With the Javier Vazquez Experiment V2.0 failing miserably in the Bronx this past season (yes, we suck), it would only be natural for a Yankee fan to think the organization lost horribly in this trade. It’s a completely understandable emotion because Vazquez was horrendous.
However, if we were to announce the winner of the trade in a heads-up battle between the Yanks and Braves, the transaction bizarrely favors New York at this point.
A cursory look at the major league components, in terms of WAR, actually tilts the trade to the Yankees’ advantage.
Yankees: 0.2 WAR
- Boone Logan (+0.4)
- Javier Vasquez (-0.2)
Braves: -1.1 WAR
- Melky Cabrera (-1.2)
- Mike Dunn (+0.1)
Melky Cabrera was the worst everyday player in the majors this season. In Melky’s “Elephant Man”-ugly season, he managed to post the 4th-worst WAR since 2006, and single-handedly push the value numbers in the Yankees’ favor.
Additionally, the Bombers upgraded LOOGYS, going from Dunn to Logan — a move that proved extremely useful when Damaso Marte found himself on the DL for the 2nd time in two seasons. So right now, on the major league level, the Yankees are winning on the deal.
The wild card in ultimately determining a winner in all of this is the big prospect the Yanks sent to Atlanta, Arodys Vizcaino. Before a season-ending elbow injury (not Tommy John), the former Staten Island Yankee was one of the best righties in the Sally League, managing a 2.30 FIP in 71.2 innings with an eye-popping 9 walks over that period (3.1 BB%).
He’s got front-line potential for sure, but is still a number of years away from the majors, and now has some injury concerns to boot. The Yankee farm system soldiered on without him, posting one of the best years in recent memory, but he’s a Top 100 prospect and losing a player like that hurts.
As Javier Vasquez (Type B free agent) and the Florida Marlins came to terms on a deal, the Yankees will net themselves a protected supplemental round pick in next year’s draft. This ensures the Yankees a first-round pick should they lose theirs in the course of signing a Type-A free agent. We’d still prefer to have Arodys Vizcaino over a pick, elbow injuries and all, but the relatively high-draft selection will help lessen the sting of losing the young right-hander.
While Brian Cashman likely vomited over Javier Vasquez’s performance, Atlanta GM Frank Wren has to be similarly disgusted with the offensive and defensive black hole that was Melky Cabrera. While the immediate returns of the deal favor the Yankees, it’s more appropriate to call this a loss for both sides. Neither got what they expected from the major players in the deal, and the long-term result likely hinges on a 20-year old in A-ball coming off elbow surgery versus a nameless, faceless draft pick.
If not the worst case scenario for either franchise, it has to be among the most unfavorable outcomes either could have envisioned.
20 Comments
Mark G November 28, 2010 20:58
Given the fact that the NYY included a high- ceiling, class A, pitcher in the deal, who by the way had another excellent season in the Brave’s minor league system, we can not possibly tally the winner of this trade at this time.
And in all fitness the sandwich pick the NYY picked up for losing Vazquez has to be accounted for, too (added by Mobile using Mippin)
Gary Wallace November 29, 2010 01:33
From the 6th paragraph: “The wild card in ultimately determining a winner in all of this is the big prospect the Yanks sent to Atlanta, Arodys Vizcaino.”
The 8th paragraph deals entirely with the draft pick the Yankees got.
I get the sneaking suspicion you didn’t actually read this.
FTW guy November 29, 2010 09:59
Gary Wallace FTW!
Honestly, I don’t think half the people who comment actually read the full posts.
27 Rings November 29, 2010 12:35
What did we win? It was a huge mistake signing Vasquez and everybody knew it…at least the smart Yankee fans. What you don’t mention is maybe someone else would have given us a better player for Melky, Dunn and prospect when they had better value. We wasted those three guys on a bum everyone knew (except Cashman and NoMaas) would bomb, instead of getting someone who could actually HELP our team. Yeah, our players sucked less than theirs!
Steve November 29, 2010 13:42
No one said the Yankees won, so you are starting right away with a strawman.
Second, why would we think someone else would have given more for Melky? The Vazquez deal went down in late December, don’t you think Cashman had shopped Melky to other teams before that? Melky was a career .269/.331/.385 hitter who was set to earn over $3M b/c he was 2 years into arb. What do you think his trade value was?
The Braves won the trade b/c they didn’t pay Vazquez’s salary last year and they still have a lottery ticket in Arodys. Simple as that. But the point of the article was that the Braves side didn’t really work out all that great even though the Yanks’ side worked out disastrously. Big deal.
whoa November 29, 2010 16:01
salaries being equal, i would say the yankees win in a straight up melky vs javy duel – i’d rather have a crappy starting pitcher than a crappy outfielder. but given that the salaries are not equal as Steve mentioned, its easy to pick the Braves, especially after examining all of the factors in the trade.
Mike K November 29, 2010 13:58
Bottom line: We didn’t give up much for the privilege of watching Vazquez suck. Again.
Let’s just put this all behind us and never mention his name again. At least not until the all-star break, when Javy is leading the NL in FIP and Cashman trades a couple of marginal prospects for him to round out the rotation. ;)
Jon Schimenti November 29, 2010 14:22
haha, i remember when the binos started vaz first me on braindead double and he got a W and a no decision and second start was at SEA when they had uncle milty bat cleanup, haha
ratard November 29, 2010 14:42
Dear Joe you are a moron and that made no sense. Sincerely Jesus Christ.
Tampa yankee November 29, 2010 15:03
This is also assuming melky doesn’t improve from his horrible 2010 season. I dont know what the deal is in Atlanta, he might not get another chance there, but if he can become an average hitter, or even below average with a solid defense then Atlanta got the better end of the deal, (added by Mobile using Mippin)
Steve November 30, 2010 11:31
Melky is in his 3rd year of arbitration and made $3.1M last year. He will most likely be non-tendered as he stands to make about $4-5M next year. He has negative trade value and if the Yankees wanted him back, they could have him for nothing.
Lil' Benji Ka bak November 29, 2010 15:23
I’ll miss Vazquez. I still will wear my Vazquez jersey with the pride only a Jew has.
TSJC November 29, 2010 17:34
That’s cause I tell you what to wear, and you do what I say, bitch.
Now clean out my fleshlight.
^^^^^t^h^i^s^^^^^
27 Rings November 29, 2010 19:10
It’s easier to win with a hitter that doesn’t hit, than a pitcher that can’t pitch. Not only was he an automatic loss, but he killed the bull pen too. I’m over it, but let’s learn something here. Good pitching stats in the NL do not equal greatness in the AL. Get Lee!
Dan Uggla November 30, 2010 11:15
How about me? My WAR is 5.1.
I’d say the Braves did ok.
Mike K November 30, 2010 17:33
I feel like nomaas really missed the boat when Javy signed with Florida. I envisioned a photoshop of his face over LeBron’s with the heading “taking my talents to South Beach”.
It’s not too late.
Yet another WAR Sucks guy November 30, 2010 18:07
No matter what you think of WAR, no rational human being can think that WAR is a meaningful stat for relief pitchers. It’s based on FIP, which is a useless stat for relief pitchers. If you bring two different guys in with runners on, and one guy always gets the ground-out or strike-out or GIDP, and the other guy always gives up sac flys, they have the same FIP.
Of course, none of the guys in this article have a WAR that is radically out of line, so I don’t know why I’m posting this.
Yet another WAR Sucks guy November 30, 2010 18:12
And of course, that post is only true if you take “or strike-out” out of it.
Joel December 30, 2010 10:00
This is a bit off topic, but I was curious to know if anyone knew why baseball does not allow draft picks to be traded?
Mimi Skubis January 21, 2011 12:00
hey momma! I wanna go surfing.