Washburn to NYY Heating Up?
by Jon Shields ~ July 23rd, 2008
Rob hit on this yesterday, and now SI’s Jon Heyman has more on the potential deal that would send Jarrod Washburn to the Bronx. He makes it clear that both teams would be trying to clear salary, noting that Seattle may be trying to move Jose Vidro in the same deal.
At first I thought it bizarre that the Yankees would consider taking on Vidro, but after looking at their roster it isn’t that far fetched. Not a great move for them, but it could happen.
Heyman say the Yankees want to send Japanese lefty Kei Igawa in return. Some of you may cringe at thought of bringing him in, but I think it would be an okay move. Igawa is still just 29 years old and despite his MLB struggles, he’s been solid in AAA over the past two seasons. He’d be under contract through the 2011 season at $4M per season, and Heyman suggests that New York would pay some of that in return for Vidro (absurd, I know!).
Seattle would be getting a top Japanese pitcher without having to pay the $26M posting fee that New York did before the 2007 season. I think it’s a low risk, mid-to-high reward acquisition, especially considering Seattle may need some bodies to fill in the rotation over the next 2 seasons, depending on which starters are moved this year and over the offseason, and considering the price of starting pitching nowadays. Prospects would be nice, but the Yankees are reluctant to give any for Washburn, so Igawa could be a smart gamble for Seattle. Or perhaps a prospect or two would be included as well.
Thoughts? I can see the readers being on both sides of the fence here.
UPDATE 2:52pm: John Hickey adds a report of his own. It’s hard to tell if he has his own insight or if he’s going off of the reports previously mentioned.
5 Responses to Washburn to NYY Heating Up?
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1 July 23rd, 2008 at 3:43 pm
You would be okay with trading for Igawa, and AAA pitcher at best? Washburn’s last 6-10 starts have been decent, to good, to quality starts. Why trade that? Igawa has never shown that he belongs in the majors. He’s been shelled consistently. I’ll take Washburn. Vidro for Igawa, I would do that. Won’t happen, but I would at least try.
2 July 23rd, 2008 at 4:16 pm
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think Igawa is all that good, but if Seattle can cancle out the remainder of Washburn and Vidro’s contract, get extra cash AND gamble on a guy like Igawa who is a potential bargain at $4M per season if he can even become a back-of-the-rotation pitcher, then I think that’s a decent move. Anything to cancle out Bavasi’s bad contracts is a good thing, in my opinion, and while Igawa is owed something like 15-16 million, it’s spread out so it doesn’t effect the clubs ability to spend as much.
Call me crazy, but I may be the only person that would be ok with a deal like this.
3 July 23rd, 2008 at 7:12 pm
I am okay with it. I find it funny that the Yankees could end up with both Sexson and Vidro.
4 July 23rd, 2008 at 7:58 pm
I found this funny. It’s on a comment on the Yardbarker version of this post:
Hahaha Vidro being the “former All-Star”.
Tony Gwynn was also a former All-Star but I’m not saying I’d want him on my team!!!
5 July 24th, 2008 at 10:19 am
Is this really the best the Mariners can do for a proven, semi-reliable starter? Great and all to dump salary, but this does little at best for our future. Let’s try and land a decent prospect already.