotation.

Another area of interest for the Yankees is the bench. The team would surely like to add some depth to the team before the deadline. They have tried calling up players like Juan Miranda, Kevin Russo, and Colin Curtis. These guys have the potential to be nice role players but they have not consistently performed well enough to take on the full time bench role.

Utility infielder Ramiro Pena continues to fill in nicely. He has a very good glove and can play three infield positions. Pena however is not known for his bat. The Yankees would like to add a veteran infielder that can provide some pop with the wood.

A backup in the outfield might help as well. Nick Swisher and Brett Gardner have had very good seasons but centerfielder Curtis Granderson has not found his groove. Marcus Thames is available as a backup in the outfield but he is more of a DH type player.

So, where can the Yankees go to fix these holes?

There are a few options in the farm system that may be able to help. Chad Tracy was picked up by the Yankees not to long ago and has played in nine games for Triple-A Scranton. In those nine games, Tracy has shown some pop. He is batting .324 with four home runs and 12 runs batted in in 34 at bats. The veteran would provide some pop off the bench while being able to play third base.

The team recently called up Boone Logan and Jonathan Albaladejo to help out in the bullpen. Logan has been up and down between the Majors and Triple-A this season. Albaladejo was having a very good season in the minors, 2-1 with a 0.96 ERA and 31 saves. Hopefully the big righty can continue his success while up with the big club.

Also having a good season in Triple-A is Royce Ring. I’ve been saying for a while now that the team should give Ring a chance. See what he can do. He can’t be any worse than Park.

If the Yankees decide to add some pieces via trade, they might have some options. The Yankees have been linked to names like Wes Helms, Ty Wigginton, and Willie Bloomquist. All of those guys are veterans who could provide solids bats and play the corner infield spots.

Scott Downs is a possible target for relief help. Other names I have heard mentioned are Michael Wuertz, Leo Nunez, Kevin Gregg, and Joakim Soria.

If the Yankees chance their mind and do decide to pursue starting pitching, Dan Haren and Roy Oswalt are the top names. Ted Lilly, Brett Myers, and Jake Westbrook are also possibilities.

An interesting trade I’d like to see the Yankees inquire about would happen with the Philadelphia Phillies. What do you think about the Yankees going to Philadelphia and asking about both Jayson Werth and J.A. Happ. The Phillies may be willing to part with these two players and it wouldn’t hurt to find out what it would take.

Werth would provide outfield depth as well as be a guy that could fill the DH role. The free agent to be could then sign a long term deal with the Yankees after this season. Happ could help the Yankees in either a starting role or out of the bullpen.

The question is, what would you give up for Werth and Happ? It would likely take one major league ready prospect (Jesus Montero?) and one or two more pieces. Would you do it?