The Arizona Diamondbacks, Detroit Tigers, and New York Yankees entered into a three team trade today. Here are the components:
Given Up:
Arizona Diamondbacks
Max Sherzer RHSP 5 years of service left
Daniel Schlereth LHRP 5 years of service left
Detroit Tigers
Curtis Granderson CF 3/23.75MM (1yr opt 13MM; 2M bo)
Edwin Jackson RHSP 2 years of service left
New York Yankees
Ian Kennedy 6 years of service left
Phil Coke 5 years of service left
Austin Jackson 6 years of service left
Received:
Arizona Diamondbacks
Edwin Jackson
Ian Kennedy
Detroit Tigers
Max Sherzer
Daniel Schlereth
Phil Coke
Ian Kennedy
New York Yankees
Curtis Granderson
Immediate thought . . . short term winner: maybe the Yankees . . . long term winner: Tigers
Analysis after the jump.
Arizona Diamondbacks
I am honestly not very sure what the Diamondbacks are going for here. The assumption is that they are looking to fill out a rotation that was going to hold Haren, Sherzer, and a fingers crossed Webb. The rest of their options at the moment are pretty unflattering. Maybe the idea is that with a healthy Webb and one more starter, things could be different. Scherzer is a great young talent with some injury concern issues. In his first full season he struck out over 9 per inning and racked up a 111era+. In comparison, Ian Kennedy was injured and Edwin Jackson remembered he was Edwin Jackson in the second half of last season. Schlereth is a big time back end bullpen arm, but the Diamondbacks do not seem to have a need for that at this very moment. Really, I can only see the bet here being that the Diamondbacks are praying Webb is back, Kennedy becomes a solid 3/4, Jackson delivers 3/4, and Drew/Young remember how to hit again. It is a steep bet on a low probability roll.
Detroit Tigers
The Tigers are in some money worries right now and found some saved money in dealing Granderson and Jackson, who will be earning a steep raise in arbitration. Granderson still gives good value, but is one of those players who has a couple downward trends on him that may mean nothing or may mean something bad. Last year was particularly interesting as it seems his platoon split was taken advantage of more and he began pulling and popping up pitches. His homerun rate remained the same, but that also translates into more popups being caught. He is on a solid deal, but it is not beyond the real of possibility that his average defense does not degrade to the point that he becomes a left fielder with a center fielder's bat. Austin Jackson gives him a solid average option in centerfield. He probably will not be worth more than Granderson until about 3 years into his tenure with the Tigers, but it holds more long term value for them with him out there.
Edwin Jackson looks like your typical half a season star who will fade away. Somehow, the Tigers turned him into a player who is right now going to produce as much as Jackson (Max Sherzer) and will probably surpass him as early as next year. Somehow, the Tigers also recieved two solid cheap arms in their bullpen in Phil Coke and Schelreth. Overall, I think the Tigers are better today than they were yesterday. Sherzer and Jackson are equal with Scherzer having greater breakout potential. Granderson is probably equivalent to Jackson, Coke, and Schlereth . . . maybe not, but probably not far off. The only thing that can swing it wildly away from the Tigers is if Granderson finds himself much better off away from Tiger Stadium.
New York Yankees I think it was fine for them. A very average trade in the whole scheme of things. What confuses me is given the pieces available in the market, why? The big lingering piece out there this winter is Halladay. If the Yankees could sign Granderson quality in center for the same price as Granderson, why not do that and keep your prospects in hope you can win the Jays over in adding these guys to Montero and trying to get the deal done? None of the guys the Yanks lost will hurt them much in the long term. Only Jackson seemed to have a slot available to him, but it just sort of cries as a missed opportunity. It feels Ed Wade-ian.
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