Yankees: The worst trades in franchise history

12. December 13, 2003. New York trades Jeff Weaver, Yhency Brazoban, Brandon Weeden, and cash considerations to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Kevin Brown.

Kevin Brown had enjoyed a solid career up to this point. A perennial Cy Young Award contender, Brown had won 197 games with a 3.16 ERA in over 3,000 career innings. The veteran was a workhorse and multi-time All-Star.

New York wanted to add a veteran to their rotation before the 2004 season. Brown, entering his age-39 season, certainly met the veteran label but he was unable to produce in pinstripes.

Brown made 35 starts over the next two seasons in New York, pitching a total of 205.1 innings. His 4.95 ERA and 1.427 WHIP were his worst marks at any stop throughout his career. Brown would retire following the 2005 season.

Weeden spent two years in the minor leagues with Los Angeles and another with Kansas City before leaving baseball to play football (first at Oklahoma State before spending parts of five seasons in the NFL). He was really a non-factor here.

Brazoban was a key piece of the Dodgers bullpen in 2004 and 2005, appearing in 105 games. He’d post a 4.44 ERA and save 21 games before injuries would ruin his career.

Jeff Weaver’s inclusion in the trade was in part so that the Yankees could get out of his contract, which was set to pay him more than $15 million over the next two seasons. Even for a franchise with deep pockets, the production Weaver had provided so far in New York wasn’t matching that cost (more on this later). Weaver proved to be the workhorse that New York thought Brown would be, however. He’d throw 444 innings over those two seasons, going 27-12 with a 4.11 ERA. It was arguably the best two-year stretch of his career.

11. July 31, 2010. New York trades Mark Melancon and Jimmy Paredes to the Houston Astros for Lance Berkman.

Even with a two-game lead in the division and the best overall record in the American League, the Yankees were still looking to add some help on offense with the 2010 deadline approaching. Lance Berkman seemed like an ideal fit — a switch-hitting, high-contact veteran who could provide depth in the outfield and at first base.

Berkman had been enjoying a solid but not spectacular season with Houston prior to the trade. He had 13 home runs and 16 doubles, he’d walked 60 times, and he was posting a .245/.372/.436 slash. While those numbers were below his career averages, they were still strong enough that most viewed the acquisition as a positive one for New York.

Berkman hit .255/.358/.349 over the remainder of the season, with just a single home run in 123 plate appearances. Berkman did homer in the postseason, hitting a game-turning two-run shot in the 7th inning of Game 2 of the Division Series against the Twins. The Yankees would let him leave as a free agent after the season. He would sign with the St. Louis Cardinals and finish seventh in NL MVP voting.

Paredes spent parts of six seasons as a journeyman after the deal, spending time with Houston and four other clubs.

Mark Melancon was once viewed as a potential heir apparent to Mariano Rivera in New York. He’d blossom into a solid closer, but it wouldn’t come for the Yankees. He’d post good numbers for the Astros following the trade — going 10-4 with 20 saves and a 2.85 ERA over a season and a half — and has been traded a number of times since. He’s saved 194 games so far in his career.