Yankees trade options, part deux

Here are some more trade options that have popped up over the last few days. The Yankees' trade landscape has, of course, been altered significantly by yesterday's injury to Andy Pettitte. Yanks GM Brian Cashman has maintained all along that his main priorities are finding bench depth (presumably in the infield, since the team has a plethora of outfield depth on the roster and in AAA) and relief pitching. You'd have to think, though, that with the stretch drive shaping up, Cashman would much prefer a proven veteran arm in the rotation while Pettitte's gone, as opposed to Sergio Mitre or a rookie such as Ivan Nova or David Phelps, as talented as two are.

1. Get Ted Lilly from the Cubs. The Cubs' season was over long before the all-star break, and they are ready to begin selling off their higher-priced, higher-valued veterans. Lilly's been a Yankee before, he's as predictably consistent as the tide, and he's left-handed. He's no Cliff Lee--or Andy Pettitte, for that matter--but he leads the second-tier pitching market.

2. Get Cody Ross and Leo Nunez from the Fish. The Marlins are about ready to sell, as I mentioned in my last post, and a Ross/Nunez package would fill both the holes that Cashman wants to fill. Ross is a righty-swinging, versatile outfielder with decent power who will hit around .280 without embarassing himself in the field. Nunez is a hard-throwing reliever who is having a career year as the Marlins' closer but would make a solid setup guy for Mariano Rivera. The Red Sox are reportedly asking Florida about these two players as well, so we may see a deal swung sooner rather than later.

3. Get Jonathan Sanchez from San Fran. I should begin by saying that the Giants are likely not very motivated to move Sanchez. He's a young, hard-throwing, left-handed strikeout machine on a team that is built around pitching but struggles to score runs. They would probably want major-league hitters or top prospects for Sanchez and the Yankees don't really match up there. Our top hitting prospects are catchers and the Giants already have their catcher of the future in Buster Posey. But Sanchez is a starter with bullpen experience and is nearly unhittable at times.

4. Get Jayson Werth from Philly. Werth is a classic late-blooming slugger who finally came into his own with the Phils during their World Series run. Top prospect Domonic Brown is waiting in the wings at AAA and is nearly ready to supplant Werth in right field, so Philly will probably be taking offers. The Yankees could work a sort of platoon with Nick Swisher where he and Werth rotate through right field and DH so that both are always in the lineup. The main problem with making this deal is that the Phillies are looking for the same thing the Yankees are: pitching and infield depth.

5. Get Jason Vargas and/or Brandon League from the M's (yeah, right...). This trade will likely never happen for the simple reason that Seattle GM Jack Zduriencik made a verbal agreement to trade Cliff Lee to the Yankees. then shopped the deal around and used it to get a better offer from Texas, which he accepted. Brian Cashman and the Yankees do not appreciate being used and they will not forget. League is a hard thrower out of the bullpen, and is accustomed to the AL East, having been with Toronto prior to this season. Vargas is a veteran lefty having a career revival with Seattle. Both could probably be acquired on the cheap for mid-level prospects.

6. Get Scott Downs from the Jays. Downs is the closest thing to a sure thing as far as left-handed relievers go. His numbers over the last couple seasons have been outstanding and the Yankees are one of three teams considered to be seriously interested, along with Boston and Philly. He would instantly and dramatically improve the Yankee bullpen, and he'd give Joe Girardi a weapon he can be confident in against top lefty sluggers in the stretch run and postseason.

7. Get Fausto Carmona from the Tribe. The Indians will be sellers at the deadline, but it will be interesting to see what they do with Carmona. His trade value should be high, as he is a young starting pitcher with very good stuff, but he is signed to a relatively team-friendly deal for the next few years. Will Cleveland try to get something for him, or will they hold onto him and decide to build around him? Stay tuned...

8. Get Ben Sheets from the A's. Sheets' ERA is higher than normal this season, but you know what you're going to get from him, and he would likely benefit from having speedy outfielders like Brett Gardner and Curtis Granderson chasing down fly balls behind him. He's due a little less than $4 mil for the rest of the season and could probably be had for a reasonable price. The biggest knock on Sheets has been his injury history.