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July 07, 2006

Chacon For Pineiro?

Thanks to WasWatching.com reader Nick from Washington Heights for the heads-up on this story in the Post:

Shawn Chacon went from the Yankees' rotation to the bullpen yesterday. Now there is a chance he could be headed to Seattle.

According to several industry sources there is a possibility the Yankees will send the slumping Chacon to the Mariners for right-hander Joel Pineiro. The sources explained teams know Chacon is available and the Mariners have a scout watching the Yankees at Jacobs Field.

Brian Cashman refused to get into specifics about what deals he can or can't make.

"I am making calls but there is nothing close," the GM said yesterday.

The last time Pineiro was a good pitcher was in 2003. How bad has he been since then? Think "Jose Lima" bad.

I've looked to see if there's anything inside the numbers to suggest that Pineiro could help the Yankees, some way, this season. And, I found nothing.

The only upside on this deal would be that the Yankees can control where Chacon goes immediately after getting him off the team. Of course, the M's could later trade him or cut him - and then he could go somewhere that the Yankees would not like - but, it won't happen right away (relatively speaking).

This assumes that the Yankees might be concerned about Chacon going to Boston or Toronto and then coming back to haunt them.

Otherwise, I would not even bother with this deal - it's easier to just let Chacon go and not take on Esteban Loaiza, er, I mean, Pineiro.

Posted by Steve Lombardi at July 7, 2006 11:21 AM

Comments

So they're trading a struggling pitcher for... a struggling pitcher? Why don't they just send him to Seattle for a B-prospect? What's the point of bringing on another starting pitcher who stinks and will take up a roster spot? Pineiro and Chacon, at this point, aren't any better than Steven White. So they might as well just start him and stop dumping so much slag on this team.

Posted by: baileywalk [TypeKey Profile Page] at July 7, 2006 12:00 PM

This would not be a bad deal. Piniero is young--only 27. He had a very promising first 3 seasons. And, he's a durable 200 IP guy. Maybe he needs a change of scenery.

There is definitely talent there. I remember one game in Seattle last year where the guy was lights out against us.

Posted by: Joel [TypeKey Profile Page] at July 7, 2006 12:24 PM

The last time Pineiro logged 200 IP in a season was 2003.

Posted by: Steve Lombardi [TypeKey Profile Page] at July 7, 2006 12:29 PM

OK, so he logged 189 IP in 2005 and has 98 IP through half a season this year.

Posted by: Joel [TypeKey Profile Page] at July 7, 2006 12:35 PM

I would think the Yankees would be happy to have Chacon in Boston or Toronto. I don't get it, just trading troubled RHP. Is there a contract involved? Is Chacon getting big money? Is Piniero? Are we desperate for pitching? Oh, wait, I know that one...

Posted by: Scott Coulter [TypeKey Profile Page] at July 7, 2006 01:03 PM

If memory serves me correctly, Pineiro was on the Yankees' radar last year. I'm guessing they like his stuff and think they can help bring him back to his pre-2004 form. I think, given the Yankees' advantage with financial resources, it's worth a shot. He makes twice what Chacon makes, but he has probably twice the upside of Chacon, who has been plain awful.

Posted by: Nick from Washington Heights [TypeKey Profile Page] at July 7, 2006 01:10 PM

I'm with Bailey on this one. Simply swapping one underperforming RHP for another seems to have no purpose. Furthermore, given how poor Piniero has been over the past several years, I don't see why the Yankees would expect that they'd be able to turn things around for him. I'm still waiting to see the magic promised to me by removing Mel Stottlemyre.

(PS - the last sentence above is not a defense of Mel, per se, as much as it's an indictment of management in recent years to take marquee-name playes and think they can turn them into star coaches. No disrespect to Gator but has he really been something Mel wasn't?)

Posted by: MJ [TypeKey Profile Page] at July 7, 2006 01:21 PM

Given the choice is between -11 RSAA and -14 RSAA, I'd pass on both and take my chances elsewhere.

Posted by: hopbitters [TypeKey Profile Page] at July 7, 2006 01:30 PM

Sometimes just going to a new place can help a guy, even for just half a year. Think of Chacon getting out of Colorado last year. The problem is, so many teams are still in the race that you really aren't going to get any good pitching in a trade.

Posted by: rbj [TypeKey Profile Page] at July 7, 2006 01:46 PM