One of our loyal readers, Scott L, brought up an interesting notion yesterday for the umpteenth time, and I think the topic deserves a closer look. He suggested that the Yankees explore trading Melky Cabrera for relief pitching, being that Melky is playing extremely well now and is unlikely to ever be more valuable on the trade market. Melky is at .311/.360/.473 and is playing a very strong CF, numbers that place him in the top 6-8 CF’ers in most statistical categories. If you believe that Melky is playing way above his head, it may make sense to cash in on his increased value while you can. With Brett Gardner improving to the point where his defense and basestealing are not counteracted by his offense (his .265/.346/.385 line is similar to Jacoby Ellsbury’s), the Yankees would have a replacement in CF ready to go.
Personally, I think trading Melky would be a bad move, unless the Yankees received a young, cost controlled power bullpen arm with a track record of success. The problem is, there is no way that two good months from Melky will convince a team to give up that kind of player. The best you might do at this point is a Damaso Marte type, a solid reliever who you hope can pitch in the AL East. Because the Yankees have plenty of that sort of pitcher, it seems that Melky would be infinitely more valuable to the Yankees by remaining on the team and playing every day. That way, the Yankees have their CF of the future if his performance thus far is not a fluke, and do not lose much if it is fact just a hot streak. I would hold on to Melky. He may just surprise us.
What do you think?
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32 Responses to Trade Melky?
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I say I like our chances with the Melk-Man in CF. Offseason maybe, but you do not want to disrupt this thing the team has going. There could be an issue with blocking Jackson but for now I say keep this team together and hope that Bruney and Marte are back by the all star game. Plus I like the idea of not relying on Bret rather going to him when he looks good or using him off the bench to swipe a bag.
I might do it for a closer-type or a good shortstop prospect because Melky doesn’t have an enormous upside and may be more valuable to a mid-level team than to the Yanks who need all-star level production at every spot. On the other hand, Melky is that rare perfect borderline starting/4th OF who can legitimately give you plus defense and plus offense at every OF spot b/c of his combination of arm and speed. He gives tremendous flexibility out there that is very valuable.
Tom I think you nailed Melky perfectly. I believe he will have much more value in the NL on a mid level team.
I’d trade Melky, but definitely not for some relief help. I’d hope he continues this throughout the year and then package him and some other goodness for a higher ceilinged, young OF.
The yankees seem to run into this problem/question every year, but with a different player. We always say “if only X player could get hot for awhile we can trade him while his value is high”, yet we don’t then they revert back and we just bitch and moan about him.
See Kyle Farnworth’s Yankee career.
I think it is a bit different with a young CF’er who ostensibly could have actually taken the next step we expected after his solid rookie year. If he did, trading him for a reliever will come back to bite them, and you certainly will not get fair value for him.
I realized after I posted that I left myself open to this rebuttal, lol. True they are different cases entirely, but I just wanted to point out the similar debate we have each year. Personally I’d trade him, but its got to be for a cost controlled player or a very valuable piece. I don’t count a bullpen arm as a very valuable piece.
he’s 24 years old for pete’s sake, the age when many players are just breaking in. he’s showing power from both sides of the plate. he’s apparently maturing along with Cano, I think. He is also showing that team enthusiam that we lacked in past years. PLUS he is a home grown guy. Don’t trade him…
I’m not in love with Melky but he is a useful player.
Let’s see if he can hit .285 with 20 Dingers this season, playing in our bandbox.If he can’t, his trade value won’t be much anyway.
Wait until Austin Jackson is ready, then do a Nate McClouth on him.
McLouth has much higher value than Melky. The only way you can do that is if this is for real. if it is, how much better than the line Melky currently has do you think Jackson can be?
Melky is playing over his head. Players do that sometimes. Wait for the slump to come.
Of course he is playing over his head. My point was, the only way you can get a McLouth type deal for him is if he actually sustains this type of play. If he actually does that for a full season, it is hard to see Jackson come in and consistently put up OPS’s over .830. Basically, if the point ever comes that he can garner that type of return, he has actually become good enough that it would make it difficult to imagine Jackson being much better, if at all. I dont think that will happen, but then I dont think we can get a good return for him.
Who is going to say when Austin Jackson is ready? I do find it amusing that the Yankee hype and spin machine is doing everything possible to lower expectations for when he comes up with the stories out recently.
Personally I believe Austin Jackson will make his Yankee debut very soon in a NL city during interleague play. The Yankees need to be able to make double switches and having an extra outfielder over Berroa makes so much more sense.
Hard to say, you’d have to put him on the 40 man in order to do it. I think we’d see somebody they can easily DFA if they need the spot before that happens.
Here’s a vote for not trading him. Here’s a guy who stunk last year, almost got traded, heard the wake up call and has responded. Gotta like that. And he’s cheap.
With respect to Melky and he is doing fantastic so far this year I just don’t believe in him long term. I do not think Melky has the mental fortitude to play at a continuous high level in NY. I think there is no room on the Yankees for Gardner, Melky and Jackson at the same time whether this year or next. If you believe that Austin Jackson needs 25 man roster time this year like Gardner got last year someone needs to go and Melky seems the logical one to move. With Gardner playing very well over the last month and showing he can be successful and not overwhelmed there is no reason not to go will him. I think Girardi wants Brett and his speed over Melky.
I wonder if Melky could be traded to the D’backs in a deal for Chad Qualls. I don’t have a clue as to what Qualls would cost but Melky could help them as there outfield play this year beyond Upton has been pitiful.
I actually have a post coming about Qualls either today or likely Sunday. He will cost more than Melky.
Moshe I like Qualls for the Yankees and think Melky could help the D’backs. Qualls would give the Yankees more back end pen experience not only for this year but next as well. If his cost is Melky plus depending on the plus I hope the Yankees are interested in Qualls.
Oh, and I’m not sure why you are down on Melky’s mental toughness. As Ace mentions below, he has shown plenty of it while in the majors.
Moshe I think Melky lets things distract him and this leads to inconsistent play. To me this shows a lack of metal toughness.
Where do you get this idea? Are you in the clubhouse? I have no idea where this concept that Melky gets distracted comes from.
Okay Moshe please explain Melky’s inconsistent play the previous 2 seasons? He has shown glimpses of solid play at times so he always has had the physical skills right? What else is left?
Explain it?? How about immaturity. Too bad there’s no cure for that, huh? :-)
Most baseball players are inconsistent. Look at how Swisher, Matsui, and Teixeira have played so far. Are all of them lacking in the proper mental capacity?
So, what can we expect from AJAX?
Is he a superb outfielder, will he cut down his strikeouts and hit 20 + HR’S ?
Can someone please explain y the same people who have no faith in melky are so sure that the light hitting gardner (with no track record on this level) can replace and SURPASS Melky’s career level of production for a whole season. Personally, i have always liked melky and believe that he has finally taken his game to a higher level. However, precluding my personal bias i dont see the point in trading him unless he is a key part in a package deal to get a great player. And he will need at least one complete year putting up big numbers to warrant such a deal so let him do it for us.
To Scott l: you cant be serious with the mental toughness argument. His first time up he played horrible and was laughed back to the minors. When he finally makes it up to the majors full time, he is perpetually in trade talks. Now this year coming off of a putrid season and entering a season where he is replaced by some rookie he has responded superbly and has come up with clutch hit after clutch hit. So you are trying to tell me that a player who has been able to survive the constant threat of being traded, being sent down to the minors after thinking he had permanently made it to the big leagues, and has not been broken by new york yet will be destroyed by New York in his best season. We cant trade him for someone worth his value to us at this point in time so let’s see what he can do for a full season.
Lmao! Melky has a history of doing well and then crashing into the toilet correct? When I say he does not have the mental fortitude I mean I believe he can’t maintain his success consistently in NY.
I agree about not being able to get equal value for what he has a decent chance of becoming-a solid MLB CF. I also agree about not trading him unless it’s part of a trade for a front-line talent, a corner OF who can rake or a guy who has a very good chance at being Jeter’s eventual replacement or someone like that.
Trading him for a set-up man isn’t getting equal value. Just because we haven’t filled that role yet doesn’t mean we won’t be able to. Heck, Hughes is going there now-let’s see if he can be Joba light before we trade for another Marte.
I understand Scott L. sees the importance in selling high, but I don’t think now is the best time to trade Melky because of the lack of outfield depth. If Xavier Nady is healthy right now, I say, trade Melky definitely. But Nady’s not healthy, not close. People might mention that the Yanks have Austin Jackson waiting in Triple-A, but a prospect like him does not need to be rushed up to the bigs. If Nady is playing regularly before the deadline, then I would be looking to trade Melky.
According to Baseball-Reference past 28 day splits.
Melky 21 games, 80 pa, .280 ba, .295 obp, .413 slg, .708 ops, 10/2 K/BB
Brett 21 games, 63 pa, .308 ba, .410 obp, .519 slg, .929 ops, 5/8 K/BB
Looks like the Melky implosion is starting!
way too small of a sample to evaluate just as much as this whole season has been
we need to wait a year before we can consider trading melky, and like someone mentioned above, do a “mcclouth”