The Dodgers called the Yankees to inquire about the possibility of trading for C.C. Sabathia and Mark Teixeira, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports. The Yankees told the Dodgers they had no interest in moving either player despite their substantial contracts (four years and $99MM remain on Sabathia’s deal; four years and $90MM remain on Teixeira’s deal).
Los Angeles recently acquired Adrian Gonzalez, Josh Beckett, Carl Crawford and Nick Punto from Boston by agreeing to take on $260MM in future salaries. Dodgers officials weren’t inspired by the upcoming free agent class, so they explained to rival teams that they’re willing to take on substantial contracts. This gave the Dodgers the leverage to complete many deals — few clubs could add substantial payroll midseason.
There are no signs the Dodgers were interested in Alex Rodriguez, Sherman writes. Some executives question Rodriguez’s ability to play third base every day at this stage in his career, and he might be best-suited for the American League. Furthermore. the Dodgers view Hanley Ramirez and Dee Gordon as solutions on the left side of the infield.
The Yankees would love to move Rodriguez for payroll reasons, according to Sherman. Yankees executives aim to avoid the $189MM luxury tax threshold for 2014, and Rodriguez’s contract limits their flexibility (five years and $114MM remain on Rodriguez's deal). However, Rodriguez has a no-trade provision, as do Sabathia and Teixeira.
Dodgers trying to buy a world championship
trade for*
the Yankee’s have bought 27….
yeah they bought all their championships from the 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s
Correct.
For those who can’t sense the sarcasm, I believe that was present in this statement.
I can’t imagine the haul a deal centered around Teixeira and Sabathia would’ve involved. Zach Lee AND Webster, to start?
Don’t think the Dodgers would have had the secondary pieces to make a deal like that.
Not saying they do, but I’m trying to conceive of what it would even take.
I think it would have to center on Nick Punto.
Lol More, Much Much More, because Yankees wouldn’t take Prospects, one of Kemp or Kershaw + Zach Lee. Probably. That being said they then would not have had a first baseman, and unlike the Red Sox, they would not have taken James Loney.
I fully recognize this could never happen, that is why it was crazy of Ned Coletti to ever ask the Yankees in the first place.
Hahahaha. Sorry, but Kershaw is more valuable than anyone on the Yankees. And we’d be throwing in our top prospect, too?
And Kemp is more valuable than anyone on the Yankees not named Cano (and it’s pretty close between the two).
I’m not saying Sabathia and Teixeira aren’t valuable players, but be realistic.
Gonzales, Crawford and Becket aren´t valuable players anymore
(sarcasm)
I’m sure the Yankees were dying to get rid of CC and Tex at this point in the season.
All about that luxury tax threshold, mannnnnn
Sabathia is on a pretty fantastic deal, and Teixeira’s deal, while not ideal, is not nearly crippling on the proportions of, say, Carl Crawford.
I could definitely see the Yankees moving Rodriguez in addition to a player with actual significant trade value, like Granderson, if it meant getting A-Rod off the payroll, but under no circumstances are they going to trade Sabathia. That’s just lunacy.
Would like to see the Yankees trade Granderson next year for say prospects and see if someone is willing to bite on A-Rod. This would allow the Yankees to go strong on Hamilton and clear some payroll.
If the Yankees are trying to go below the threshold, they aren’t going anywhere near Hamilton.
I would keep Granderson he is a good player and doesn’t get injured as often as Hamilton, his centerfield days every day are over!
I fully agree…and then re-sign Nick Swisher. You need the money for him and then Robinson Cano, who (because he has Scott Boras as his agent, will get to free agency).
Doubt anyone ‘bites’ on A-Rod’s contract. Aside from the $27MM per year salary, he gets bonuses for milestone achievements. I believe they’re in the area of $6 MM per achievement. It’s not a given that he’ll get there, but no one is going to risk that at this point in his career.
27MM Can buy a TON of HGH and masking cocktails.
I truly can not understand this idea of trading away Granderson? Yes he K’s a lot….yes his defense is less than spectacular. However, at this pace he’s set for two back to back 40 hr seasons and we’ve had him for an average of $9 mil a year.
Hamilton is going to be a HUGE investment of at least $20 mil a year. Would rather have Grandy at $13 mil than Hamilton at $20 mil +.
Who would want to take on A-Rod’s contract, however? I think that the Yankees are stuck with a contract running until age 42. Sabathia gets paid a lot, but in less than 4 seasons, he has won 72 games as a Yankee and his contract runs out at age 36.
“but under no circumstances are they going to trade Sabathia. That’s just lunacy.”
I understand he is the Ace of the NYY right now.. But he is owed 105m (minimum) between now and 2016 and could, if he is healthy end up at 125m thru 2017. If it meant they could unload Rodriquez, along with Sabathia.. A team might think on that for a 32YO pitcher with a ton of innings already on his arm.
Then.. the NYY going thru a rebuild process is almost as rare as Boston.
The Phillies should have pushed Lee’s contract on LA when hey had the chance. Knowing what we know now, they might have been able to unload Howard too.
Geez, their decks would be all cleared.
The difference between the Yankees and Red Sox.
smh if you honestly believe that these situations are remotely analogous
cheap shot, had to be taken. I can only hold back so much!
S’okay. What I’ve come to expect from Yankees fans anyhow 😉
It would be wrong to NOT kick you while you’re down.
Analogous.. that’s a big word, I had to look it up to make sure even I understood. Seriously, though these don’t seem to me at least Ned Colletti like moves. Throughout his career, he has never really done this.
I know Magic Johnson stated at the press conference the other day: The Dodgers (We) understand you have to spend money…..The problem is the Dodgers should be searching for the Cody Ross of 2010. The John Jay’s and David Frese’s of 2011. That’s who they should be trying to seek!
It’s not spending Gazillions on aging players! You need to find the hot hand before they get hot, get them cheap, and then look good waving at the World Series Podium. Buying a Championship doesn’t always work and quite frankly it usually doesn’t. The Dodgers are trying to buck the odds again, like Salmon swimming upstream. It doesn’t end well for the Salmon.
Agonz = 30-36
Crawford=31-35
Beckett-32-35
Not exactly ancient. Some of those are prime years. Not exactly like they are acquiring them on their decline. Beckett is what he is. He had to be taken in the deal but not hard to imagine him being a solid #3 in the NL West.
I reread that like Tim Salmon reading that in the third-person. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
This is getting kind of ridiculous.
They should have called asking about A-Rod and Kuroda instead.
What the Dodgers need to do is call the Rays and ask for Pena and Price.
The Dodgers should never have let Kuroda walk. The only reason why he does not have more wins is because of run support problems.
Didn’t they let him walk before the new ownership? I bet they resign him if the new ownership had taken over soon enough.
I believe that they did…from a baseball perspective, it surely looks dumb now.
the Yankee’s don’t want to spend money? did i read that correctly?
they dont want to go over the luxury tax threshold to avoid having to pay other teams money for going over.
How long before they call the Tigers about JV and MC?
My thoughts exactly.
I wouldn’t mind Sabathia, but Tex? Nawwww, we gone A-Gon!
Just throwing this out there, CC Sabathia and Mark Teixeira, Because the Yankees would never trade MLB ready players for prospects, without at least intending to sign someone out of Free Agency, as Yankees intentions are to compete every year. Would probably cost Matt Kemp. Or Clayton Kershaw. One of the two. No Way around that because Sabathia is of the same caliber as both of those players, + Teixeira… C’mon Ned Coletti…. How would that have ever worked? The best team in baseball trades two of their best players, and gets prospects? That makes sense…….
I called about Sabathia for my softball league but the Yankees wouldn’t trade him to me either. They wouldn’t eat enough of his contract to make it work.
I do believe that’s the first time in the history of the world that “Sabathia” and “wouldn’t eat enough” were in conjoining sentences. Bravo, sir.
I predict the Dodgers in bankrupt , in at least 3 years