What Would Be the Cost of Cliff Lee?

There seem to be two elite (or well, one elite and one very good) starting pitchers on the trade market right now: Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee. I do not see the Yankees making a push for Halladay. There are several reasons why this will not happen...

Brian Cashman seems to be strongly against (and rightly so) "paying twice" for a player. The Yankees would have to give up a boatload of prospects and sign him to an extension. Furthermore, I do not see the Blue Jays trading within the division, basically taking themselves out of competition for several more years. Finally, I don't think the Yankees can afford Halladay right now; he is making $14.25 million dollars this year (so he is owed about $7 million more this year) and the Yankees have stated many times they cannot take on much additional salary. (They only took only a few hundred thousand for Eric Hinske.)

Lee is a completely different case. Lee is making $5.75 million dollars this year (so about $2.8 million left) and has a $8 million dollar team option for next year, which will definitely be picked up by whoever has him unless an unexpected injury occurs. Lee will definitely cost the Yankees a good amount in terms of players, but they will not have to "pay twice" (unless, of course, they want to extend him immediately). And the Yankees have some prospects that they can part with right now.

The Indians would want a very, very good prospects as the centerpiece of the deal. I would have no problem in sending them CF Austin Jackson as the centerpiece. In BaseballAmerica's most updated prospect list (from a few days ago), they listed Jackson as at least a top 50 prospect. He could definitely be higher.

Now who else could they offer? I would not under any circumstances offer the following people: Jesus Montero, Austin Romine, Mark Melancon and Zach McAllister.

The Indians could certaintly use some bullpen help. Maybe they would be interested in David Robertson? He has control issues at time but he certaintly has potential.

Now for the last prospect. Would they be interested in a guy like Wilkin de la Rosa? He really is impressive and I do really like him but they might have to. Maybe a guy that is just breaking out instead like Hector Noesi? Or do they take a guy that might be a bit of a risk, but who undoubtably has potential in Brandon Laird? Do they value Eduardo Nunez? Reegie Corona? How about Kevin Russo? I know he has no power but Russo's contact ability is fantastic. Would they have any interest in Melky Cabrera?

You know what, just for kicks throw in Edwar Ramirez to the deal.

How would you fellow Yankee fans (and any Indian fans out there?) feel about something like this? I would love to see something like this happen.

If the Yankees were able to pull something along these lines off they could take Joba Chamberlain out of the rotation (and send him to pen or minors, preferably the minors) and they could have a rotation of Sabathia-Burnett-Lee-Pettitte-Mitre.

Down in the Minors: The 12th of July

Let's take a brief look at what was going on down in the minor leagues...

AAA Scranton

Kevin Russo: 1-3 .308
Ramiro Pena: 2-5 2B K .308
They demoted to the minors partly because they wanted him to learn how to play the outfield, so he could be a Joe McEwing-type of supersub. He started in centerfield in this game. He didn't make an error and Chad Jennings says that he made a nice running catch. Counting the days until they have him replace Cody Ransom...
Austin Jackson, Eric Duncan, Shelley Duncan, Yurendell de Caster, Colin Curtis, P.J. Pilittere: all hitless but Shelley walked thrice and Pilittere, Jackson, and de Caster once
Doug Bernier: 2-4 2B .176
Sergio Mitre: See previous post...
Edwar Ramirez: 1IP 3H 2R Has been really poor all year in Majors and minors.

AA Trenton

Austin Krum: 3-5 2B 3B .206
Reegie Corona: 2-3 2B .293
Eduardo Nunez: 1-4 BB .307
Jorge Vazquez: 1-5 HR(13) .333
Chris Malec: 1-4 .291
Edwar Gonzalez: 2-4 2-2B .219
Kyle Anson: 1-4 .240
Marcos Vechionacci: 0-3 .202
Kanekoa Texeira: 5IP 4H 0ER 0BB 7K 2.92
He has been starting lately to get work with pretty good results. I wonder if they are going to make it a permanant thing.
Jason Schmidt, Eric Wordekemper, Grant Duff, Jose Valdez: scoreless innings each

High-A Tampa

Dan Brewer: 2-5 HR(1) .275
Austin Romine: 2-5 2B .293
Brandon Laird: 4-4 2B HR(7) .264
Hitting .417 over the last 10 games; the breakout has begun. Now watch him explode.
Damon Sublett, Kevin Smith, David Adams: hitless, Sublett and Adams walked twice
Hector Noesi: 5IP 5H 3R 1BB 8K 5.40

Low-A Charleston
DAY OFF

Rookie Staten Island Yankees

Jimmy Paredes, Carmen Angelini: 1-4
Zoilo Almonte: 2-4 .263
Kyle Higashioka, DeAngelo Mack: hitless
Neil Medchill: 1-4 HR(4) .937 OPS for the recent draftee
Francisco Rondon: 6IP 2H 0ER 2BB 7K 1.48ERA

Rookie GCL Yankees
DAY OFF