Yankees Trade For David Freese Unlikely To Happen

After an earlier report by Mark Feinsand of the NY Daily News saying that the Yankees and St. Louis Cardinals had been discussing a trade for 2011 World Series MVP David Freese, that report has been disputed just a few hours later.

Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports has reported via Twitter that the Yankees and Cardinals are unlikely to come to terms on any deal involving Freese because the two sides just aren't a good match. Rosenthal said that the Yankees just don't have anything to offer St. Louis, which makes sense because any prospect worth keeping is either not big league ready, or won't be very talented once ready.

The Cardinals are very loaded when it comes to pitching, and that would probably be the only valuable asset that the Yankees have to offer. St. Louis is looking for a shortstop, but the Yankees don't have one worth dealing. With the expected departure of Carlos Beltran, the Cards could be looking for an outfielder, but the only players the Yanks have there are still a couple years away from being ready.

Freese, who will turn 31 in April, is coming off a disappointing 2013 season with the Cardinals after strong campaign in 2012. He hit .293 with 20 homeruns in 2012, but saw his production slip this past season, batting just .262 with 9 homeruns.

The Cardinals are hoping to move Matt Carpenter from second base to third, which would open a spot at second for top prospect Kolten Wong to play regularly next season. Trading Freese would help to accomplish that.

Yankees president Randy Levine spoke today at the GM meetings in Orlando, and when asked about Alex Rodriguez, he said that the Yanks are working under the assumption that they'll have A-Rod next season.

“We're under the impression he’s going to come back. That’s the way we budget it. That’s the way we think. We have no control over that. We've never had any control. The process is going on. And it will be over with by the end of the year. That’s what I'm told.”

Follow @GavinEwbank2013

Read More

Yankees, Cardinals Talking Trade For David Freese

Mark Feinsand of the NY Daily News is reporting that the Yankees are currently in talks with the St. Louis Cardinals about the possibility of a trade for David Freese.

Freese, who will turn 31 in April, is coming off a disappointing 2013 season with the Cardinals after strong campaign in 2012. He hit .293 with 20 homeruns in 2012, but saw his production slip this past season, batting just .262 with 9 homeruns.

Yankees president Randy Levine spoke today at the GM meetings in Orlando, and when asked about Alex Rodriguez, he said basically what the team has been saying all along:

“We're under the impression he’s going to come back. That’s the way we budget it. That’s the way we think. We have no control over that. We've never had any control. The process is going on. And it will be over with by the end of the year. That’s what I'm told.”

I'm sure at this point that the Yankees believe they'll be without A-Rod, who is currently appealing a 211-game suspension from MLB for his ties to the Biogenesis Clinic in South Florida, as well as the claims he tried to tamper with baseball's investigation into the clinic, for at least 50-games, if not the entire 2014 season.

Even if A-Rod is in the lineup next season, he's 38-years-old and coming off a season in which he missed through July because of the second hip surgery of his career. He'll likely need to get in a lot of at-bats at DH, and playing the field on an everyday basis probably won't be an option.

The idea of re-signing Mark Reynolds to play third base next season has been floated around, but this is obviously a much better solution.

For the Cardinals, they're hoping to move Matt Carpenter from second base to third, which would open a spot at second for top prospect Kolten Wong to play regularly next season. Trading Freese would help to accomplish that, and it would also give the Yankees the third base help they need.

Follow @GavinEwbank2013

Read More