Tuesday July 22, 2008
ESPN’s Buster Olney is reporting the New York Yankees are taking a look at acquiring Mariners lefty Jarrod Washburn before the deadline. It will tough for the Mariners to get much in return for the 33 year-old veteran due to having another year on his contract that pays him somewhere in the ball park of $10 million dollars. The move would ultimately be a salary dump. I have read a few rumors about the Mariners receiving Kei Igawa in return. That would figure, but I expect a marginal prospect. Olney sites the Yankees may like to keep Washburn in their rotation for 09′ because the dimensions of the new ballpark will remain similar to the current Yankee Stadium cut out which has a short porch in right field and favors left-handed pitching. I could see this move happening due to the fact that :
1) Ryan Rowland-Smith just got sent down to Tacoma to stretch his arm out to become a starter.
2) The Yankees are one of a handful of teams that would take on Washburn’s salary based on his production.
3) The Mariners have the arms in the system to replace him this season and next.
