Melky may be on way out

[Maynardrules#13]

Notes: Cabrera may be on way out

Whispered trade with Pittsburgh includes Burnitz, Craig Wilson

By Mark Feinsand / MLB.com

Melky Cabrera batted .275 with three homers and 28 RBIs in 53 games. (Brita Meng Outzen/MLB.com)

NEW YORK -- General manager Brian Cashman has made it clear that pitching prospect Philip Hughes is as close to untouchable as any player in the Yankees' farm system.

Melky Cabrera on the other hand, may not be.

According to a Major League executive, the Yankees and Pirates have discussed a deal that would send the young outfielder to Pittsburgh in exchange for outfielder Jeromy Burnitz and first baseman/outfielder Craig Wilson.

Pittsburgh originally asked for Hughes earlier in the season, but the Yankees told the Pirates that the right-hander was not available.

"If this was July 31," Cashman said, "I'd be very comfortable saying no to everything that's been put in front of me."

Cashman said that he is in no hurry to make a trade, but with the trade deadline less than three weeks away, it wouldn't be surprising to see New York upgrade its outfield.

"All that matters to me is making the right move," Cashman said. "I don't think how the team plays will dictate anything. I think it depends on the taste of the opportunity; I've had opportunities, but none of them have made sense."

"We still have time to figure out if we need support somewhere to fill a hole -- if there is a hole," Joe Torre said. "Right now, the only position we change personnel on a regular basis is right field."

Cabrera has started 53 games in the outfield for the Yankees this season, batting .275 with three homers and 28 RBIs. Just 21 years old, Cabrera would be an ideal fit for Pittsburgh, which would love to shed the remainder of Burnitz's $6 million salary.

Burnitz, who is hitting .228 with 12 home runs and 37 RBIs in 246 at-bats this season, would also be owed $500,000 for being traded. The 37-year-old Burnitz has hit more than 30 home runs five times during his career, also topping 100 RBIs four times. He has a $6 million option for 2007, but it can be bought out for $700,000.

Wilson, 29, is hitting .268 with 12 homers and 37 RBIs in 231 at-bats for the Pirates this season. He is owed the remainder of his $3.3 million contract and will be a free agent after the season.

Wilson, the longest-tenured member of the Pirates, said it would be bittersweet to see his career in Pittsburgh come to an end in the next few weeks.

"It's also a little exciting," Wilson admitted. "In the event that that you do get traded, it's going to be to someone who is in a spot to contend. It would be something a little different from what we're used to here in August and September."

Missing Jose? When the Yankees traded Jose Contreras to the White Sox for Esteban Loaiza at the trade deadline in 2004, it looked like a pretty even trade.

Contreras had gone 15-7 in parts of two seasons with the Yankees, and was 8-5 with a 5.64 ERA in 2004, while Loaiza was coming off his second straight All-Star appearance.

Loaiza was a disappointment in his two months with the Yankees, while Contreras went on to become one of the best starters in baseball. Contreras entered Friday's start on a 17-game winning streak dating back to last August.

"I felt that for him to be successful, it was going to have to be somewhere else, based on the journey he had taken with the Yankees at that point in time," Cashman said. "Sometimes you need to change scenery to get yourself going again, and I credit Jose Contreras for getting it back on line."

"Unfortunately, things weren't happening here at the time we needed something to happen," Torre said. "I'm happy for him; he's a good kid. At the time, we were just looking for someone with a little more experience."

White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen agreed that Contreras would have had a hard time putting it together in the Bronx, as the pressures that come with playing for the Yankees are unlike any other.

"Contreras is a different type of kid," Guillen said. "[in Chicago], he gained confidence. When he was doing well, everybody was pushing for him. When you play for New York, it's must-win or must-boo, because if you don't perform, you're out of there in a hurry. We can't afford that. If you don't perform for the White Sox, we have a little more patience because of our budget."

First things first: Jason Giambi was in the lineup at first base on Friday night, but Torre said that he will probably use Giambi as the designated hitter more often than not during the second half of the season.

Torre wanted to get both Aaron Guiel and Bernie Williams in the lineup on Friday, so he sat Andy Phillips and used Giambi at first base, penciling Williams in as the DH.

Giambi, who has historically posted much better numbers when playing in the field, has posted a higher average at first base (.275) than as the DH (.244), but his power numbers haven't been affected. In 142 at-bats as a first baseman, Giambi has 13 homers and 35 RBIs; in 123 at-bats as a DH, Giambi has 14 homers and 37 RBIs.

"I think he's over the fact that his numbers are supposedly better the other way around," Torre said.

Bomber bites: Hideki Matsui continues to do his rehab work at Yankee Stadium, targeting a return to the Yankees in mid-to-late August. "He's been working nonstop," Torre said. "I understand he's confident that he'll be back next month, and if that's the case, that's fine." ... Octavio Dotel will pitch in a Minor League rehab game on Saturday for Class A Tampa in the Florida State League. "If everything goes right, he'll be back in no later than two weeks," Cashman said. "It could be earlier; we'll see." ... Kevin Reese suffered a shoulder injury on Thursday night while playing for Triple-A Columbus. Cashman described Reese as being "banged up" but said the club was still awaiting test results to determine the severity of the injury.

Quotable: "I hope we can thank him in October. Of course, he could be thanking himself." -- Torre, on Guillen managing the American League to a win in the All-Star Game, earning home-field advantage in the World Series

Say it ain't so.

[Blackout]

[Barton]

Not happening. Melky is hitting well right now and he has a much better glove than Wilson. And OBTW he is 8 years younger!

Burnitz blows, cmon. What a joke of a trade. Cashman prob shot this down in a sec.

[124]

Yeah, great. Send a guy who could start and produce for the next 15 seasons away to Pittsburgh to rot for over-rated over the hill shmucks.

This is complete bull**** if we ever trade Melky. Another clutch performance by him tonight in the Bottom 8th to drive in the then leading run at 4-3.

[madmike1]

Go look at Craig Wilson's stats. He's a VERY good hitter and thats exactly what the yankees need. Higher carrer OPS then matsui... the yankees have to do this trade if it's available.

[Exit 117]

Ahahahahaha... That'd be hilarious.

[madmike1]

Ahahahahaha... That'd be hilarious.

Why would the yankees adding a 850 OPS hitter be hilarious?

[Barton]

Go look at Craig Wilson's stats. He's a VERY good hitter and thats exactly what the yankees need. Higher carrer OPS then matsui... the yankees have to do this trade if it's available.

No way. Wilson is a slouch in the field and is not a great hitter by any stretch. I actually like him, but Melky has upside, Wilson can only plateau from here on out.

Melky is 21 and seems to doing what Cano did last year. Working his way to having a good rookie season.

[madmike1]

No way. Wilson is a slouch in the field and is not a great hitter by any stretch. I actually like him, but Melky has upside, Wilson can only plateau from here on out.

Melky is 21 and seems to doing what Cano did last year. Working his way to having a good rookie season.

I like melky but he's not a good hitter. a 730 OPS for a corner outfielder is unaccepable. Wilson is a MUCH better hitter then he is.

[Exit 117]

Why would the yankees adding a 850 OPS hitter be hilarious?

Wilson and Burnitz are crap.

[madmike1]

Wilson and Burnitz are crap.

Good to know you think an 850 OPS is crap.. LMAO

[Barton]

I like melky but he's not a good hitter. a 730 OPS for a corner outfielder is unaccepable. Wilson is a MUCH better hitter then he is.

Maybe, right now. But in the future? Must we continue to dump our young talent to other teams.

Melky is starting to produce. Those who have seen him alot in the minors like mbn will tell you, he hasnt even hitten his stride yet. His bat will get hot soon and we all know he carries a plus glove and arm. He's 21. We must keep him unless we get blown away. The Yankee teams of old had guys like Melky on them.

Andy Philips needs to check himself and get some hits or he could be sent down. His glove is nothing special at all and he isnt hitting. Carlos Pena call up soon.....?

[madmike1]

Maybe, right now. But in the future? Must we continue to dump our young talent to other teams.

Melky is starting to produce. Those who have seen him alot in the minors like mbn will tell you, he hasnt even hitten his stride yet. His bat will get hot soon and we all know he carries a plus glove and arm. He's 21. We must keep him unless we get blown away. The Yankee teams of old had guys like Melky on them.

Andy Philips needs to check himself and get some hits or he could be sent down. His glove is nothing special at all and he isnt hitting. Carlos Pena call up soon.....?

I'm never for trading prospects but you have to give up somthing to get somthing and i'd much rather trade melky then hughes clippard or duncan.

[Barton]

I'm never for trading prospects but you have to give up somthing to get somthing and i'd much rather trade melky then hughes clippard or duncan.

Really, whats the point of trading Melky for another OFer? You'd still have Aaron frickin Guiel out there.

Melky is a switch hitting 21 yr old rookie who is the best defensive corner outfielder we have had in ages and is starting to turn it on with his bat.

I'm not trading him for Craig Wilson who cant play defense and isnt that great of a hitter.

[madmike1]

Really, whats the point of trading Melky for another OFer? You'd still have Aaron frickin Guiel out there.

Melky is a switch hitting 21 yr old rookie who is the best defensive corner outfielder we have had in ages and is starting to turn it on with his bat.

I'm not trading him for Craig Wilson who cant play defense and isnt that great of a hitter.

Wilson is a better hitter then Melky and Burnitz would platoon with Bernie. This trade makes the yankees better.

[124]

F Duncan. Screw freakin' Duncan. He freakin' blows and has no spot on this team with A-Rod, Giambi and Phillips. He should be traded, not Melky.

[madmike1]

F Duncan. Screw freakin' Duncan. He freakin' blows and has no spot on this team with A-Rod, Giambi and Phillips. He should be traded, not Melky.

Get a clue dude Duncan is still a top 3 prospect in the yankee system and he's putting up very good power numbers in trenton at only 21. Andy Phillips has no future with the yankees.

[124]

Get a clue dude Duncan is still a top 3 prospect in the yankee system and he's putting up very good power numbers in trenton at only 21. Andy Phillips has no future with the yankees.

Yeah a top 3 prospect who was dropped from AAA to AA. There's your clue Sherlock.

Andy Phillips has no future? Okay. He's what? 28 years old? He's got plenty of more years to contribute.

Stop being such a biased fan of the Yankees. We are mostly Yankee fans here but you just take it to another level where the FO and the team can do no wrong. Bull****. Cashman would be a fool to do this trade. Eric Duncan blows. Take this Top 3 Prospect **** and shove it up your ass.

[Barton]

Wilson is a better hitter then Melky and Burnitz would platoon with Bernie. This trade makes the yankees better.

He is also a terrible outfielder and isnt going to improve anymore as a player.

Where is the patience? Melky is starting to hit now and he saves runs with his glove. My god give the kid a break, he's a frickin rookie not a 8 year vet. His numbers will only get better from an offensive standpoint.

[Barton]

Yeah a top 3 prospect who was dropped from AAA to AA. There's your clue Sherlock.

Andy Phillips has no future? Okay. He's what? 28 years old? He's got plenty of more years to contribute.

Stop being such a biased fan of the Yankees. We are mostly Yankee fans here but you just take it to another level where the FO and the team can do no wrong. Bull****. Cashman would be a fool to do this trade. Eric Duncan blows. Take this Top 3 Prospect **** and shove it up your ass.

Duncan had a bad back in AAA and was very young to start out there.

Philips is garbage, he was a career minor leaguer for a reason.

Duncan is just 21 and he's hitting at AA.

[124]

Duncan had a bad back in AAA and was very young to start out there.

Philips is garbage, he was a career minor leaguer for a reason.

Duncan is just 21 and he's hitting at AA.

Show me the day he's at least hitting .300 in AAA then we can talk.

Excuses excuses with this back problem. Everybody gets on Pavano for his problems, I'm getting on this kid Duncan who for 3 years all I heard was he's going to be up in the majors soon. Really? Show me.

[madmike1]

Yeah a top 3 prospect who was dropped from AAA to AA. There's your clue Sherlock.

Andy Phillips has no future? Okay. He's what? 28 years old? He's got plenty of more years to contribute.

Stop being such a biased fan of the Yankees. We are mostly Yankee fans here but you just take it to another level where the FO and the team can do no wrong. Bull****. Cashman would be a fool to do this trade. Eric Duncan blows. Take this Top 3 Prospect **** and shove it up your ass.

Eric Duncan is a 21 year old with MASSIVE natural power who they rushed to AAA way too early and that combined with the fact that he was injured earlier this year makes him still clearly a prospect. He's ranked 38th in baseball on a midseason list. Andy Phillips is a 29 year old carrer minor leaguer who can't hit major league pitching. Andy's VORP is -6. That means that he's LESS VALUABLE then a player the yankees could sign off the street. I don't know where i said the FO can do no wrong. They did a HORRIBLE job with the bench this offseason and because of that we have total crap like cairo bubba and phillips playing every day and we have to rely on melky who dosn't hit nearly enough to be a corner oufielder. cashman did an AWFUL job this offseason or the yankees would be in first place right now.

[madmike1]

Show me the day he's at least hitting .300 in AAA then we can talk.

Batting AVG means NOTHING dude. Duncan's OPS is over 830 ISOp over 200.

[madmike1]

He is also a terrible outfielder and isnt going to improve anymore as a player.

Where is the patience? Melky is starting to hit now and he saves runs with his glove. My god give the kid a break, he's a frickin rookie not a 8 year vet. His numbers will only get better from an offensive standpoint.

Sorry man 730 OPS just dosn't cut it.

[124]

Batting AVG means NOTHING dude. Duncan's OPS is over 830 ISOp over 200.

Show me him in the majors. Show me this talent that for 3 years now all we've heard is how he should be in the league any time now. What a crock of ****. You bust on Phillips because he's 29, on the rate of Duncan he'll be down there until he's 25.

[124]

Sorry man 730 OPS just dosn't cut it.

Do you have an obsession with OPS? Melky is 21, improving more then your boy Duncan, and has a pretty damn good glove out there in LF.

[madmike1]

Show me him in the majors. Show me this talent that for 3 years now all we've heard is how he should be in the league any time now. What a crock of ****. You bust on Phillips because he's 29, on the rate of Duncan he'll be down there until he's 25.

You can't compare a 21 year old who's still one of the youngest guys in AA to a 29 year old carrer minor leaguer man thats just stupid. Most good hitters are into the minors much longer then Duncan has been.

[madmike1]

Do you have an obsession with OPS? Melky is 21, improving more then your boy Duncan, and has a pretty damn good glove out there in LF.

I do have an opsession with OPS because is the best single stat for judging hitters. It takes your OBP (you ability to get on base) and add's that to your SLG% which is weighted. In BA a homer a triple and a double are all worth the same but thats not the case with OPS. If you have a good OPS not only will you have to get on base at a pretty good clip but you also need to hit extra base hits and homers. Thats why giambi his having a great season even though he's hitting under 260 his average is meaningless.

[124]

I do have an opsession with OPS because is the best single stat for judging hitters. It takes your OBP (you ability to get on base) and add's that to your SLG% which is weighted. In BA a homer a triple and a double are all worth the same but thats not the case with OPS. If you have a good OPS not only will you have to get on base at a pretty good clip but you also need to hit extra base hits and homers. Thats why giambi his having a great season even though he's hitting under 260 his average is meaningless.

Giambi is having a great season minus the BA, agreed, but...BUT, Duncan still has not proved ****. I don't get how people can be so high on somebody who hasn't even proved anything in the Minor Leagues yet.

[madmike1]

Giambi is having a great season minus the BA, agreed, but...BUT, Duncan still has not proved ****. I don't get how people can be so high on somebody who hasn't even proved anything in the Minor Leagues yet.

People are high on Duncan because he's only 21, has great natural power and is putting up very good OPS and ISOp numbers in a pitchers league.

[Barton]

You can't compare a 21 year old who's still one of the youngest guys in AA to a 29 year old carrer minor leaguer man thats just stupid. Most good hitters are into the minors much longer then Duncan has been.

And you cant compare a 21 year old who's the youngest guy on the Yankees to a 29 year old major leaguer in pittsburgh.

OPS is an important stat, but you have to take alot of things into consideration when you're comparing 1 players OPS to another.

There is nothing wrong with a 2nd baseman like Cano because he doesnt hit alot of home runs. He's a .325 hitter and batting average is a great stat I dont understand why you seem to down it alittle?

[madmike1]

And you cant compare a 21 year old who's the youngest guy on the Yankees to a 29 year old major leaguer in pittsburgh.

OPS is an important stat, but you have to take alot of things into consideration when you're comparing 1 players OPS to another.

There is nothing wrong with a 2nd baseman like Cano because he doesnt hit alot of home runs. He's a .325 hitter and batting average is a great stat I dont understand why you seem to down it alittle?

Cano is overrated this year because of his BA. He's not having as good a year as his avg would have you believe. It's not just that he's not hitting homers. He's not walking at all and not hitting as many XBH's as he did last year. That being said he's still the best 2B in the AL.

[Barton]

Cano is overrated this year because of his BA. He's not having as good a year as his avg would have you believe. It's not just that he's not hitting homers. He's not walking at all and not hitting as many XBH's as he did last year.

He's 22. He's taking the Don Mattingly approach to hitting.

Take it the other way. And then as you get old you pull the ball and then you hit the home runs. The XBHs will come. But I'll take a .325 hitting second baseman who covers the entire plate with his swing and doesnt try to always hit the long ball and strike out.

Giambi was incredible in Oakland because he'd do that and hit the long ball. Very rare to see a AVG and Power guy these days.

[madmike1]

He's 22. He's taking the Don Mattingly approach to hitting.

Take it the other way. And then as you get old you pull the ball and then you hit the home runs. The XBHs will come. But I'll take a .325 hitting second baseman who covers the entire plate with his swing and doesnt try to always hit the long ball and strike out.

Giambi was incredible in Oakland because he'd do that and hit the long ball. Very rare to see a AVG and Power guy these days.

I'm not saying to trade Cano he's still the best 2B in the AL though that not saying much...

Giambi was great in oakland because he had OBP's in the 470s and slugging over 660. those are hall of fame numbers and tell much more about how good he was then his AVG.

[Barton]

I'm not saying to trade Cano he's still the best 2B in the AL though that not saying much...

Giambi was great in oakland because he had OBP's in the 470s and slugging over 660. those are hall of fame numbers and tell much more about how good he was then his AVG.

Well, I believe it ties in.

Back in Oakland, Giambi would often take the pitches on the outside part of the plate the other way for singles and doubles, even home runs, now he just pulls almost everything, I'm guessing he strikes out more in NY then he did in Oakland by a fairly significant difference. He also knubs more balls off the end of the bat because he is constantly in pull mode and he flys out more and obviously hits more weak ground balls then he did in Oakland. So that greatly effects his batting average and OBP, as well as his SLG % altho to a lesser degree. The short porch in right field is a great thing for guys like Derek Jeter and even some of Giambi's short home runs barely clear the fence, but it also effected his approach to the plate in a negative way (Giambi) and his numbers were never the same really. Sure he got off the roids, but his approach was different than his Oakland days, largely due to the seemingly ease of just going out over the plate and trying to yank every pitch over that short right porch.

Just food for thought. Good discussion.