Q. So why would the Yankees give a guy like that up?
A. In case you haven't noticed, the Yankees construct their 25-man roster a little differently than the Mariners, or even the Mets, do.
Much more difficult for them to phase in an unpredictable rookie right in the middle of their World Series strategy. Jesus Montero is going to catch a rotation full of 32-year-old Cy Young candidates? Uh huh.
Much easier for them to deal for a Cliff Lee, and then buy their FA catcher off the FA market.
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Anyway, the Yankees have Francisco Cervelli, a 24-year-old catcher up now and he's supposed to be real good defensively. Goes to show you that if the Yankees phase in a prospect at C, he's got to catch the superstars first and hit second.
After dealing Montero, the Yanks #2 prospect (per BaseballHQ) is guess who? Austin Romine, another catching prospect.
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Montero-plus is a return on Cliff Lee that would have SSI dancing a jig. Prime target for termination there. He's a guy that SSI hopes for.
Imagine him as part of a package, with other glamor players.
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Cliff Lee is throwing the ball about as well as we've ever seen a pitcher throw, from a sheer pitchability standpoint. 60 strikeouts, 4 walks. He's averaging about 200 seconds per inning, we're guessing.
GM's have got to be just trembling over this guy. If not Montero, then somebody, kids. The reports are going to be a whale of a lot of fun.
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Cheers,
Dr D
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You don't need to sell us on Montero Doc. :-)
I would be absolutely thrilled with Montero as a centerpiece.. I don't know if the Yanks will actually let him go, but perhaps his slow start at AAA is a blessing in disguise.
Lee dominated the Yankees in the WS just last year, and is even better this year. Those things can leave an impression on a GM.. Like we've seen with Z and his obsession with NL East players.
Jesus Montero? That would be awesome.
I hate to see the M's squander the year with Lee, but that is where we are. I wouldn't want him go to the Yankees, but on the other hand could enjoy seeing him sign with the Cards to be closer to his home in Arkansas. So if the Yankees want to spend heavily to rent him, the M's could benefit.
I'm not the biggest minors buff, and was a bit surprised to see him underrated around the net. MLB has him #40 in baseball before the slow start, but as you know most major lists have him top 10 in baseball.
Ya, Montero's uber-prospect status isn't too controversial as you know, but it's interesting to muse on where his upside is, and the Yanks' willingness (or not) to part with him.
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The rumor as y'know has Montero + Nunez, and we can speculate on what else. :- ) If Zduriencik applies the J.J. Putz magic, who knows what he could get for a red-hot Cliff Lee...
Depends on a bidding war.
If the Yankees are the only ones biting, I doubt we'll get Montero out of em.
But if the Sox (or Rays, or Jays) decide to get into it and could swing the balance in the East, then we're in business and we might get a haul.
It all depends on supply and demand. There are two monsters conceivable on the market this July: Lee and Oswalt. As long as there are 6 teams bidding for their services, we'll be fine.
If there are only two teams trying to get a top-flight worldbeater at the deadline, then we may wind up holding two extra children's passes for the next draft, instead.
I'd rather have a Montero-class prospect or two, thanks anyway.
~G
... that a bidding war for Lee is just about a given.
It's one thing to ask whether there will emerge a market for, say, a Jarrod Washburn. But this is Cliff Lee and the curb appeal right now is off the charts... it's Roy Halladay and then some. A guy like that goes on the market and everybody gets stars in their eyes.
Could be wrong, but I'm super confident that such a bidding war is going to get rolling, with gusto...