Washburn to Yanks
Dave · July 26, 2008 at 12:47 pm · Filed Under Mariners
Jarrod Washburn has been was almost traded to the Yankees and still will be – this deal was contingent upon the Yankees completing the Nady/Marte deal to get themselves an outfielder, which they did last night.
No official word on who will be coming to Seattle in exchange for Washburn, but it sounds like it’s an outfielder. If the M’s got either Melky Cabrera or Brett Gardner, do back flips.
Actually, Washburn’s gone – do back flips anyway.
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/backflip
FSN saying Washburn/Vidro for Cabrera/Igawa. Not official though.
I like Gardner, seems like a high OBP guy. Maybe a career #2 hitter. Lefty too.
Melky is in the lineup for today’s game. Pull him now!
Hurrah! Oh, Igawa. Oh well, hurrah anyway.
Yesssssssssssssssss!!!
Farewell Bus.
Hey, Johjima could go to the Yanks to as Washburn’s personal catcher. Oh, wait.
According to Jayson Stark, the Mariners have adopted Dave’s recommended valuation of Raul Ibañez:
Dave – Should I still do backflips if the TurboBus for Melky/Igawa talk is true?
My gut tells me yes. I’d be happy just to see the both of them gone in exchange for a bag of peanuts.
Hey, Johjima could go to the Yanks to as Washburn’s personal catcher. Oh, wait.
Teehee.
But the Mariners are one of many clubs saying that, because Ibanez projects as a Type A free agent, they would want the equivalent of a first-round pick and a sandwich pick for him.
If this is true I’ll be shocked, in a very happy kind of way.
You know, I realize Washburn’s not particularly popular around here, but I always liked watching him pitch. Sure he was a little overpriced, but he had some FANTASTIC games last year where you could tell he was working hard. He also seemed like a gutty mound presence. Maybe I just like that soft-tossing lefty style.
I’m glad this trade is happening, it’s best for the team, but I’m a little sad to see him go, if only for purely illogical reasons.
I’m not doing a back flip if they took Igawa off the Yankees’ hands.
Is that still true if we got Igawa back? I really don’t want Igawa.
Looks like Igawa was DFA’d today by the Yanks…..so not him??
http://riveraveblues.com/2008/07/26/igawa-latroy-dfa-gardner-to-aaa-3395/
I’m glad this trade is happening, it’s best for the team, but I’m a little sad to see him go, if only for purely illogical reasons.
That’s completely reasonable — it just means you’re fan. Fandom is often about illogical, irrational, passionate attachment to something or someone that doesn’t love you back (just ask any fan of any sport in Philadelphia). Being of mixed feelings for precisely those reasons is entirely healthy. Even if some of us have no mixed feelings whatsoever
Well, Seattle might just be a stopping point for Igawa on his way back to Japan, which would ultimately make it a pure salary dump unless the M’s really do get Melky (which seems possible if the whole Pirates thing was hanging up on getting an outfielder for the Yanks)
Melky is in the lineup in Boston right now, so it can’t be him.
Hearing lots of talk that it looks like the outfielder is Melky (yay?), we are getting Igawa, and there is a second Mariner involved. What’s unclear is the second Mariner. It’s either Vidro or a catcher, likely Burke or Johnson. The Yanks apparently wanted a catcher, and we wanted to make them take Vidro for us taking Igawa.
Either way, the deal is finished and has been sent to the league office.
EDIT – Apparently even though the deal was finalized this morning, the players involved were still allowed by their receiving teams to play today as both teams had day games and the deal won’t be formally announced until this evening. Or so I’m told anyhow.
It would be awesome if the FSN report was accurate. Even if we do get Igawa back, the Yanks take Vidro off our hands.
As a Red Sox fan, I love watching the Yankees run up their payroll with mid-season acquisitions. I just hope we get something useful in the deal. Or, hope against hope, that the P-I was right that they’re looking at Vidro.
Though I do kind of wish they hadn’t acquired Nady. I liked him. But now I have to root against him as long as he’s in pinstripes.
So this Ibañez thing: I’m trying to figure out who the Mets have in the minors that (a) they might be willing to give up and (b) could fit into the M’s plans for next year. That probably means guys who are blocked by Reyes/Wright/Castillo… which is fine, because we know the M’s could stand to upgrade the middle infield. I’m going to assume the Mets don’t want to lose anybody destined for 1B, because even though Delgado seems to have found his form they have a team option on him for next year that they might choose to not exercise. So that probably eliminates Val Pascucci (who is a righty anyway). So…Argenis Reyes? Andy Green? I’m just eyeballing position and offensive stats here, I have no idea who these guys are or if they’re decent defenders or whatever.
Am I crazy or is everybody on the Mets AAA team really freaking old? And could someone explain to me how the hell the New Orleans Zephyrs are in the Pacific Coast League?
Rotoworld is reporting the M’s have signed Jorge Sosa.
Am I crazy or is everybody on the Mets AAA team really freaking old?
It’s not just you. Several organizations are that way. Hell, it used to be AAA was simply a holding pen for ‘break in case of emergency’ help. AA is where all the prospects hung out. Some teams still do things that way, especially ones with oddball park effects the differ from their ML parks.
*puke*
I’ve never been so excited to sit and watch a Yankees/Red Sox game.
Oh wait. There’s Rosenthal.
And could someone explain to me how the hell the New Orleans Zephyrs are in the Pacific Coast League?
Oh, and here’s your explanation:
Ignore this, my browser freaked out and double posted.
What good does trading Vidro do? That’s completely ridiculous if they took Igawa because they were so desperate to save a few million this year on Vidro. We get stuck with another albatross for three more years just to save a couple million that won’t be applied to future payroll anyway?
Outrageous.
I believe that Igawa recently was DFA’d by the Yankees and has been removed from their 40-man roster. If he is involved in the trade, at least the Mariners won’t have to carry him on their 40-man.
Melky Cabrera’s #5 most similar player is Johnny Dickshot. In case anyone is interested.
Jonathan Niese from the Mets would be interesting.
28-
I think it was meant as an appeasement for the growing number of fans who have been calling for Vidro’s head, and wondering why he’s in the lineup every day. Now, there’s no temptation to stick his “veteran grit” in there.
Besides, there was some furor to try and get Igawa a couple of years ago before the Yanks out-bid us. Maybe to FO is hoping none of us has noticed how atrocious he’s been and can prop him up as getting a “real” piece back.
Heh…
Picking up Igawa isn’t really that bad. 3 more years at $4M per.
If the M’s pitching coaches can undo the damage the Yankees did to his mechanics, then he’ll be better than Silva and cost less than half what Silva cost.
If he’s not, well, the M’s lose about $10M on this deal. But if the Yanks take Vidro and remove the $7M vesting threat, well, it’s a net loss of $3M. Compared to their recent financial debacles, it’s a drop in the bucket.
Gardner is the better upside guy, if I’m not mistaken. He’s a better speed threat, too, which IMO, we need pretty badly. That said, I’d be happy with Melky as well, as long as Washburn is gone. If we aren’t eating much of his salary it’s a double bonus. If Vidro is in the deal–triple bonus. Double backflips here I come!
Or maybe, as others have suggested, they’re hoping he’ll retire from MLB and go back to pitching in Japan, thus taking that money off the board.
If this is accurate, I’m a bit saddened.
We won’t have Jose Vidro to kick around anymore. We never even made it to the Vidro Burger. We won’t have a powerless DH who can’t H batting cleanup! The whole thing was just so surreal.
The Yankees now have Suxson and The Baconator. How funny is that? Did they pick up Bavasi as a ‘consultant’ or something?
Would the Yankees be going with the “Win
now4 years ago” method with taking Vidro and Washburn?The Yankees now have Suxson and The Baconator. How funny is that? Did they pick up Bavasi as a ‘consultant’ or something?
Nope, Hank’s in charge over there now. I kinda feel sorry for Cashman.
The key thing is getting Igawa to remember how he used to throw the baseball. He’ll never be more than a back-of-the-rotation guy at best, but we we paying Ryan Franklin about what Igawa’s getting paid, and we did manage to squeeze something out of him.
Johnny Dickshot
Ha! That’s one of the greatest names of all time. So great it sounds apocryphal. “I don’t want some Johnny Dickshot out there messin’ up the situation any further…”
I’d be kind of surprised if the Yanks wanted Burke or Johnson, actually. A couple of days ago the Star Ledger said
Neither Johnson nor Burke look like an upgrade. Damn that Johjima contract (though given the way he’s been playing this year, the Yanks wouldn’t consider him an upgrade either). Though I have to say, as bad as Joh has been for the M’s, he can’t match what a wonderful job Posada has done screwing the Yankees at that position: have a career year going into contract talks, land a long, fat contract, then have your arm fall off and leave you good for nothing but DH, the spot that has already collected every other aging, injured player on that team (which at times seems like every position player except Jeter).
Vidro’s option is not going to vest, and he’s already a sunk cost this year. So other than taking one of Riggleman’s (inexplicable) toys away (and freeing up a roster spot), it’s really not a cause for backflips.
I kinda feel sorry for Cashman.
Maybe Cashman is entertaining ideas of the Seattle GM job, so he’s doing his best to exchange rosters before coming over
Hey, that sorta makes sense… he’s trying to tank the Yanks’ chances for the playoffs so he gets canned and can come here
So, how long before the Yankees designate the Mariners as their AAA affiliate? Sexson, Washburn, (hopefully) Vidro, Nelson… hell, Marte came up with the M’s…
Nice hit, Melky! Let’s hope it is your last as a Yankee!
It does see silly to worry about getting rid of Vidro. However, it does save a couple million.
As for Igawa, there is a least a chance that the change of scenery will help.
I can imagine this conversation:
Yanks: You have to pay $___ of Washburn’s salary.
M’s: We won’t, but we’ll take Igawa and his $10 million off your hands if you’ll pay ____ million of it.
Yanks: OK on Igawa, but we won’t pay anything. Instead, we’ll take Vidro and his salary off your hands.
Or heck, maybe the NYY have already ralized that Sexson is useless against righties, so they want to try Turbo as their backup 1B now.
As for Melky playing with a trade about to drop, isn’t that unusual? Maybe not, especially when it’s head-to-head with the Sox.
Igawa was just taken off the 40 man and Gardner sent to AAA. Makes me wonder if they are the two coming back to us.
Getting rid of Vidro means less ABs taken up by a guy who’s power went out years ago. It means a better shot at finding improvement at the DH position instead of running a black hole out there on a consistent basis. It also opens up the possibility of shifting Ibanez to DH and calling up Wlad again. It’s not that I’m worried about Vidro not being in the deal, it’s the fact that getting rid of Vidro helps the team out, which is what everyone is/should be the most worried about. A side note/question…when is Cairo going to go away? Seriously. What.A.Waste.
If the M’s finish one game behind the Yankees for this year’s Wild Card playoff spot, they’ll regret trading Washburn.
/snark
It’s funny that the Yankees are trying to make themselves better by picking up some of worst players on the worst team in baseball. I’d expect Yankees fans to be apopleptic about this.
I just had a random thought about why we’re trading Vidro…
What if ownership went to the FO and said “any money on the payroll for the remainder of this season that you don’t spend, you can have next year on top of what you already would have gotten”.
What FO wouldn’t want to have an extra few million kicking around?
Hardly saying this is the case, just another theory to toss into the hat.
It’s funny that the Yankees are trying to make themselves better by picking up some of worst players on the worst team in baseball.
I’m hoping that with Hank in charge now we’ll be seeing some more of the antics of George from several years ago.
#45 14limes, I don’t know how long you’ve been a Mariners fan, but from what I remember, the Mariners have ALWAYS been the Yanks’ AAA affiliate…
Washburn isn’t really one of our worst players. He is one of our most overpaid players.
Thus: A perfect fit for the Yankees.
51, I think you may be onto something, but it’s more like this:
FO is told that ticket sales revenue is terrible this year, so dump some 2008 salary to help offset it.
This may be way too clever (especially for the Mariners), but maybe they knew that Vidro had an ounce of value to some team, so they did NOT dump him like they did Sexson. Instead, they tried to raise his trade value by batting him in the heart of the lineup, protecting him with Beltre behind him, so that they’d have a better chance to find a greater fool GM to trade him to.
didn’t we get buhner from the yankees
Getting rid of Vidro means less ABs taken up by a guy who’s power went out years ago.
Which you could also accomplish by telling Riggleman to believe the stats, not his “feelings,” and to just not pencil Vidro into the damn lineup every damn day. Which is what I meant by “taking his toy away”
Pygmalion – fair point. I was thinking more of Sexson and Vidro.
G-Man. Vidro can be nothing more than a salary dump. Nobody in baseball thinks he has an ounce of value. There’s no measure you could use – either traditional or Bill-James-adbstruse – that doesn’t tell you he sucks.
Ah see, now that would just be too easy. Heaven forbid the Mariners do anything that makes sense…
I’m kind of hoping they can snag Gardner instead of Cabrera. Gardner looks like he will be Podsednik part 2. Good OBP, lighting fast. Cabrera seems like a more well rounded player but doesn’t really dazzle in anything.
Peter Abraham from over at LoHud Yankee Blog just posted:
So I see it as kind of emblematic of the season that a thread that is mostly about getting rid of a player (rather than acquiring one) generates 20% more posts (and counting) than that day’s game thread (and a game thread that was inflated by a minor pissing contest revival from a previous thread at that).
Man, once the trade deadline passes there isn’t going to be much excitement to post about… I may have to leave town in search of South Pacific lager.
Why is everyone so excited? We’re not dumping Washburn because we will have Igawa under contract for three more seasons at $4 million a season. As far as Vidro, he’s already been paid $5+ million of his $8 million salary this season. The Yankees won’t let next season kick in. They’ll probably release him. And Sexson? We’re the ones on the hook for almost the entire contract. New York is paying around $150K for the remainder of the season. It’s a cheap flyer for them.
I think I’d much rather see us eat some of Washburn’s salary and get at least someone back…But hey, beggars can’t be choosers.
Is anyone excited about the prospect of netting Igawa? The Mariners essentially WANTED him in ‘07, before they were outbid by NY. According to Peter Gammons, Igawa’s never been the same since Yanks coach Ron Guidry screwed up his delivery. At 29, I still think he has time left to reform himself, and Seattle may be a friendly confine for him (e.g. Kojima as catcher). Anyone think Stottlemyre could bring him along? As a #5 starting lefty, I see no harm in trying.
Yeah, and hopefully Hank completely sinks that franchise right into the next Yankee “Dark Age” and takes them out of viable contention for a few years. (Probably not going to happen, but wishful thinking!)
But, hey, all hope’s not lost…maybe Kenji can bulk up an additional 30-40 pounds and give us the next great taste sensation — the JOH BURGER!
I really hope that we don’t end up with Igawa. If we do I’m sure the higher ups will offer him an extension deal making him the highest paid player on the M’s.
Is anyone excited about the prospect of netting Igawa?
I wouldn’t say I’m excited, but I think it could work out. A change of scenery, away from the NY pressure, couldn’t hurt. And we need more candidates for the 2009 rotation.
I may have to leave town in search of South Pacific lager.
That’s good for another 50-100 posts.
I don’t know how long you’ve been a Mariners fan, but from what I remember, the Mariners have ALWAYS been the Yanks’ AAA affiliate.
That may be true to a degree (see: Tino Martinez), but being a feeder team for the Bombers did work out well for us once….Ken Phelps for Jay Buhner.
Okay, I don’t want to jinx anything, but I am very excited about this rumored trade, for many reasons, but perhaps the best part of it is…
NO MORE VIDRO! YIPPEE!!!!!
Dammit, I gotta remind myself that the trade isn’t official yet. Until then, I’ll just sit on my hands.
“Peter Abraham is now reporting that the deal could happen as early as tomorrow and that the Yankees are willing to pay all of the salary remaining on the contract “in return for not sending Seattle any player of significance. No, not Kei Igawa.”
A+. Great salary dump.
Not bad Lee.
The other thing that I can hold out hope for with Igawa is the same thing that I am hoping for with Kenji – the old Sasaki “Retirement” Maneuver. The player goes back to Japan for a visit, has a meeting with Mr. Yamauchi, and suddenly realizes that retiring to the Land of the Rising Sun beats the old USA.
WHA??!? They took Washburn and VIdro?? Am I dreaming……
I know Melky isn’t doing much this year, but jeez…..
Do the yankees even have scouts?
Re: 66/69 –
I’ll be thrilled to get Igawa. As a fan of his old team in Japan, I thought he’d be the better bang-for-the-buck than Matsuzaka, and then the Yankees got hold of him and who knows what they did to him. He might be a lost cause now, or he might revert to his old form. It’s a decent gamble, I think, potentially a big upside for comparatively little salary (I’d start Igawa over the $8M+ Silva or Batista anytime).
Nothing is a done deal yet. And a lot of the serious rumors don’t even involve Vidro. I’m still holding out hope, though.
Maybe when the team’s on the road some of the guys will sneak into his room and fill his suitcases with cement.
Yes, but apparently they’re all off earning their merit badges in the Catskills this weekend.
I don’t really see why they would take Vidro unless there was a stipulation in the trade to take both The Bus and Professional Hitter or neither. Anyway, it’s not official so it’s nothing to get excited about.
/backflip!
What?!? Washburn’s leaving?
Sentinel – Your link leads to a web hosting site.
Nevermind. I lost track of what was happening.
Any update on this yet, as to the players involved?
I need to go fence more often, since exciting things only seem to happen when I’m there.
Its funny that Washburn is holding out for his clause to be waived. Like going from a team in full rebuilding last place mode to heavily favored team in the playoffs would be a tough decision.
Honestly, the no-trade is just something for the writers to talk about when they don’t know any actual details.
I’d give it about a 1% chance of actually holding up any trade.
Ken Rosenthal just reported that the deal is being held up because the M’s want a top prospect and for the Yankees to take all the cash. So it seems like this trade will happen but there’s 12 different versions of it floating around.
This Ken Rosenthal FoxSports report was updated today at 2:51 EST:
—————-
RBinNYC, you can say that again, about the number of permutations of the deal being rumored…
I wish this deal would be announced officially, as I am going crazy waiting to see who is coming back
Why does it seem the Mariners are trying to hold up the Yanks?
Shouldn’t they just be happy to get out from under the majority of next year’s salary?
The Dream Trade:
Washburn, Vidro, Lopez, and Balentien + Oswaldo Navarro -> NY
Robby Cano, Melky, Igawa -> Seattle
Odds of this happening – 0.0000%
Hey Jeff – what are you fencing? Stolen laptops? Because I’m looking for an upgrade.
SHHHHHH
Okay, sorry, that was a dreadful pun.
abender20, can’t we dream of shipping off Yuni “The Refrigerator” Betancourt as well?
The Yankees have indicated that they will not give Washburn a contract extension or cash bonus for waiving his no-trade rights, but the source said that Washburn would not necessarily require either inducement, saying, “There are ways around that.”
When Vidro was traded here from the Nats, he got an option year (2009) added to his contract. We worried that it would vest until we found out the number of PA’s needed, which made it remote. Someone said that the Player’s Union wants palyers to get something for waiving a no-trade, so Vidro settled for this.
So maybe Wash will get an option for 2011 which vests if he pitches 220 innings in 2010.
No kidding. I’m expecting to hear that Washburn is flying to Venezuela for a physical.
Maybe we can give Silva an option that vests if he stops eating.
Colm, I’d love to send Yuni too, but there is a problem with that: the ever present lack of organizational depth. Who starts at short from then on? Oswaldo Navarro? (resounding no, he’s not a big leaguer) Willy Ballgame? (One large bag of sick, please, no ice)? Carlos Triunfel? Not yet.
@32, @42: Johnny Dickshot’s nickname was “Ugly”. Ugly Dickshot. Yes, really. Greatest baseball name ever.
“Melky” isn’t too shabby, though.
Im not a big fan of Melky.
Yeah, but we like his name. Nothing like trying to pronounce initials. Imagine if his parents were fans of Robert Kennedy — Arfkie? Or Lyndon Johnson — Ellbjee? (Doesn’t he play outfield for Boston?)
Shouldn’t they just be happy to get out from under the majority of next year’s salary?
When they trade a guy for nothing (Carlos Guillen), we bitch. When they try to not trade a player for nothing, we bitch. Might as well see if you can get something. I don’t see the problem as long as it doesn’t scuttle the trade altogether.
When you trade a sixth starter, it’s not a disappointment to get a fourth outfielder in return.
They used to play in the PCL as the Denver Bears before moving to the American Association.
When the AA disbanded, as galaxieboi noted above, they moved back to the PCL rather than the International League, pretty much because of the historic connection even though they had moved to Nawlins a few years earlier.
That would be Miguel Batista, Mike…
Latest from Peter Abraham of LoHud, as of 20 minutes ago:
Really, you could apply that description to everyone but Felix and Bedard, and not be that far off.
But yeah, you have to realistic about what Jarrod Washburn is going to get you; it’s not going to be a player you really, really like.
Jeff, you’d have to qualify that. For instance, if Justin Christian’s mom is a Mariner’s fan, then she’d probably think that the M’s were getting somebody she really really liked.
I, however, don’t care for him as a baseball player
Here is the best place I’ve found today to follow the Washburn story.
92 & 96: Not to mention, you couldn’t include Yuni in that particular deal to NYY, anyway. After all, he’d have nowhere to play for the next several years while The Captain continues to pad out his numbers for the HOF.
I was hoping to ship Yuni to the Dodgers, who were shopping for a SS, but they say that they’re no longer after one since they acquired Casey Blake to play 3rd.
Baker earlier today on the possible trade
I am simply glad I can root against Washburn again and not have any conflicts.
so the rotation would be Felix,
Bedard,Silva,Batista,Dickey ….…RRS (after recall), the Moose, Mel Stottlemyre…
We do love the rumor mill…
Too Wash or not to wash…
pilfkcab
and
forwardflip too
So are we really demanding some high prospect in addition to the Yanks covering Wash’s whole contract??
We’ll find SOME way to F this up..
Well…if we only got Melky or Gardner out of the deal I would have pooped my pants. Pelekoudas is digging his own grave be demanding a top tier prospect. He has to be upsetting GM’s by asking for the sun and the moon for all everyone he tries to trade.
I wouldn’t get freaked out about any of the reports that are flying around.
There’s WAY too much flying around right now to be sure of what exactly is going on, but the one certain is that it seems like a deal is either done, or very near to it.
stuff flying is so entertaining … the S-L has the Mets kicking the tires on just about every one on the M’s
I don’t know if it means anything but Brett Gardner is listed as Reserve status on the S-WB Yankees. Does that mean he may be moving soon?
Dumping Washburn and Batista in the same week? Lee P. Might be the only interim general manager to win GM of the year…
Really, if Pelekoudas wanted to make a big immediate impression even though struggling for a cohesive plan which might impress the bosses, the road map is pretty clear-just start undoing just about anything that bares the Bavasi brand…..
Who woulda thunk the Yankees would have any interest in players like Sexson and Vidro.
Maybe the M’s should rummage around in the bottom of the ball bags for any random flotsam and offer it to the Yanks.
“Hey, look, here’s Miguel Cairo! He’s just like Luis Sojo!”
“Ooh, look at the shiny pizza crust! Want it?”
Could be. Could also be that he just got demoted and hadn’t made it back to the team yet. I will say that I have seen minor leaguers get moved to their squad’s reserve list a day or so before they get traded.