Yanks get Javier Vasquez for Trash and a jar of Vaseline to ease the rape

[Boss Tweed]

Vazquez for Melky and some low level prospects that will never amount to anything.

[Twentytwofifty]

Failing to find a taker for Derek Lowe, the Braves went to Plan B today, trading Javier Vazquez to the Yankees for Melky Cabrera, Arodys Vizciano, and Mike Dunn. The reaction to this deal on Twitter has not been kind to Atlanta, with most people concluding that the Yankees got Vazquez for peanuts.

I'm not so sure. Melky Cabrera may not have superstar upside, but he's a quality young player with little projection required. He posted a .331 wOBA last season, making him roughly a league average hitter, and he didn't turn 25 until August. He's got good contact skills and gap power, and it wouldn't be surprising to see some of his doubles turn into home runs as he ages.

Defensively, he's below average - but not terrible - in center, and he'd make for a quality defensive corner outfielder if that's where the Braves choose to use him. All told, he's roughly a league average player, with upside to develop into something a bit above average.

That has value, especially as a young player who will make far below his market value this year.

But it's not Cabrera who makes this deal work for Atlanta - that's Vizcaino, an underhyped 19-year-old who destroyed A-ball as a teenager. The classic projectable teenage arm, Vizciano throws a mid-90s fastball with a hard breaking curve, and has proven nearly unhittable in his brief professional career. He's not close to the majors, but he's a significant upside bet for Atlanta long term.

Vazquez is a quality pitcher and the Braves will miss him, no doubt, but they saved roughly $8 million in salary (once you account for Melky's arbitration award), added a league average outfielder and one of the best young arms in baseball. Perhaps it isn't the price that top flight starters used to command, but when viewed in today's market, this is a pretty decent deal for Atlanta. This is a significantly better return than what Philadelphia got for Cliff Lee, for instance.

The Yankees get better, of course, but you already knew that. Don't hate this deal for Altanta - they'll come out of it okay as well.

[Chamillitary Click]

wow, fuck this move.

i loved the Melk Man!

if it ain't broke don't fix it & we already lost 3 out of the starting lineup.

as for pitching, i guess he's a good 4th; but at least 7-8-9 will be Joba, Huges & Mo.

[Twentytwofifty]

as for pitching, i guess he's a good 4th; but at least 7-8-9 will be Joba, Huges & Mo.

Would be the best 4th ever, he'd be more like a #2 on the Yanks.
His 2009: 2.87 ERA 1.03 WHIP and 9.77 K/9 in 219.1 innings. 
He had better numbers than any Yankee starter last year.  (Granted he played in the NL and in a slight pitcher park and not Yankee Stadium). 

[the ghost]

As a Yankees fan I don't like this trade at all.  Vasquez had a shot with us already and we all saw what he did then.  He is a classic National League pitcher that should stay there. I would have preferred us get Lowe over Javier.

[Boss Tweed]

I agree with Knuckles, good trade for the Yanks.  Melky was a below average CF and had inflated stats due to being hid in a lineup full of stars and playing on a little league field.  Dude is a 4th OF on most teams.  Vasquez had a cy young caliber season last year.  And even though he pitched for the Yanks in 03, this time around he'll be the number 4 instead of being the number 2.

[the ghost]

I had heard that Mike Dunn was going to be one of our lefty's out of the pen.  With him and Coke gone who do we get?  I know we got a lefty from the braves, but he seems suspect.

[Boss Tweed]

I had heard that Mike Dunn was going to be one of our lefty's out of the pen.  With him and Coke gone who do we get?  I know we got a lefty from the braves, but he seems suspect.

You guys will just buy someone like normal.  And boo fucking hoo the Yanks have one fucking question mark.  Yankee fans fuckin disgust me.

[the ghost]

You know you love it:)

[Chamillitary Click]

I had heard that Mike Dunn was going to be one of our lefty's out of the pen.  With him and Coke gone who do we get?  I know we got a lefty from the braves, but he seems suspect.

Damaso Marte is our lefty.

anyway, it's obvious that pitching in the AL is fifteen times harder than the NL lol; you get a free out every nine batters lmao.

this guy has to prove himself to me.

[white Boy]

their pitching lineup will be too nasty for words