When Brian Cashman acquired Colorado righty Shawn Chacon late Thursday night, it addressed the most immediate problem the Yankees had. Namely, a warm body on the mound for today’s start.
Yesterday, Cashman said filling the other gaping hole – center field – was “probably unrealistic.”
So as tomorrow’s 4 p.m. non-waiver trade deadline approaches, it’s more likely the Yankees will add another back-end starter or relief help and hope the rotation gets healthier.
“[Center field] is something we’re looking at, still,” Cashman said before last night’s game with the Angels. “Obviously, if I could do something, it would be great.
“I’m having trouble finding [someone], or the price tag is too high. Or all of the above.”
The Yankees started Tony Womack in center last night in what manager Joe Torre called an effort to reignite the rusty veteran. Womack might play today and tomorrow, as the team either showcases the 35-year-old and/or revisits a failed experiment from earlier this season.
Womack had played in only two of the previous 12 games and hadn’t started since July 5. The Nationals have expressed mild interest in him as a center fielder.
“You know there’s something there, bat-wise,” Torre said. “Center field seems to be the spot that’s musical chairs right now.
“But it was more or less to see if we can get the offense that he’s certainly capable of giving us. We’ll see what the body language is.”
Other than that desperate chess move, Cashman and Torre are by and large encouraged by the Yankees’ play and current situation – second place in the AL East, 1 ½ games behind Boston before last night. That’s why they won’t go crazy adding an outfielder such as Randy Winn or Gary Matthews Jr.
“I like what we have here, I like what we have going on in the clubhouse,” Cashman said. “I know our guys are determined.
“I love the energy around this club, and I’d love to be able to improve upon it.”
Said Torre: “We’ve had a great team effort here. Hopefully we can keep the edge.”
The Yankees didn’t give up any of their blue-chip prospects (including Eric Duncan) for Chacon, instead dealing Double-A righties Edwardo Sierra and Ramon Ramirez, who had been playing with the Trenton Thunder. And if Cashman makes any other moves, he’s not going to sacrifice the farm system.
Sierra was 3-1 with a 3.28 ERA for the Thunder in 33 relief appearances. He saved a Florida State League best 28 games for Class-A Tampa last season, and Baseball America called him as one of the club’s top 30 prospects, but not top 10.
Ramirez began the season with Triple-A Columbus, but was demoted on May 9. He was 6-5 with a 3.84 ERA in 15 starts for Trenton.
“I’m being very protective of our system,” Cashman said Wednesday. “If they put it together, the future will be bright.
“They have good arms, but they’re a work in progress.”
How big an impact Chacon makes down the stretch is pure speculation.
On the one hand, he’s leaving the ridiculously difficult pitching atmosphere in Coors Field, but on the other hand he’s thrown into a league with the DH in the heat of a playoff race.
Other pitchers the Yankees have been linked to are Cleveland’s Kevin Millwood and Scott Sauerbeck, Seattle’s Gil Meche and Ron Villone, San Francisco’s Scott Eyre and Detroit’s Jason Johnson.
Cashman had called everybody but the Red Sox and was apologizing for calling some teams multiple times. His determination is single-minded.
“We’re not in the right spot in the standings we need to be,” Cashman said. “There’s a lot of work ahead of us.
“This is going to be a fight the whole way.”
Additional reporting by George King.