A Blockbuster Trade

The Yankees are one gigantic move away from being a real threat to win the World Series in 2003. Trade Alfonso Soriano to Montreal. I will say it again. Trade Alfonso Soriano to Montreal. That is a huge move. Add Nick Johnson and Juan Rivera to make a great package. Whom do the Yankees receive? Vladimir Guerrero and Bartlolo Colon or Javier Vasquez.

Montreal will receive one of the great players in the game today in Soriano who can only improve. He can play shortstop, second base, or third base. Nick Johnson was the "jewel" of the Yankees' farm system. Juan Rivera is a five-tool player who is highly regarded by most teams.

Why trade them? To get Guerrero, which means that the Yankees must give quality in return. Soriano is quality. But he is not quite Guerrero. Don't tell Montreal. Johnson had a poor 2002 season and may have been rated too highly. He has never done as well after his thumb injury as he did before it. Rivera can be an excellent player, but the key word is "can." Guerrero may be the best all around player in the game today.

One reason the Yankees' offense is overrated is because most fans and "experts" tend to ignore the obscene number of times the team strikes out. Last season, the Yankees struck out 1171 times, a league leading total which was led by Soriano’s 157. Johnson struck out 98 times in only 378 official plate appearances. Compare that to Guerrero’s 70 strikeouts in 614 official plate appearances. Not a pretty picture for the Yankees.

Colon is an excellent pitcher when he wants to be. Last season, he won 20 and lost 8. He is overpowering and can carry a team in a short series, which means the World Series. Joe Torre may lack something when it comes to basic baseball strategy, making some fans wonder if he ever heard of a sacrifice bunt, but no manager in baseball history can manage twenty five diverse individuals and meld them into a team better than Joe Torre. That is why Colon will go to the hill every fifth day and attempt to be an excellent pitcher.

Javier Vasquez won only 10 games in 2002 but he had a decent ERA of 3.91 and allowed a combination of 1.27 hits and bases on balls a game. He won 16 games the previous year and at age 26, it is hoped that he is just starting to mature. Colon would be the better acquisition, but to get Guerrero, the Yankees should accept Vasquez if that would seal the deal.

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