Pirates reliever Mike Gonzalez is a hot commodity, and the Yankees are willing to use OF Melkey Cabrerra as bait, writes Newsday’s Ken Davidoff. I’m sure that has nothing to do with Boston’s supposed interest in Gonzalez as a closer.
In an effort to upgrade their bullpen, the Yankees have discussed a three-way trade with Pittsburgh and Atlanta, the basics of which would send Melky Cabrera to the Braves, bring Pirates closer Mike Gonzalez to the Bronx and give Atlanta first baseman Adam LaRoche to the Pirates.
Gonzalez, 28, is eligible for arbitration, but the Pirates can afford to keep him.
As much as the Yankees enjoyed and appreciated Cabrera’s development in 2006, they don’t view him as untouchable because they have three All-Star-caliber starting outfielders in Bobby Abreu, Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui. If they could get Gonzalez as the primary setup man for Mariano Rivera, the Yankees could shop Kyle Farnsworth, who experienced an uneven first season in pinstripes and has two years remaining on his contract.
While the Mets prepare to have the Wild & Crazy trio of Tom Glavine, David Wright and Country Time show Barry Zito a good time in the Big City this week (is there a Dave & Buster’s in Times Square?), Take The 7 Train’s Kevin Collazo has the temerity to ask, “why don™t the Mets start Aaron Heilman instead of trading him for a starter?”
I’m sorry, but this is kind of like asking your parents why there isn’t a “Children’s Day”, or pondering exactly what is so convenient about the Mets charging you $2 to download a PDF of your tickets. If Omar and Willie would sooner put J/Geremi Gonzalez, Jose Lima, Anthony Young and Dave Williams into the rotation, Heilman has a better chance of being Notre Dame’s starting QB in the Sugar Bowl.