This time they get another starting pitcher in Jeff Weaver of the Detroit Tigers. As part of the three team trade, Detroit gets Carlos Pena from Oakland (plus two unnamed top prospects from the Yankees) and the A's get Ted Lilly from the Yankees. I'm kinda surprised the Yankees made this deal - with Pettite back and looking sharp in his last outing, plus Orlando Hernandez gearing up for a 2nd half run, they have four strong starting pitchers...and I'm not even counting David Wells. Weaver is a pretty good young pitcher, hindered by the crappy team he played for, but on the Yankees he's a 3rd starter at best. I'm also surprised the A's dealt away Carlos Pena, one of the better hitting prospects in all of baseball, so quickly. I guess they didn't feel his method to hacking would fit into their team philosophy like they had hoped. The back end of their pitching staff has been subpar this year, so Lilly will be a solid 4th (or 5th, if Lidle gets back on track) starter for them. As for Detroit - well, at least they have a top 1b prospect in their system now. All of their better (and I use that term loosely) players have been natural 1b, though Pena is probably better than the rest of them. I just don't understand why they wouldn't rebuild around Weaver. Let's hope the two prospects they got from the Yankees are players with good upside. Edit: The prospects being dealt are OF John-Ford Griffin and P Jason Arnold from the Yankees to the A's and P Franklin German and a player to be named later from the A's to the Tigers. Still think the Tigers don't gain that much in the deal.
This trade was exciting because of the names involved, but as with the Mondesi signing, I didn't think it was necessarily a brilliant move for the Yankees. Weaver will be a stud in NY for sure, but the prospects they gave up (P Jason Arnold and OF John-Ford Griffin) were top-tier. Was that worth the difference between Weaver and Lilly? The Yankees have so little patience with developing young players -- notice how often Soriano came up in trade rumors last year -- that I think they bailed pretty early on a solid lefty starter. The two prospects, BTW, went to the A's and not the Tigers. This makes it a pretty good deal for them, although their rotation will be a bit lefty-heavy with Mulder, Zito, and now Lilly. Still, if they're quality lefties, I guess that doesn't matter. A's gave up RP Franklyn German, a hard thrower, sort of like Luis Vizcaino (whom they gave up to Milwaukee this year). Not bad in exchange for the Yankees' two prospects. As for Carlos Pena, it's weird. You're right that it seemed they gave up on him rather quickly. But he was hitting in the .230s in AAA Sacramento and I guess the A's decided to sell high. In any case, his numbers are going to take a nosedive in Comerica. Too bad for him ... he seems like a really good guy, based on all the interviews I've seen, and it must suck going from the Rangers (where he could have formed part of a young nucleus with ARod) to the A's (a franchise that supposedly appreciated his skills) to the woeful Tigers.
I think the Yanks got caught off guard with the Colon trade because Griffin, Arnold, and Lilly probably would have gotten them Colon. The Tigers are a joke, what the hell are they thinking!?! Ernie Harwell just popped another antacid.
Whats the deal with Billy Beane??? He needs to be traded himself!! First lets trade Jeremy Giambi, who is having a career year, for John Mabry. Then we go and trade Carlos Pena, who would have been rookie of the Year had he not sent him down, for freakin' Ted Lilly. Great moves Billy. Well, back to full-time rooting for the astros for me. Screw the A's.
I really think this move could come back to bite the Yankees in the a** this season. Where does Jeff Weaver fit into the Yanks post-season rotation? He has absolutely no post-season experience, meanwhile the other FIVE starters in their staff have a wealth of it. Weaver really looks like a regular-season insurance policy against older guys like Clemens and Wells getting hurt. Joe Torre isn't going to give the ball to Weaver to start a game in the post-season. No way. On the other hand, Ted Lilly could very well be the A's 4th starter and see a lot of action. You have to wonder if the Yanks did the deal to have Jeff Weaver on their team, or if they did it to keep Jeff Weaver off the Red Sox. The latter seems like the more likely scenario to me at least.
Jeff Weaver will be the ace of the Yankees staff within 2 years. He is that good. Clemens and Wells are on their last legs, El Duque can't stay healthy. Joe Torre WILL give the ball to Weaver to start a post season game. You can take that to the bank. As for the Tigers, they should close up shop and go home. Terrible trade for them that makes no sense.
Yeah, that trade is really blowing up in their faces. 6 for his last 16 with 2 doubles, 1 homer and 6 RBI's while the Yanks have won their last 5 and pulled out in front of the Red Sox by 2 games. Horrible deal.
The price was too high.. I really liked Theodore Roosevelt. It sucks he was traded, as he was a fan favorite. I just want to see how Weaver reacts to cutting that hair of his.
Wells and Clemens are on their last legs? Give me those legs on the Astros anyday. Wait until then post season before you say that
