Yankees Trade Value

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Feb 21, 2015; Tampa, FL, USA; New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi (right) and generial manager Brian Cashman during spring training workouts at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Welcome to the first annual Yankees trade value series, where we will explore who on the 40-man roster (as of 3/1/15) has the most trade value. Remember, this is only players on the 40-man roster. You will not see Gregory Bird, Luis Severino, Jacob Lindgren or any other prospect in this series.

So what is this based on? Well first of all, when you talk about trade value, age is a big thing. With steroids out of the game, older guys aren’t doing as well as they used. Health is a part of this. Obviously a healthy player will have more value then an injured player.

Another big part of this is contract. Alex Rodriguez‘s contract hurts his value, while Brett Gardner‘s will help his.

Position helps as well. If you look around the league, a skilled catcher will have a little more value than a power hitter who can’t field. It’s a new age, and teams are going to want defense not just offense. Power is scarce in the game, but defense is a highly valued as ever.

Desirability to another team is important. Teams have all sorts of swing guys and arms in their camps. Teams have prospects trying to make names for themselves. Will a team look and say, wow this player is truly desirable for us? Does he make us that much better?

Without further ado, here are the first players in the rankings. We will have this series twice per week throughout March with the finally right before Opening day. Here we go!

Feb 25, 2015; Tampa, FL, USA; New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez (13) makes contact during batting practice of the afternoon workouts at New York Yankee Minor League Complex. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

40. 3B/1B/DH Alex Rodriguez

If you had said 10 years ago that Alex Rodriguez would have no trade value, I think someone would have questioned your sanity. Guess what? He has no trade value, and that’s why he’s last on this list.

A soon to be 40 year old coming off two hip surgeries and a suspension for steroids, with three years and $61 million left, with $6 million bonuses coming to him for home run milestones is something no one, not even the Yankees want to touch with a 10 foot pole.

I don’t even think the Phillies would offer Ryan Howard, or the Angels would offer Albert Pujols for A-Rod. And we know the Phillies really want Howard gone, no matter what their GM says.

If the Yankees could get rid of Alex now, they’d do it, but they don’t want to eat the money, and we can all understand not wanting to set $60 million on fire for no reason.

No one is going to want A-Rod unless the Yankees ate a ton of that money, possibly the whole thing. It’s not worth it. For all the age and injury concerns, Rodriguez sits at #40 on this list.

Feb 21, 2015; Tampa, FL, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Chase Whitley (39) throws a bullpen session during spring training workouts at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

39. P Chase Whitley

Cheap swingmen are always a nice commodity to have for any time. Multiple inning pitchers are very valuable. But organizations all have their own version of Chase Whitley, and that’s why he comes in where he does.

Look, Whitley isn’t the worst pitcher ever, but if you were to offer him to a team, what could you really get for him?

Whitley only averages 90 on his fastball per Fangraphs. He had a 5.23 ERA, but may have had some bad luck. He had a 4.14 FIP and a 3.77 XFIP. Left-handers hit .313 off him, while right-handers hit .297. That is way way too high.

Whitley probably will be ticketed to start in AAA, because he could be called upon if a starting pitcher gets injured. With all the arms the Yankees have in the bullpen, and Esmil Rogers being out of options, he probably won’t be getting the long relief job in the bullpen.

He’s a nice piece, but wouldn’t get much in a trade.

Feb 21, 2015; Tampa, FL, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher CC Sabathia (52) throws a bullpen session during spring training workouts at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

38. P CC Sabathia

If you had said after the 2009 World Series title, that A-Rod and CC would be two of the Yankees LEAST valuable trade chips a few years down the road, you would be looked at like you were nuts. Alas, the day before spring training games start, that’s where we are at.

Why is here? Well let’s see.

Degenerative knee condition? Check

Declining velocity? Check

$48 million coming to him plus a vesting option for 2017? That’s three.

CC is going to be pitching with a knee brace this season. They are going to be lucky if CC can make it through the season pitching on his knee. Right now he’s healthy, however, how long will that last?

What about his velocity? His fastball averaged 88 MPH last season. On a healthy knee and with adding more weight, can he get to 90? Can he learn how to pitch more like Tom Glavine, and not like Stephen Strasburg? That’ll be the key if the Yankees can salvage anything from him.

Jun 5, 2014; Denver, CO, USA; Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Chris Martin (47) delivers a pitch in the eighth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Coors Field. The Diamondbacks defeated the Rockies 12-7. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

37. RHP Chris Martin

No this isn’t a power ranking of current rock band singers. (I made the obligatory Coldplay joke let’s move on now okay?) Martin was acquired for cash from the Colorado Rockies this off-season as another power right-handed arm. I think Brian Cashman realizes the Yankees rotation may not do much this season and he may have to shuttle arms in and out of the front end of the bullpen.

The thing that the Yankees like out of the bullpen is K/9 average. In the minors last season, Martin had a 12.2 K/9 average. In his 16 games in the big leagues, it dropped to 8 per nine, but it was his first time in the bigs. Sometimes you need to adjust.

Martin averaged 94 on his fastball while in the show last year. He’s 28, but he hadn’t pitched for a while before coming back to the Red Sox, before being dealt to Colorado.

He’s got options and a good arm, but he’s going to be riding the shuttle between Scranton and the Bronx. All teams have that kind of guy.

Feb 25, 2015; Tampa, FL, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Jose De Paula (73) pitches during morning workouts at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

36. P Jose De Paula

De Paula was signed by the Yankees back in November to a split deal between the majors and the minors. I have to be honest, I hadn’t heard of him until the Yankees signed him, but after looking at the deal, it seemed like the signing was the end for David Huff and I was write.

De Paula is the lefty version of what Chase Whitley could be on this team, except left-handed. The Yankees need left-handers with the ability to start. It’s always worked in the past. On the 40-man, the only lefties who can start are Sabathia, Chris Capuano and De Paula. That’s it. Because of that, it gave De Paula a leg up in the value column.

De Paula went 4-3 with a 4.21 for AAA Fresno of the the San Francisco Giants. He only pitched 51 innings and gave up 55 hits. He does have an option left.

De Paula may have earned a spot with his dominant performance in Winter League in the Dominican Republic. He started two games, striking out 10 in 10 innings and only giving up one run.

Next time 35-31

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