UPDATE: Jon Heyman of SI.com essentially backs up Stark’s report, saying the Yankees would be willing to trade Ivan Nova, Zach McAllister (previously mentioned in the Cliff Lee proposal) and other prospects, however they will not include Joba Chamberlain and pay the full $33 million remaining on Haren’s contract.
According to Heyman, the Diamondbacks have attempted to include Chad Qualls or Chris Snyder in the deal, in an effort to shed payroll.
8:03 AM: Oh, this is silly season alright.
Just hours after Diamondbacks president Derrick Hall told Jack Magruder of FOXSportsArizona.com that the Yankees were not the front-runners for Dan Haren, a source told Jayson Stark of ESPN.com that the Yankees were “never close” to acquiring Haren on Friday.
According to the source, the teams did exchange names, however the Yankees rejected a proposal that would have sent Joba Chamberlain, 23-year-old right-hander Ivan Nova and two more prospects to Arizona. In turn, the Diamondbacks rejected a proposal that consisted only of prospects.
This is where I start to get a little bit confused. Stark writes that another hurdle between the teams, according to the source, is how much of the $33 million remaining on Haren’s contract the Diamondbacks are willing to pay. Arizona’s proposal would have required the Yankees to assume all of it. Meanwhile, the Yankees (and other interested teams) want the quality of the players included in the trade to be based on how much of
Haren’s remaining contract the Diamondbacks are willing to pay.
So, um, the Yankees may have included Chamberlain had the D-Backs kicked in some cash? I don’t buy it. Haren’s contract — approximately $4 million (of his $8.5 million salary) in 2010, $12.75 million in 2011, $12.75 million in 2012, $15.5 million club option ($3.5 million buyout) in 2013 — is actually pretty reasonable. And not in a “Yankees buy everything” sort of way. While still costly, he would be a pretty decent bargain for most teams.
Taking the money out of it, it just sounds like the Yankees are reluctant to give up on Chamberlain. Simple as that. And I gotta say, looking at Chamberlain for what he is at this point — a reliever who will be arbitration-eligible after the season — I’m not sure that makes much sense.
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- YankeesfanLen - Jul 24, 2010 at 8:23 AM
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Even if a trade can’t be made, can’t we just send the FAT TOAD out to the desert in an unmarked refrigrator box or something?
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- Ditto65 - Jul 24, 2010 at 8:50 AM
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The Yankees don’t want to get fined for polluting the desert.
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- Old Gator - Jul 24, 2010 at 9:35 AM
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But then he’d be the HORNED TOAD.
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- Old Gator - Jul 24, 2010 at 9:35 AM
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Maybe the Borg’s current status in the Haren sweepstakes is kinda like an “un-birthday” in Alice in Wonderland?
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- YankeesfanLen - Jul 24, 2010 at 9:52 AM
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Good to see you here- were you waiting for the Feesh to hit the least common denominator, or great emanicapator, or whatever you call it, to show up?
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- Ditto65 - Jul 24, 2010 at 9:56 AM
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Don’t drop the appropriate descriptive – FAT HORNED TOAD.
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- Pisano - Jul 24, 2010 at 10:17 AM
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I don’t understand why the Yankees want the Toad at all . He’s a loser. They should pay Arizona , or any other team to take that bum. I was so hopeful after last nights posts that the Toad would be involved in some sort of trade , and now this mornings posts has me in a depressed state . Hopefully the Yankees will suck someone in to take the Toad off their hands . Please God help the Yankees get rid of him .
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- Old Gator - Jul 24, 2010 at 11:02 AM
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Strange attractor. It’s a mathematical term out of complex dynamics theory. Fractal thing, you know? The Great Sibyl Wikipedia defines it as “a set towards which a dynamical system evolves over time. That is, points that get close enough to the attractor remain close even if slightly disturbed.” In other words, .500 within that particular dystopia that is the Feesh’s 2010 season. Any mathematician can see how the set “2010″ has “.500″ as its strange attractor. Like all pronouncements of the Great Sibyl Wikipedia (GSW, henceforth – makes a nice foil for EYP), it’s a gross oversimplification, but this is a sports blog.
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- Professor Longnose - Jul 24, 2010 at 11:47 AM
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I am afraid in this case, Old Man, it’s the Marlins who are strange and not the attractor.
As for Chamberlain, he strikes out a lot of hits, doesn’t walk too many, and gives up few home runs. He’s pitching in bad luck, with a BABIP not that far from .400. He’ll be fine.
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- Professor Longnose - Jul 24, 2010 at 11:48 AM
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Erratum: He stgrikes out a lot of hitters.
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- Al - Jul 26, 2010 at 2:47 AM
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Chamberlain will be fine once he overcomes the disappointment of not being a starter and learns to accept his role. If the Yankees get a starting pitcher it will be Ted Lilly, a known entity. Ted Lilly had a stint with the Yankees and the Yankees could use a left handed pitcher, or they will land Cliff Lee who will be a free agent after the season!
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- Nic Geerz - Jul 26, 2010 at 2:06 PM
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joba will be fine when he stops going out drinking everynight!!1
