About ten years ago, I compiled a subjective list of the best Yankees trades ever. I didn't judge them by WAR in/out, although eyeballing them, you can certainly see that value was received. I intentionally left out certain transactions: deals made with Red Sox owner Harry Frazee during the 1920s (meaning no Babe Ruth -- that was a purchase and a real estate deal, not a trade), all of those less-than-arm's-length transactions conducted with the Kansas City A's during the 1950s (so no Roger Maris) and the purchase/trade of John Wetteland from the Expos, which still smells fishy all these years later--the term "fishy" used pointedly.
Looking at the last ten years of trading action, I see only three deals that might bump when of the ten trades I listed:
February 16, 2004: Traded Alfonso Soriano and a player to be named later (Joaquin Arias) to the Texas Rangers for Alex Rodriguez and cash.
July 30, 2006: Traded C.J. Henry (minors), Jesus Sanchez (minors), Carlos Monasterios, and Matt Smith to the Philadelphia Phillies for Bobby Abreu and Cory Lidle.
November 13, 2008: Traded Wilson Betemit, Jeff Marquez and Jhonny Nunez to the Chicago White Sox for Nick Swisher and Kanekoa Texeira.
I do not include the December 8, 2009 trade for Curtis Granderson given that the Yankees gave up real value in Austin Jackson and Ian Kennedy. It's not a bad deal at all given how useful Granderson has been, but it probably doesn't belong among this classic ten:
|
DATE |
YANKEES SEND |
THE RIP-OFF |
#10 |
January 10, 1992 |
2B Steve Sax to the Chicago White Sox for RHPs Melido Perez, Bob Wickman, and Domingo Jean. |
On the downside of his career, Sax had lost his position to Pat Kelly. The Yankees turned the expensive infielder into three promising young righties. |
#9 |
November 10, 1978 |
LHPs Sparky Lyle and Dave Rajsich, RHP Larry McCall, C Mike Heath, INF Domingo Ramos, and cash to the Texas Rangers for LHPs Dave Righetti and Paul Mirabella, OF Juan Beniquez, RHP Mike Griffin, and OF Greg Jemison. |
In long-term value this trade came down to Mike Heath for Dave Righetti. In the short-term, the Yankees gave up the decline phase of Lyle's career and a serviceable catcher who might have come in handy after the tragic events of August, 1979. Of course, there was no way anyone could have anticipated that. |
#8 |
December 7, 1973 |
RHP Lindy McDaniel to the Kansas City Royals for OF Lou Piniella and RHP Ken Wright. |
McDaniel was a fine reliever, but at 38 he was nearing the end and wanted to be closer to home. A .250 season meant that former Rookie of the Year Piniella was available cheap. The Yankees would receive a .295 average from their future coach, manager, and GM over the next 1,038 games, while McDaniel retired after the 1975 season. |
#7 |
February 24, 1948 |
C Aaron Robinson, LHP Bill Wright, RHP Fred Bradley to the Chicago White Sox for LHP Ed Lopat. |
Why the White Sox would have wanted to trade a durable 29 -year-old lefty starter for a 32-year-old reserve catcher will reportedly be subject of the next movie in the Indiana Jones series. Lopat went 113-59 (.657) with a 3.19 ERA through 1955. |
#6 |
March 22, 1972 |
1B Danny Cater to the Boston Red Sox for LHP Sparky Lyle. |
Sox pitcher Bill Lee said that management wanted to move Lyle because he was "a "tobacco-chewing, Dewars drinking lefthander." The Yankees got all of that plus a Cy Young award and three pennants, while the Red Sox received a corner infielder who couldn't hit. |
#5 |
October 11, 1946 |
2B Joe Gordon to the Cleveland Indians for RHP Allie Reynolds. |
Indians owner Bill Veeck worked this one out with Yanks managing partner Larry MacPhail in the stands during the 1946 World Series. Joe DiMaggio played a part too, telling MacPhail to stay focused on Reynolds at a moment when the mercurial owner had become interested in an inferior player. The rare trade that helped both teams, Gordon helped the Indians to the 1948 championship, while Reynolds' 131-60 record (and 41 saves) was a key factor in six Yankees' titles. |
#4 |
May 6, 1930 |
OF Cedric Durst and cash to the Boston Red Sox for RHP Red Ruffing. |
Yanks Secretary (GM) Ed Barrow correctly felt that Ruffing should not be judged by his pathetic 39-96, 4.62 ERA career with a talent-depleted Red Sox team. Barrow gambled a .240-hitting reserve outfielder and came up with a pitcher who would go 231-124 for the Yankees through 1946. |
#3 |
November 3, 1992 |
OF Roberto Kelly to the Cincinnati Reds for OF Paul O'Neill and first baseman Joe DeBerry. |
If GM Gene Michael somehow knew that O'Neill, a .259 career hitter, would hit .303 in 1,254 games as a Yankee, then he deserves even more credit for dealing the disgruntled Kelly - a fourth outfielder on a good team - than he has already received. |
#2 |
November 27, 1972 |
C John Ellis, OFs Charlie Spikes and Rusty Torres, and infielder Jerry Kenney to the Cleveland Indians for 3B Graig Nettles and C Jerry Moses. |
The Yankees sent four young players, none of whom developed, for 28-year-old slugging glove wizard Graig Nettles. Nettles would play in 1,535 games for the Yankees and hit 250 home runs. |
#1 |
December 11, 1975 |
RHP Doc Medich to the Pittsburgh Pirates for 2B Willie Randolph, RHP Dock Ellis, and LHP Ken Brett. |
This was the trade that prompted Pirates fans to say that Ellis was probably a better doctor than Medich too, but the real steal was the 21-year-old Randolph, the Yankee 2B for over a dozen years, acquired for a pitcher who would go 75-65 over the balance of his career. |