Yankee News - Nov 29 edition

- What is the right package for Santana? Does the Tampa deal kill any chance the Yanks have of trading for Johan? I believe so. The Twins will need another starter (now that Garza's gone) capable of going 200+ innings. Neither Hughes or Joba will top 150. Kennedy and Wang are the only pitchers capable of that in 2008, but neither are good enough in Minny's opinion to trade for Santana. They want a higher ceiling pitcher. Also, they may not be in the market for a CFer anymore. Minny acquired a minor league centerfielder (Jason Pridie) and Delmon Young, a major league right-fielder who could probably play an average CF. He'd probably have below average range but could make up for it with his cannon arm. Anyway, now that they have two solid CF candidates, their interest in our centerfielders - Melky and Austin Jackson - could dissipate. For my money, Santana will be traded before the 2008 deadline. Instead of getting two draft picks, the Twinkies will just take the best offer they have at the time.

- Call me crazy, but I don't get why Clay Buchholz of Boston is getting more love than Phil Hughes right now (ok, maybe I do - the no-hitter). Did everyone forget that Hughes was pitching a no-no of his own back in May (only to have it cut 7 outs short by injury)? Hughes has more ML innings under his belt than Clay. Outside of k/9, he has better minor league stats across the board (era, hits/9, walks/9, HR/9 and k/bb) than Clay. Oh, one more thing - Hughes is two years younger!

- How does the mid-90s Mets Trio compare to the current Yanks Trio? Is there any chance they bust as much as Pulsipher, Wilson and Isringhausen?
The following are their MiLB stats through age 23:

Pulsipher
(he missed the entire 1996 season with injuries at the age of 22, derailing his whole career. Let's look at what he did up to that point.)
527 ip
7.65 h/9
3.9 bb/9
7.65 k/9
1.96 k/bb
2.87 era

Wilson
248 ip
7.26 h/9
2.69 bb/9
9.22 k/9
3.53 k/bb
2.98 era

Izzy
476 ip
7.0 h/9
2.7 bb/9
2.9 k/bb
7.85 k/9
2.72 era

Very good overall. Izzy's career was set back by an injury that cost him his entire age-23 season.

Now for the Bronx guys
Kennedy first
149 ip
5.62 h/9
3.14 bb/9
9.97 k/9
3.17 k/bb
era 1.87

Joba
88.1 ip
6.33 h/9
2.76 bb/9
13.79 k/9
5 k/bb
2.45 era
followed by an even more impressive ML stint

Hughes
275 ip
5.56 h/9
2.16 bb/9
10.18 k/9
4.7 k/bb
2.03 era

The Yankee Trio puts the Met Trio to shame. Far, far better minor league stats at younger ages. I don't think the two should even be compared.

- The Yanks are looking at David Riske and Troy Percival to better the bullpen. I don't know how much better they would be than what we have in the minors, e.g. Ohlendorf, Edwar, Britton, Veras, Whelan, etc. But for the right deal (in terms of money and length), sure, go ahead.

- MiLB.com is in the process of listing it's top 50 prospects. Two Yankees have been named so far: A-Jax at 49 and Kennedy at 26. Tabata and Joba will inevitably be in the top 20.

- Mark Melancon's on the mend. The guy has closer potential and could be setting up Mo sometime next year - ala Joba in 2007.