Friday, October 10, 2008

Yanks Interested In Adrian Gonzalez

From Pete Caldera:
Now, the Yankees are hunting for Giambi's replacement, and wondering what it might take to pry Adrian Gonzalez out of San Diego.

AG is another one-time, big-time prospect who was given up on, traded, and then found his niche as a slugging, lefty power hitter (with a terrific glove) in a warm climate off the spotlight. Here's Gonzalez's recent numbers:

2007: .282, 30, 100

2008: .279, 36, 119

Gonzalez has a very reasonable contract over the next three years, but perhaps the Padres' purge (if it happens) could include a first baseman who would be a great fit in the Bronx.

Gonzalez's agent, John Boggs, reminded us today of Padres GM Kevin Towers' end-of-season decree that "nobody's untouchable, nobody,'' and he takes Towers at his word. There's plenty of temptation to restock San Diego's minor-league system (but you wonder if the Yanks have enough to entice the Pads for Jake Peavy first).

Both would be superb additions. As Boggs said, "Adrian's No. 1 motivation is to win,'' and there's deep uncertainty as to the Padres' next move - either try to win in a weak division, or max out the return for their current top talent.
Another rumor in what will be a winter full of rumors. Teixeira is still my first choice for first base, but if they can't sign him I like the idea of trading for Gonzalez; he's a very good player on both sides of the ball, and he's still very young (26).

To be honest, I'd rather trade for Gonzalez than Peavy, especially if they can sign CC.

By the way, I added this rumor to the poll on the left.

20 Comments:

Anonymous said...

FINALLY!!!!!!!! Yankee land has something for once. I think Gonzalez's is a good idea. Peavy is a little too young to be a yankee. He needs to be known for before he comes along.

Greg Cohen said...

I don't think Peavy's age is a negative, more his bad ERA away from Petco.

I'm also very scared of NL pitchers, I don't have the same concerns about NL hitters.

Anonymous said...

That's ture about NL pitching coming to town.

Anonymous said...

I'm a big fan of A-Gonz.

Get him here Cash!

Anonymous said...

he was great with no one in that lineup to protect him.

Anonymous said...

If we could get Gonzalez without giving up a ton, I'd definitely go for it. He's just coming into his prime, has decent patience, good power, hits for a good average. Plus he hits in a poor hitters park with not many hitters to surround him.

As for Peavy, I wouldn't mind having him, but like you say, you have to worry about NL pitchers, especially an NL West pitcher who pitch in a pitcher's park. Yikes. The NL West also has two other great pitchers parks in addition to San Deigo - LA and Arizona, so even a lot of his road games were against mediocre offensive teams in pitchers ballparks.

All that aside, though, if the Padres wanted to dump him and the price wasn't high, I'd be at least mildly interested to try and work something out.

To me, I see both Gonzalez and Peavy as more of backup plans right now than primary targets. Sabathia and Tex are probably the priorities, as they're FAs and wouldn't cost in prospects, just draft picks.

If Tex isn't interested in coming to NY or the price inflates too high, then I think Gonzalez and Kotchman become more intriguing targets.

If CC signs elsewhere, then Peavy, Lowe, Burnett, become our secondary targets, among others, depending on what happens with Moose and Pettitte.

Anonymous said...

Somebody actually thinks the Yankees should send Robinson Cano and Chien Ming Wang to the Padres for Jake Peavey and Adrian Gonzalez.
Will you trade your back-to-back 19win pitcher for Peavey?
Hell, I won’t.
Will you?

Anonymous said...

Even though I doubt that trade is anything more than a hypothetical, fan created scenario, I couldn't pull the trigger on that, raven, for these reasons:

1) Wang and to a lesser extent Cano are proven in the pressure of NY, Gonzalez and Peavy are not. Wang is a valuable, known quantity to the Yankees, Peavy... who knows.

2) Peavy pitches in the weakest division of the NL, filled with pitcher's parks.

3) Cano has a ton of potential at 2B, a harder position to fill than 1B.

Anonymous said...

Why deal players when we can sign Tex? And if Tex passes, the cheaper Kotchman should be our target. Cano and/or Hughes shouldn't be moved for a first baseman.

Anonymous said...

I like Gonzalez, but this should be plan C for all a care. We should be talking more about Tex. and Casey K. But if we had a plan D, that would be putting Miranda at first.

Greg Cohen said...

Raven,

No way, I wouldn't even consider that trade.

Mateo and Liam,

I agree this is more of a backup plan if the Yanks can't sign Teixeira.

Anonymous said...

Greg, I think Adrian Gonzalez should be the plan. What makes you think Teixeira won't be the second coming of Giambi? A hitter who year by year as he gets older is only put out in the field to justify his salary. Maybe it's time the Yankees started stacking the line up again with the rank and file all around good players who get the hits, instead of the monster one dimensional hitters.

Jeteristheman said...

Better be a backup plan. Why give a top prospect (one who has top of rotation potential) for a top 1B when you can get a top 1B without giving up a top prospect

Jeteristheman said...

Uh... Teixeira isn't a good all-round hitter? Teixeira is one of the most well-rounded 1B in baseball

Greg Cohen said...

anonymous,

Besides the fact that they play first base, there isn't many similarities between Giambi in '01 and Teixeira now.

Giambi was never a good defensive first baseman, Tex, on the other hand is a gold glove caliber first baseman.

Giambi was a one dimensional hitter, Tex is not, and he's a switch-hitter as well.

Teixeira is also two years younger than Giambi was when the Yankees signed him.

Like Jeteristheman said, Teixeira is one of the most well-rounded first basemen in the game.

The money isn't an issue, they built this new balpark and will have more money than any team in the sport. Spend away.

Anonymous said...

Adrian Gonzalez shouldn't be the fallback 1B option. He should be the only 1B option. Two years younger than Teixiera, A-gonz is also signed for the next 3 years at $13.25 million. The math isn't wrong pple!! Tex is going to demand a contract value of +100ML. Its simply not worth it when you can get A-gonz. Yanks should be willing to trade Jesus Montero in this deal to get it done.

Greg Cohen said...

I don't think the money issue matters, at least I don't think it should with the new stadium being built - that thing is going to make this team a ton of money.

The thing that concerns me is what it would cost to acquire Gonzalez. I know they're going to ask for guys like Hughes, Cano, Jackson, etc... I don't want to see the Yanks to give up a lot for Gonzalez if they can get Tex for just money.

Leo Izmir said...

Speaking as a Padre and a Yankee fan, Peavy and Gonzalez would require each such a gargantuan payload in prospects and players that getting ONE would be a difficult task and both is impossible.

No one is untouchable but the Padres will not trade both their top players and its more plausible that they'd trade Peavy who is more expensive, then Gonzalez who is starting to hit his stride.

If you want a 1B and your looking at the Padres our best prospect is Kyle Blanks a 6'6 titan on his way to AAA with some incredible power and good batting average. That would require a hefty tag but definitely less then either Peavy or Gonzalez

Greg Cohen said...

Loren I agree, which is why I don't think the Yankees should try to get both - especially with the FA market being what it is this year.

I think the Yankees should look to sign CC and Tex and if they can't then look at the trade market to fill whatever holes the roster still has.

For example, if they can't sign CC, look to trade for Peavy, and if they can't sign Tex look to trade for Gonzalez, Kotchman, or another 1B.

Anonymous said...

Guys, I know Peavy is a solid pitcher and would be a welcomed addition to the Yankees aging staff. However here is a stat to chew on:

2008 splits:

Home: 5-5 1.74ERA 0.97 WHIP
Road: 5-6 4.28ERA 1.45 WHIP

So while his aggregate stats looks great, we should be cautious that half his starts are at Petco, a notoriously Pitcher's park.