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New York Yankees Editorial: Joe Girardi’s Trade Deadline Message To Yankees

By Caleb Gebrewold

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Playing for a franchise such as the New York Yankees, with so much media coverage combined with a large fan base, can be grueling.  Not only are you constantly required to perform, but you also constantly hear your name dragged in the rumor mill.

According to Yankees manager Joe Girardi, he will be advising his players not to read the papers, watch the news, or listen to sports radio, and to focus on their job as the trade deadline approaches:

"Obviously there’s going to be a ton of discussion over the next nine days.  The big thing for the players is just, block it out.  Go do what you do.  We’ve got to this point with the guys in this room and let’s continue to fight."

Upon completing a sweep of the Baltimore Orioles, the Yankees are currently 53-41, five and a half games clear of the second place Toronto Blue Jays entering play Friday.  Even with the lead in hand, one that isn’t insurmountable, but continues to grow, strengthening the Yankees postseason chances, the team is expected to make upgrades before the trade deadline.

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Girardi has said he feels better about the starting rotation, which has pitched very well of late, but GM Brian Cashman will likely make some form of trade for a starting pitcher.  Second base is another place where the team could see, and use, an upgrade, as Stephen Drew is hitting .180.  The bullpen could also be in line for an upgrade, as it currently holds four lefties, and not much right-handed talent behind Dellin Betances, who has thrown the second most innings amongst relievers in 2015, and Adam Warren.

Cashman has noted that he will be open-minded in his trade deadline approach, while adding that no prospect is untouchable, something that Yankees fans surely won’t want to hear with Luis Severino and Aaron Judge on the cusp of the majors:

"I’m open-minded to everything, anything.  I’ve been doing this for a long time and I do recognize that prospects are (suspect), so I don’t think anybody should be untouchable.  I’ve always maintained that some guys are harder to move than others.  I won’t say that I’m a conservative GM; I’m a very aggressive GM.  It would be hard for me to do anything there, but I’m going to be open-minded to it."

Although Cashman feels no prospects are untouchable, he has also stated it is likely that the team will hang on to their top prospects, something that Jason discussed earlier in the week.  After watching the team pass on Scott Kazmir, who was dealt to the Houston Astros Thursday for two mid-level prospects, Cashman might not have been bluffing when stating the team could remain the same through the trade deadline.

Whether the Yankees make a move or not remains to be seen.  Until then, however, Girardi wants his players to avoid listening to the media, and focus on doing their job.  With the team playing some of their best baseball of the season, it appears that the players have done well to receive his message.

Next: New York Yankees Editorial: Three Cheap Pitchers The Yankees Should Pursue

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