Yankees Continue To Load Up!

[KFDM COOP]

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2534459

The Yankees got the big outfield bat and putching help they needed for a playoff push on Sunday, acquiring right fielder Bobby Abreu and pitcher Cory Lidle in return for four players.

Tales of Yankee Power

The Yankees' projected lineup for September, if and when Hideki Matsui and Gary Sheffield come back from injury, could look something like this:

CF Johnny Damon

SS Derek Jeter

1B Jason Giambi

DH Gary Sheffield

RF Bobby Abreu

3B Alex Rodriguez

LF Hideki Matsui

C Jorge Posada

2B Robinson Cano

- Buster Olney

The Yankees will send the Phillies 20-year-old minor-league shortstop C.J. Henry -- their No. 1 pick in 2005 -- and 27-year-old left-handed reliever Matt Smith. The Phillies will also receive minor-leaguers catcher Jesus Sanchez and right-hander Carlos Monasterios, while the Yankees will take on responsibility for Abreu and Lidle's contracts. Abreu is owed $15 million for 2007 alone.

Abreu could have exercised his no-trade clause and kill the deal, as his agent said recently that any team expecting to acquire Abreu would have to pick up his $16 million option for 2008 in order for a trade to go through.

However, the Yankees wanted Abreu under the expectation that they would only be paying the $22 million owed on his deal through 2007, and told the Phillies to negotiate any deal required to waive the no-trade clause.

A source with knowledge of the deal told ESPN Insider Jerry Crasnick that the Phillies will pay Abreu $1.5 million in exchange for waiving the no-trade clause and accepting the condition that the Yankees will not pick up his option for 2008.

The source also said that Abreu would have accepted a similar deal to the New York Mets, Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Angels.

Not including that payout, the Phillies could save as much as $23 million on Abreu alone.

Abreu was in the Phillies' starting lineup Sunday but was pulled for Shane Victorino 10 minutes before their game with the Florida Marlins. In the fourth inning, he was seen in the Phillies' dugout, still in uniform, hugging teammates.

The deal tentatively called for the Phillies to receive one minor-league player -- Henry -- and another from a list of players. But Stark reported the Phils received two players because they agreed to take Sanchez and Monasterios from the Gulf Coast League.

Abreu is hitting .277 with 8 home runs and 65 RBI in 99 games. He has a career batting average of .301 with 198 home runs and 841 RBI over 10 seasons.

Lidle, a right-hander, is 8-7 with a 4.74 ERA in 21 starts in 2006. In eight seasons he has a career mark of 78-69 with a 4.54 ERA.

[lonestar]

It's going to be interesting to see what AL teams make the playoffs. They'll probably all be better than all of the teams (except possibly the Mets) from the NL.

[KFDM COOP]

Mets should win the NL. I predicted them last year but this year they just have it.