Shermantor:

If the Rockies go into full dump mode, eyes will be on star outfielder Matt Holliday. But if I were the Yanks, I would hone in on Garrett Atkins as long as the belief was that he could play first. He is about to get very expensive and, in Ian Stewart, Colorado has a high-end prospect ready to replace Atkins at third now. Atkins destroys lefty pitching and is not a free agent until after 2010.

Nick Shlain: C’mon Joel, you’re better than this. Wait, no your not. What am I talking about?

Where is the need for hitting on this team? Sure, the Yankees are 14th in all of baseball in RS/G. But, didn’t losing ARod and Po, the two best hitters on the team, for extended time have something to do with that? Going forward, the Yankees don’t need offensive help.

Also, what is the plan by getting Atkins? Play him everyday at 1B? So Giambi can DH and Matsui can practice karate? That doesn’t make our offense better. The only parts of the offense that need improvement are 2B and CF and we just have to wait until Cano and Cabrera get it together.

If the plan is to use him as a spare part, then allow me to let you in on a little secret: spare parts aren’t the difference between making and not making the playoffs.

Also, Atkins has terrible home/road splits the last two years, benefiting heavily from his home park. In 2007, he had a tOPS+ of 120 at home and 81 on the road. This year, 130 and 75. Adding his road production wouldn’t make our offense better.

Sherman says the point of this column is for the Yankees to trade for guys for this year, but makes a point about Atkins contract going through 2010. 

Colorado needs a long-term answer in center, and the Yanks should not be afraid to deal Melky Cabrera as a key element to a major deal (does Cabrera, Kennedy and Melancon get this done?).

This deal is terrible. I would never do this, Brian Cashman would never do this. It is waaaaaaaay too early to be giving up on Melky and Kennedy. Melancon is recovering from injury so I don’t know how many teams really value him. I know that we do though.

Three scouts who cover the Yankees’ system say Triple-A center fielder Brett Gardener can play in the majors now, and his speed would be an element sadly lacking on the current squad.

It is great that we have other players in our minor league system. But, that doesn’t mean we go and trade Melky if we aren’t getting anything good back.

Now, it’s great that three scouts think that Gardner can play in the majors. But, that doesn’t mean he can. I’d like to see him get a shot and get called up for Duncan and get a little playing time and we’ll see how he does. My point is we need to see how he does because his strikeout rates in the minor leagues don’t suggest that he can be an everyday MLB-er.

(AP)

Bill Simmons, April 2005:

But if I had to pick one thing that gives the Red Sox their biggest advantage over the Yankees heading into the 2005 season, I’m going with Keith Foulke – partly because of rumors that Rivera is breaking down, partly because he’s the only closer who uses Danzig as his entrance music, partly because Foulke’s gritty October performance vaulted him past Rivera as the premier money reliever in baseball.

Peter Abraham, Journal News: Had a chance to watch Brett Gardner on Saturday in Scranton. Hitting him ninth could help the offense. They don’t have anybody like him. The question is whether they’re ready to sit Melky or consider trading him. At some point soon, they’re going to have a make a decision on Gardner. He looks ready.

I’m not ready to give up on Melky. He had a terrible May and is having a bad June, but that is the kind of inconsistency you get with a young player.