New York Yankees should trade for David Price

We are now a little over a day away from the MLB trade deadline, and the Yankees have yet to land any of their alleged targets. Troy Tulowitzki is a Blue Jay, Cole Hamels is a Ranger, and Mat Latos is a Dodger.

If you feel inclined to let out a few yells (complete with expletives), you would not be alone in that regard.

Gone are the days when the Yankees would make that huge deadline trade. Now, they are in favor of holding on to prospects that they perceive to be of great value.

The thing is: can we really trust the Yankees’ when it comes to their prospects?

Let’s rewind to November 2007 when Marlins (yes, Marlins) star player, Miguel Cabrera, was available.

The Yankees, at the time, had three highly regarded pitchers in their system. Those pitchers were Joba Chamberlain, Phil Hughes, and Ian Kennedy.

The Yankees were very much interested in Cabrera but were uninterested in trading any of their star prospects.

The Yankees would meet with the Marlins but were unable to strike a deal.

“No offers were made,” said Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News. “But a source with knowledge of the situation said the Marlins made it clear that the Yankees would have to include either Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain or Ian Kennedy in any trade for Cabrera, something the Yankees are not willing to do.”

Cabrera would go to the Detroit Tigers, and would do plenty of this to the Yankees.

I know what you’re all thinking. What does this have to do with the Yankees’ interest in David Price?

Have you been wondering why the Yankees have failed in their attempts to trade for guys like Cole Hamels? Well, like in 2007 when they refused to part with Chamberlain, Hughes, and Kennedy, the Yankees have prospects that are off limits.

“The Yankees have told all teams that have no intention to trade any of their four best prospects: Luis Severino, Aaron Judge, first baseman Greg Bird and shortstop Jorge Mateo,” said Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.

They wouldn’t trade any of those guys for Mat Latos or Cole Hamels. And they won’t trade any of them for David Price.

Therein lies the problem.

Are those guys considered the next “Core Four?” Unless the Yankees consider those guys can’t miss prospects (and by my account, only Severino is), there is no reason why they shouldn’t include one of those players in a deal for David Price.

The Yankees have been here before, and for all intents and purposes, they struck out on a head high fastball last time out. Chamberlain, Hughes, and Kennedy are no longer with the team. Chamberlain fell out of favor, and would leave the Yankees as a free agent in 2013. Hughes also left as a free agent in 2013. Kennedy was traded to the Diamondbacks in 2009 in a deal that landed the Yankees, Curtis Granderson.

Granderson is no longer with the Yankees. Who would have still been in New York? Miguel Cabrera, that’s who.

If there is a lesson to be learned here, it is that you should always trade a “could be” prospect for a sure thing like David Price.

Will the Yankees learn that lesson this time around?

Next: Who is the best Yankee off all-time?

New York Yankees should trade for David Price

By Israel Gonzalez | Jul 30, 2015

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