Last week, I did some research to figure out how much the young guns would need to contribute for the Yanks to win 95 games next season if we couldn't retain any of our free agents- and it's possible.
My ideal free agent class at the moment will include Arod, Posada, Mo, and JC Romero. As much as I like the idea of trading for Santana, I think the price will be too high.
So I'd like to use our resources better by bringing in a young first baseman.
Now I know from looking over Cot's that the free agent market is especially thin when it comes to first basemen.
If I were Brian Cashman, I would target Connor Jackson. The D-backs have a righty heavy team, so Jackson is less valuable to them. The Yankees could use another right-handed bat.
The D-backs desperately need pitching to follow Brandon Webb, and they've said they're willing to move some of their extra position players to get it.
Because Byrnes rarely looks for help in the free-agent market, that would mean he likely will spend much of the next 10 weeks on the phone, discussing possible trades.
He has some pieces that could be attractive to other teams. Outfielders Carlos Quentin and Carlos Gonzalez have promise but no place to play with the Diamondbacks. Arizona also has a glut of corner infielders, meaning Chad Tracy or Conor Jackson could be dangled in trades.
So what would the Yankees need to offer for a 26 year old .284/.368/.467 1B?
They'll probably ask for Phil Hughes, but I bet a package of Tyler Clippard, Steven White, and Chris Britton/Edwar Ramirez could get it done. White and Clippard (still just 22) could be serviceable starters in the NL, especially for a team that needs to replace 204 IP from Livian Hernandez.
Just giving Jackson the ABs that went to Minky and Phillips would be worth an extra win- more if he continues to improve. It'll keep Shelley Duncan from being overexposed, and it'll keep a strong defender with a good stick at first until he becomes a free agent in 2011.