milky_way
07-27-2003, 02:51 PM
YANKS MADE PITCH FOR GRIFFEY
JOEL SHERMAN
July 27, 2003 -- IN the weeks before Ken Griffey's season-ending ankle injury, the Yankees proposed a trade with the Reds for the one-time star center fielder and also to address their bullpen. Even with Griffey's disturbing injury history having become more disturbing, the Yanks could conceivably revisit the issue during the offseason.
The Yankee sales pitch essentially followed the structure of the deal that sent Mike Hampton from Colorado through Florida and to Atlanta. In that trade, to get rid of the last six years and $78.5 million on Hampton, the Rockies were willing to accept the horrible, but shorter-term deals of Charles Johnson and Preston Wilson. To get out from Johnson and Wilson, the Marlins paid the Braves $30 million. Thus, Atlanta was responsible for just six years at $48.5 million on Hampton.
The Yankee offer to the Reds was Sterling Hitchcock, Raul Mondesi and Jeff Weaver for Gabe White, Scott Williamson, Griffey and $30 million.
For this season, the money would essentially have been a wash. The Reds would have saved about $21 million overall. But most important, they would be out of a commitment to Griffey that lasted until at least 2008 and they would have ended what has been a catastrophic concept of bringing Griffey home to Cincinnati to open their new ballpark. The pacts of Hitchcock and Mondesi expire after this season. Weaver's deal runs through 2005, but as a high-ceiling starter he has more value to the Reds than Griffey, especially working with guru pitching coach Don Gullett.
For the Yanks, the lefty White and the righty Williamson would offer pitchers that the organization liked better than Jesse Orosco and Armando Benitez.
In fact, one reason the Benitez deal was not executed more quickly was that the Yanks were waiting for a response from the Reds, who ultimately indicated this would be too hard a trade to sell to their fans. A few days later Griffey suffered his sixth serious injury in four years, going out for the season with a torn ankle tendon.
It might look crazy that the Reds would give the Yanks $30 million, but is it any crazier than the financially strapped Marlins giving the Braves $30 million, or the Blue Jays giving the Yankees $7 million to complete a deal for Mondesi? This is how things are done now. With $30 million taken off, the Yanks would have a five-year, $36.5 million commitment to Griffey that they believed was more commensurate to where his skill level/risk is now. They would have put Griffey in right field to try and lessen the wear on his legs and hope New York and a pennant race revitalized his career.
Still, with Griffey also due for shoulder surgery after on operation on his ankle, it was possible the Yanks could consider obtaining him for next year. The Yanks will have a need for a right fielder, and it is possible they will be seduced to pursue Vladimir Guerrero or, more likely, Gary Sheffield. But Griffey is George Steinbrenner's kind of player. He craves all-time stars, and Roger Clemens is retiring with his 300-win quest complete. Griffey will be just 33 next year, and he is only 19 homers shy of 500.
However, Griffey is a huge risk. His body is breaking down, he has never been known as a hard worker and he usually reacts to even the most subtle media criticism as if he has been slandered. If the Yanks were wrong on him, it would be far worse than the Mets-Roberto Alomar marriage because Griffey's pact lasts much longer. But that lefty swing, the short right-field porch at Yankee Stadium and Griffey's star power could tempt Steinbrenner.
Williamson and third baseman Aaron Boone are arbitration eligible players who are pricing themselves off Cincinnati's roster and fit Yankee needs for 2004 that could entice the Yanks - if included in a multi-player trade - to gamble on Griffey. Weaver is still a chip, and prospects from among Robinson Cano, Alex Graman, Jorge DePaula and Juan Rivera might be enough to complete a trade.
For a long time, Griffey said a
Steinbrenner slight when his father, Ken Sr., played in New York would keep him away from the Yanks. That defiance has disappeared. So maybe there will yet be a Junior trade of major proportions.
JOEL SHERMAN
July 27, 2003 -- IN the weeks before Ken Griffey's season-ending ankle injury, the Yankees proposed a trade with the Reds for the one-time star center fielder and also to address their bullpen. Even with Griffey's disturbing injury history having become more disturbing, the Yanks could conceivably revisit the issue during the offseason.
The Yankee sales pitch essentially followed the structure of the deal that sent Mike Hampton from Colorado through Florida and to Atlanta. In that trade, to get rid of the last six years and $78.5 million on Hampton, the Rockies were willing to accept the horrible, but shorter-term deals of Charles Johnson and Preston Wilson. To get out from Johnson and Wilson, the Marlins paid the Braves $30 million. Thus, Atlanta was responsible for just six years at $48.5 million on Hampton.
The Yankee offer to the Reds was Sterling Hitchcock, Raul Mondesi and Jeff Weaver for Gabe White, Scott Williamson, Griffey and $30 million.
For this season, the money would essentially have been a wash. The Reds would have saved about $21 million overall. But most important, they would be out of a commitment to Griffey that lasted until at least 2008 and they would have ended what has been a catastrophic concept of bringing Griffey home to Cincinnati to open their new ballpark. The pacts of Hitchcock and Mondesi expire after this season. Weaver's deal runs through 2005, but as a high-ceiling starter he has more value to the Reds than Griffey, especially working with guru pitching coach Don Gullett.
For the Yanks, the lefty White and the righty Williamson would offer pitchers that the organization liked better than Jesse Orosco and Armando Benitez.
In fact, one reason the Benitez deal was not executed more quickly was that the Yanks were waiting for a response from the Reds, who ultimately indicated this would be too hard a trade to sell to their fans. A few days later Griffey suffered his sixth serious injury in four years, going out for the season with a torn ankle tendon.
It might look crazy that the Reds would give the Yanks $30 million, but is it any crazier than the financially strapped Marlins giving the Braves $30 million, or the Blue Jays giving the Yankees $7 million to complete a deal for Mondesi? This is how things are done now. With $30 million taken off, the Yanks would have a five-year, $36.5 million commitment to Griffey that they believed was more commensurate to where his skill level/risk is now. They would have put Griffey in right field to try and lessen the wear on his legs and hope New York and a pennant race revitalized his career.
Still, with Griffey also due for shoulder surgery after on operation on his ankle, it was possible the Yanks could consider obtaining him for next year. The Yanks will have a need for a right fielder, and it is possible they will be seduced to pursue Vladimir Guerrero or, more likely, Gary Sheffield. But Griffey is George Steinbrenner's kind of player. He craves all-time stars, and Roger Clemens is retiring with his 300-win quest complete. Griffey will be just 33 next year, and he is only 19 homers shy of 500.
However, Griffey is a huge risk. His body is breaking down, he has never been known as a hard worker and he usually reacts to even the most subtle media criticism as if he has been slandered. If the Yanks were wrong on him, it would be far worse than the Mets-Roberto Alomar marriage because Griffey's pact lasts much longer. But that lefty swing, the short right-field porch at Yankee Stadium and Griffey's star power could tempt Steinbrenner.
Williamson and third baseman Aaron Boone are arbitration eligible players who are pricing themselves off Cincinnati's roster and fit Yankee needs for 2004 that could entice the Yanks - if included in a multi-player trade - to gamble on Griffey. Weaver is still a chip, and prospects from among Robinson Cano, Alex Graman, Jorge DePaula and Juan Rivera might be enough to complete a trade.
For a long time, Griffey said a
Steinbrenner slight when his father, Ken Sr., played in New York would keep him away from the Yanks. That defiance has disappeared. So maybe there will yet be a Junior trade of major proportions.