There's been a change in the widely reported trade between the Pirates and Yankees.
The deal is still on, and the teams have now confirmed that Xavier Nady and Damaso Marte are going to the Yanks. And 19-year-old outfielder Jose Tabata is still the centerpiece of the package going to the Pirates, as is Ross Ohlendorf. But instead of George Kontos and Phil Coke, the Pirates are getting a pair of 25-year-old right-handers who have been pitching at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre: Jeff Karstens and Dan McCutchen.
Not sure yet why the switch was made, but since Coke and Kontos were viewed as the third and fourth players in the deal, it doesn't change the picture drastically.
Karstens has some big-league experience, having pitched eight games with the Yankees in 2006 and six games last year. He's 6-4 with a 3.80 ERA this year at SWB. McCutchen began this season at Double-A Trenton, where he was 4-3 with a 2.55 ERA. At SWB, he's 4-6 with a 3.58 ERA.
Karstens confirmed this morning to the Newark Star-Ledger that he and McCutchen are now part of the reworked deal. He told the paper's Ed Price that he was told at 10 a.m. Saturday.
Pirate-Yankee deal gets tweaked
Posted on: July 26, 2008 11:57 am
Edited on: July 26, 2008 12:56 pm
Category: MLB
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Posted on: July 26, 2008 12:46 pm
Pirate-Yankee deal gets tweakedGood news - bad news. Good news: Ohlendorff still projects as a back-of-the-rotation guy either for the Yankees or for someone else. And he's proven he has the stuff and the stomach for big-league play. Coke is valuable because he is a lefty who can find the plate. Just doesn't have a plus heater. Karstens is at best a middle relief innings-eater -- if he's on. No huge loss. Bad news: McCutchen is going to be a horse. They will probably be begging to re-sign him the first time he hits the free agent market. Yanks still make out well with this deal - this year and next. And remember, Sawx fans, they'll have mucho dinero on the table for C.C. in the offseason with all those big contracts dropping off. |