Yankees Get Abreu; Sheffield Ready To Explode

So, the Yankees pick up Bobby Abreu and Cory Lidle for some players that no one knows anything about. I must admit that it is a good trade (for now) for the Yankees, but in the long run, it means absolutely nothing for the Yankees' chances on making the playoffs.

Does no one realize that the Yankees did exactly the opposite of what they needed to do to help their team? The Yankees need PITCHING, not HITTING! The Yankees are already loaded with hitters: Giambi, Jeter, Damon, Cano (when healthy), Posada, Gay-Rod (when they are up or down 10 runs in a game and it no longer matters). The last thing the Yankees needed was another bat in the lineup. What they needed to focus on was getting a solid, quality pitcher and their "amazing trade" failed to pick up what they so desperately needed.

But we got Cory Lidle, you stupid, ignorant Yankee fans say. I don't give a crap about Cory Lidle and neither does anyone else in the American League. The guy was a number 3 or 4 starter for the Phillies - which makes him about a number 5 or 6 pitcher on any respected pitching staff. The guy has a near .500 career win/loss record and an ERA in the high 4's - in the National League, the weaker of the two divisions. This guy is going to get blown up when he pitches against a real hitting team like the Red Sox, Blue Jays, etc. Give me a break, Lidle is one step above Sidney Ponson, which makes him "slightly better than shitty."

Here's the real question: What are the Yankees going to do when Matsui and Sheffield are ready to come back and play every day? Someone has to sit the bench. Assuming that Abreu will be playing in right field, Damon in center, and Matsui in left, that leaves Sheffield and Giambi as players needed in the lineup. You're going to need Sheffield to DH, which leaves Giambi as your everyday first basemen. Can you ask for a worse fielding player in an important position such as first base? They guy will routinely make more errors than Gay-Rod! Can you expect Giambi to dig out an errant throw by Gay-Rod? I think not. Giambi playing first base is like having a little leaguer playing with the pros: He looks out-of-sorts and never knows exactly what to do. You're practically giving the opposing team an extra two or three outs a game. Should be interesting.

What will also be interesting is seeing how Sheffield will handle all this. Sheffield is well-known for having meltdowns when things don't go his way. Now that the Yankees have given his position away to Abreu, do you think Sheffield is going to be a happy man? I think not. The guy is in his final year on his contract and only wants to play with the Yankees and, in his mind, they have just given his money away to Abreu. Sheffield is going to come out swinging in the press in no time. All it takes is for one of the weasly New York writers to ask him his feelings on the trade and his spot on the team and Sheffield will run his mouth and drag down the Yankees' morale. You expect little ol' Derek Jeter, the Yankees captain, to tell him to cool it and keep his mouth shut? Forget about it. Sheffield always has, and always will, play for himself and himself only. He may not explode on the team and its management now, but when he comes back and is ready to play and sees that Abreu has taken over what he thought was his role on the team, Sheffield will be on the attack.

So, where does this leave us? The Yankees are a 1/2 game out of the AL East with Toronto coming to town tomorrow. Good luck there. They are also a 1/2 game in the lead in the Wild Card with the White Sox a 1/2 game behind and the Twins 1 1/2 back. The White Sox play Kansas City and the Twins are playing the Rangers. Look for the Yankees to start their fall. You shouldn't be teasing your fans like this Yanks! You're just setting them up for disappointment!