MSNBC Sport's Michael Ventre keeps pushing his stupid notion to trade Rodriguez to the Angels.
The name that keeps popping up in return is Ervin Santana, which is a nice thought, but nowhere near the trade value for one of the greatest ballplayers of his era. I don't know if Mr. Ventre follows the Yankees all that well to know what a solid farm system they have built up. Within two or three years, with their excess of prospects, the Yanks will have a good solid young squad akin to what they had in the mid to late nineties. So hard throwing, skinny little Ervin Santana, who seems prone to break down sooner rather than later is hardly worth the loss of Rodriguez. The Angels stand to gain the most and can afford to give up a few young pitcher. The Yankees on the other hand can not afford to lose Rodriguez.
Other factors such as a loss of the Rangers' financial backing on A-Rod's contract, a lineup currently devoid of right handed power and no viable replacement at third base makes this trade unworkable from the Yankees end. Never mind the fact that the Angels consistently kill New York in the playoffs, this oft repeated suggestion is nothing more than a mere pipe dream for a Southern California sports writer needing something to write about other than the traffic on I-5.