The speculation that Mike Trout will be heading over the New York Yankees is, quite simply, utter irrationality.
Sorry to be a buzzkill, but in no way, shape or form are the New York Yankees “gearing up” for a deal to bring Mike Trout to the Bronx.
The report by CBS Sports says a scout told them that “it’s very much a Yankees kind of move” then follows with multiple scouts reassuring why it has zero percent chance of happening.
Yet, people all over twirl it into how general manager Brian Cashman has his hands on the trigger and is ready to pull off a trade for the best player in baseball. C’mon, folks.
The Los Angeles Angels are a Triple-A team without Trout and despite the fact that they aren’t much with him, the Bombers do not have the firepower to make a package that’s Trout-worthy.
We can safely assume hitters like Gary Sanchez, Greg Bird, Aaron Judge, Clint Frazier and Gleyber Torres are untouchable. So are hurlers Justus Sheffield and James Kaprielian.
At least five of those young, unproven kids would need to be in the package in order to obtain Trout. If you think Jorge Mateo and a ton of middle-level prospects will get the deal done while throwing in Brett Gardner or Chase Headley, then you seriously don’t apprehend who Mike Trout is.
I love it. One scout says it "makes sense" for the Yanks to be the team to get Trout. People turn it into "New York Going After Mike Trout."
— Christian Kouroupakis (@ckouroupakis) November 16, 2016
The face of baseball. The best player in baseball. In the top-25 in the single season WAR leaders with guys like Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, Ty Cobb and many more iconic names.
Take him away from the 74-win Angels would turn them into an absolute wreck. Plus, Anaheim has provided zero implications that the best ballplayer on the planet is available. Even if Angles’ GM Billy Eppler used to be Cashman’s assistant, he would be responsible for trading the face of the game while leaving the team in the worst shape of any team in the sport.
From New York’s point of view, acquiring Trout is obviously the safe route when you consider that your moving guys who can develop into someone who has developed into one of the best to ever step between the lines.
This will turn the 2017 Yankees into a team primed for a championship run, while also destroys the team-building methodology that Cashman has worked so hard to create and implement.
The blueprint to success at this moment in time seems to be filling the roster with young players on the rise while aiming to get below the luxury tax, so when the next wave of all-stars hit the market, New York could use them to revamp the young core they developed.
Risky, sure, but just be glad Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte, Jorge Posada and Mariano Rivera weren’t dealt for Ken Griffey Jr. back in the early 90’s.
So, no matter what you hear from sites that take that one scouts opinion and spin it into the “Yankees gearing up for Mike Trout,” understand there is essentially no chance Trout gets traded anytime soon.
New York isn’t ready for a move like this, the Angels aren’t ready for a move like this and while this move isn’t a “bad” one for the Yankees, the shocking yet disorganized bidding war for Mike Trout will not transpire.