ANAHEIM – George Steinbrenner has called a major sitdown of his inner circle today in Tampa. The Boss wants to know what’s available on the trade market before tomorrow’s 4 p.m. deadline, and if the Yankees are better served trading Raul Mondesi to the Diamondbacks, who have had interest in the right fielder since spring training.
Steinbrenner has summoned both branches (Tampa and New York) of the Yankees’ dysfunctional family to the club’s minor-league complex. Team president Randy Levine and GM Brian Cashman are expected to represent the New York family. The Tampa mafia of VPs Gordon Blakeley, Damon Oppenheimer and Billy Connors will be on hand.
The top priority for Steinbrenner is this: Do the Yankees, who started last night’s action 1½ games ahead of the Red Sox in the AL East, have enough weapons to win a sixth straight divisional crown?
Steinbrenner, who ordered his inner circle to get Mondesi from Toronto last year, will be updated on how serious the Diamondbacks, and, to a degree, the Marlins are about acquiring Mondesi before the waiver trade deadline. Both clubs are in the NL wild-card chase. The Marlins are one game back and the Diamondbacks three behind after Florida beat Arizona, 2-1, last night.
According to multiple sources, the Diamondbacks are more interested in Mondesi than are the Marlins, but Arizona wants the Yankees to pay all of the $2.34 million left on the $7 million Mondesi makes this season. The Yankees have talked about Diamondbacks prospects Sergio Santos (shortstop), Josh Kroeger (outfield) and Scott Hairston (infield), but Arizona doesn’t want to deal any of them.
Of course, the more the Yankees pay, the better the return package. The Yankees don’t have an interest in lefty reliever Mike Myers.
Mondesi wasn’t in the starting lineup last night against Angels right-hander Kevin Appier. Joe Torre started left-handed-hitting Karim Garcia in right field, Garcia’s first start since July 12.
“I don’t know,” Mondesi said when asked about the possibility of him being traded.
When Garcia started in right on July 10 in Cleveland, Mondesi was upset. Last night he said he had no problem with the benching.
“I am fine, I have played 10 years, it’s one game off,” Mondesi said.
Torre said tomorrow’s deadline didn’t figure into his decision.
“If it was Aug. 2, I would do the same thing,” Torre said.
While tomorrow’s trading deadline has some teeth to it (any player traded after it has to clear waivers) not many teams are expected to attempt to block a deal by claiming a player who makes significant money because they could get stuck with him.
If Mondesi, who is batting .258 with 16 homers and 49 RBIs (.152 (16-for-105) with runners in scoring position) is dealt, Torre’s choices in right field will be Garcia, Ruben Sierra or promoting Juan Rivera from Columbus (Triple-A).
While a lot of attention has been paid to the Yankees’ rebuilt bullpen that flopped in Boston on Saturday and Sunday, there is a crying need for a bat with Mondesi and Robin Ventura struggling to provide consistent production and Bernie Williams not driving the ball since coming back from the disabled list on July 9.
Williams was 13-for-59 (.204) since returning from knee surgery, and had just one extra-base hit, a double.
