From Jon Heyman (SI):
The Yankees believe their chances are practically nil after hearing from Toronto that it would take both Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes plus two more top prospects for Halladay. Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi wasn’t kidding when he told the Yankees up front it would take more from them and Boston than it would from other teams.
To have any shot at all at Halladay, the Yankees have to hope things fall through with Phillies, then consider whether to dangle one or the other, Chamberlain or Hughes. For Halladay, they might part with one (though not both).
One AL scout said he’d offer Chamberlain, but not Hughes. “I think Hughes is going to be good, but Joba I wonder about. He hasn’t learned his lesson from showboating yet. In fact, he’s gotten worse. He’s extremely talented, but I just wonder whether he’ll break down.”
While Chamberlain’s antics annoy some folks, he has put together two straight excellent starts.
This “let’s trade Joba and not Hughes” dynamic is very interesting (and does this scout actually think that the Yankees should trade Joba because he “showboats”?). About a year ago, when Joba was still a bullpen revelation and Hughes was a rotation flop, the exact opposite was being said. “Joba is untouchable, but Phil Hughes can get dealt,” many were saying. Unnamed scouts were claiming that Hughes would never be much of anything, citing his lack of velocity and lack of pitches. Yet, here he is today, dominating in the bullpen just as Joba did back in 2007-2008. Now (and suddenly), everyone wants to keep Hughes and move Joba. It’s funny how a year changes things. Anyway, I doubt the Yankees move either player for Halladay.
Heyman also mentions that the Yankees called the Mariners about Jarrod Washburn over the weekend and were told that the Mariners weren’t ready to sell. That could obviously change, however, very quickly.
(props to MLBTR)
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8 Responses to Heyman on Halladay and the Yankees
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TIQ IQ
I like when these kinds of things happen because it’s an easy way to see which fans are the …. dummies?
Is this scout for real I mean is he making a baseball evaluation based on Joba showboating would he say the same about Pappelbon come on give me a break. I love that Joba is showing this kind of energy and results. I would trade neither of them.
I would not want to go to Toronto and face Joba OR Hughes for the next decade. I just hope the Sox don’t pull a rabit out of their hat and land Halladay. I wouldn’t want to face Beckett, Halladay and Lester for the next 5 years either.
If the Sox go him, you would only see him this year and in 2010, since Halladay wants to test the FA market (I definitely hear you, though). It could be a good thing, long-term, however, if the Sox trade Bard, Buchholz and Bowden for Halladay. Their system would be barren of pitching. The only bad thing about that is that the Blue Jays would then have a surplus of young studs and we’d still have to face them within the AL East.
I am really tired of the talks about Joba “showboating” for Christ sakes it’s not like a T.O. thing or Chad Johnson thing where he is planning celebration dances or holding up signs with H.O.F 20?? or whatever crazy thing the NFL is doing this week he is just showing real emotion. I hate how Sportscenter and ESPN just show the fist pumps and not the scenario leading up to it, in his last start when eh got that first strike out after walking the batters and the wild pitch I was pumping my fist and standing in front of the TV because of the situation and after the second one I was screaming so if I have that kind of emotion after sitting on the couch eating chips how much emotion is going through Joba since he is the one doing it?
All I know is that Joba has pitched well ever since he started “showboating” again (I would call it showing emotion rather “showboating”). If that helps him, who cares what others think, especially some unnamed scout. In fact, I’m surprised this scout actually brought it up as a problem. You have Jonathan Papelbon running around wearing goggles and doing an Irish jig after beating opponents. Maybe the Sox should trade him, too?
Just so you guys know, who ever writes the iYankees blog has plagiarized this piece verbatim
http://thebronxzoo.wordpress.com/
shut em down!
Hey ADG, that’s me. Ha, I write at both blogs.