On the Yankees beat

Abreu goes to Yanks without giving up any Major League talent or any top prospects. I like this deal. Matt Smith, a 25 yr old lefty, could be an ok reliver but let's be real here...with the Yanks having bullpen problems all year he couldn't stick with the club and was sent down a couple times. The Yankees assume Abreu's salary and significantly upgrade in right field. He may not hit home runs but he's an on base machine with a real arm in right field. I'm not big on Corey Lidle but he's got to be better than Sir Sidney or Kris Wilson etc as the 5th starter.

If, the trade holds up with Abreu and Lidle. I would have to say that it is positive. Abreu is expensive but brings .303 BA with at least 20HR and killer on base percentage. Lidle brings .530 winning percentage and workman like 4/5 starter. You add this to Fasano as new backup. I would think that we are better cabable of securing a playoff spot then yesterday. The lineup offensively has been showing signs of weakness toward the back end. This makes Sheffield expendable or Matsui trade bait for pitching? We did not give up alot on face value which was ready for Yankee Stadium thou I had hopes for Smith. I guess the Phillies do too.

Uh....Sheff's contract is up, he wasn't staying anyway. Matsui isn't going anywhere (doesn't he have a no-trade now?)

Overall, I like this deal very much. Most importantly, Yanks didn't have to give up anyone of real value and the fact they didn't pick up the Abreu option makes the roster much more flexible for '08. All good.

Are the Yankees done or does Cashman try to get Hernandez and Wilson from Pittsburgh to upgrade the pen and bench?

The Yankees are getting ready to make a delayed deal to be announced after the trading deadline. At the cost of NO players, Cano, Matsui, and Sheffield will join the team.

Here we go again. Another over the hill overpaid retread. Who is in the outfield next year? Do you bump Melky and all that he brings for Abreu? I though the idea weas to get younger with more payroll flexibility so they can go aftyer pitching. I feel like it is 1986 again. Where is Jack Clark and Jesse Batfield when you need them.

I read a couple good things about Lidle from a Phili sportswriter:
Phillies | Greatsportsnews.com

Hopefully, BA can shine under the bright lights!!

I don't think Abreu is a bad thing as alot of fans do. He's a solid on base machine although his power numbers are a little bit down as his average too. Abreu is only 32, which technically is younger. Also did I read right a few months ago that Sheff's option was planning to be picked up or was I hallucinating? Unless its changed since then...

This is an AWESOME trade. I don't think that there's an opening at SS for the Yanks for another 6-7 years, so giving up CJ makes sense. I love Melky too, but he's only 21, will play PLENTY as the 4th OF'er next year, and will be here LONG after Abreu and Damon are gone. And Lidle will end up being the best part of the trade...he's probably our #4 starter right now...

Bye-bye Ponson and/or Chacon. Also bye-bye Sheff. Keeping Proctor was a must. Matt Smith was 2.08 at Columbus and did not allow a run in 12 innings with the Yanks, so we sent him down and then dumped him ?? I agrre with Mags - still need a deal with Pittsburgh; Phillips is slowly dying. Does anybody have interest in Phillips, Crosby, Guiel or (gulp) Reese or Thompson? One scout I saw quoted said Abreu was lazy, selfish and doesn't like to run close to the wall. But we love him anyway, I guess.

Saying that Abreu is over the hill is laughable.

I'm Ok with Abreau in that the Yanks don't have to eat his option, which would have been a killer. And it's good for the stretch run, no doubt, but it sucks what it will do to Melky next year. I'd hate to see the Yanks let Cabrera wither on the vine or trade him.
Getting Lidle excites me more. He's had some experience in the AL before, so hopefully that immunizes him against becoming another one of those NL flops who gets beat down in the Thunder League. He instantly becomes the fourth starter.

You gotta be happy about adding Abreu and Lidle, but I hope trading Henry doesn't come back to bite us. The Yanks picked him over Craig Hansen, who is probably the closer of the future for the Bosox.

There is no way that this deal can be seen as anything but a positive. Bobby Abreu represents a substantial upgrade offensively (even while slumping) and defensively over the Bernie Williams/Aaron Guiel platoon (and lets Joe have some more flexibility in using Bernie to spell Damon & Cabrera). Cory Lidle is a substantial upgrade over Sidney Ponson/Shawn Chacon/Kris Wilson/Eddie Whitson, and may actually be better than Jared Wright as well. To get these upgrades, we gave up nothing. Smith is a lightly regarded reliver who has had two major arm surgeries, Henry is a decent prospect who is struggling in low-A ball (.235 average and 27 errors), and the other two are minor prospects. Abreu slides into Gary Sheffield's projected salary spot for next year ($15 million for Abreu, $13 million if we had picked up Sheffield's option), and give Cabrera another year to develop as a 4th outfielder. Neither Abreu nor Lidle will likely be the salvation for the Yanks, but they both make the Yankees better. Great trade by Cashman.

Matsui should learn to play 1B for next season.

First, I have to comment about Wallace's column. Mr. Wallace's column yesterday about the Abreu and Lidle trade confirms my suspicion about him. He's a small market National League fan probably thinks the National League East is tough competition for the Mets with every team except the Mets playing sub .500 ball. This is the entertainment business which is for the pleasure of the fans. I may not agree with everything about this trade but the Phillies are treating it more like a business. The Yanks could not make the deal without the Phillies.Thanks to The Boss and his organization for trying to win every year. Also, for the guts to hold on to Hughes,etc. I guess Wallace thinks that the 15 million dollar payroll that the Marlins have with their recent sellout of their quality player base is the way to treat their fans. And their acceptance of 34 million in luxury tax money is fair. Do the numbers Mr.Wallace where is the money going. The owners love the Yankees when they come into town. The seats fill up. People buy pop corn, beer and hot dogs, etc. the cash registers flow with green stuff. This is athletic entertainment. Maybe the Yanks should hold pat because the Red Sox who are ahead in the standings will not do any trades by this afternoon, yea right.

Second, I wish Abreu and Lidle the best because they're Yankees now. I believe Melky will get alot of playing time even with Matsui, Damon and Abreu in the OF. I believe Sheff is a goner. In this respect I believe Wallace is correct. Sheff will not hasten his rehab because of his thought process of not being a part of the big picture next year.

Matsui at first base is intriguing, but I believe that Sheffield would make a better 1st baseman. Sheffield did come up as a SS then moved to 3rd before the outfield. So it would be an easier transition I know I am in the monority but I will be sorry to see him go after the year.

The Yankees don't need Abreu for power numbers although he'll have his share at The Stadium. His real value is on base %.
He along with Damon and Jeter can make a pitcher throw a lot of pitches and force pin point control before the power guys ever pick up a bat. The Yankees will now get into a team's bullpen sooner than ever.
Lidle has been around and can't hurt as a 4th of 5th starter. Can't find fault with the deal.

The Yanks might have been willing to pick up Sheff's option for next year a few months ago, but I have to think any chance of theat is now done. There would be a common uproar in Japan (where the Yankees now sell a whole lot of merchandise, enough not to anger the fan base) if we played with Matsui by moving him. It would be the equivalent of moving Jeter.

Unfortunately, for short term gains, the Yankees may have squandered yet another long-term gain in Melky. While I certainly do not agree that Abreu is "over-the-hill", he is not 21.

Great trade by Cash...we needed someone in right and i would rather have abreu than Sheff...he's only 29 and is an on base machine...and lidle is just a great bonus...we didnt give up the future and we got some good players...im pumped!

When will the Yanks learn that NL starting pitchers just cannot handle AL hitters. Sure Lidle will "eat up innings," but AL hitters will "eat him up." Abreu is an improvement in RF, but Craig Wilson was a better fit for this team of over- achievers, especially when Matsui returns in a couple weeks. Sheff learning to play 1st base, while the Yanks fight for a playoff spot is ridiculous.

Interesting idea of moving Matsui to 1b. Although Buster Olney wrote that the Yanks might consider picking up Shef's option and converting him to 1b. A Sheffield/Giambi 1b/dh platoon sounds pretty awesome. Who knows if that would ever happen. Hopefully, Melky fits into the picture as well.

On the wild rumor notes, my Redsox buddy told me there's a rumor about the Sox trading Hansen for a bat (b/c Pappelbon makes him expendible now). I'd love to see that happen! Then next year the Yanks could pick off Hansen from that other team and groom the hometown guy as Mariano's eventual replacement. It's a pipe dream, but I hope it somehow happens. (I still don't get drafting a shortstop last year.)

Is anyone thinking that Sheffield might be in a Red Sox jersey next year? They've been dangling Nixon for a while, Pena can't stay healthy, and Sheff is nothing if not vindictive. It's awfully hard to imagine him agreeing to first base.

Thank you Wallace Matthews for the comedy! If this guy can write an article in a newspaper, anyone can.

Can't quite pick my favorite line...though i love this one - "they are...lacking the patience to grow their own talent, preferring to seek out, accumulate and use as needed".

I guess you never heard of Wang, Cabrera and Cano. Tsk tsk - do your homework!

Dude, I think he was talking about Cabrera when he said "lacking patience". Exactly what do we do with him for the next year and a half while we have four all-star outfielders getting $41 million, and that assumes we don't pick up Sheff's option.

I LOVE MELKY!! They can't trade him. He's got talent, he's cheap, and he's young. What else do you need?

...and he's cute

Let's see: Mussina was suppposed to be the guy that got the Yankees another title. Then it was Giambi. Then Matsui. Then A-Rod. Then Sheffield. Then Pavano. Then Johnson. Sprinkle in a little Loaiza and Chacon. Now it's Abreu and Lidle. A guy who hit 8 home runs playing in a little league park and a guy whose lifetime record is 78-69 with a 4.54 ERA. Anyone can feel free to answer: When the Yankees don't win the Series again this year, who will be the big acquisition that's supposedly going to put the Yankees over the top next year?

Right on, Reality Check.

Don't forget about Jaret Wright, Kevin Brown, Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui, Steve Karsay, Raul Mondesi, Aaron Boone, Robin Ventura, Kenny Lofton, John Olerud, Tom Gordon, Paul Quantrill, Tony Clark, Tony Womack.

Did I leave anyone else out?

I'm sure most of you were just as excited when they acquired each of them.

Admit it, yes you were.

2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005: we're gonna win it this year!! Wooohooo!!

It's become "Groundhog Day". Every year a hot free agent or trade is the one that's going to take the Yankees to the championship. You'd think after the last few years everyone would realize: Fantasy teams don't win titles. But just wait until the season is over, and all the talk about which free agent or trade is going to get the Yankees a title begins anew......

"I just won you the AL East; I traded for Steve Trout"-- George Steinbrenner