Andy Phillips may be used as trade bait

[RockSports17]

"Phillips may go from hero to trade bait"

NEW YORK -- Andy Phillips, a six-year minor-leaguer who didn't see a big-league batter's box until last September, knew a day like this might never happen.

As many times as he may have dreamed of hitting his first Yankee Stadium home run as a Yankee, he knew the day might never come.

He just tried not to think about it.

"If you allow any factors like that to affect anything, then it's going to affect the way you play," Phillips said. "This game's tough enough when your mind is clear."

Phillips was speaking yesterday afternoon, after he'd hit a three-run home run and an RBI double in the Yankees' victory over the Rangers. It had been his first start of the season at first base, in place of the slumping Tino Martinez, and he'd ended it with a curtain call.

I would think that if there is any type of move before deadline that we would have to trade our minor leaguers, so seeing a guy like Phillips who will be used as trade bait doesn't surprise me. Hopefully, the trade is for a SP.

[Hammer]

**** trading him... start him, how bout that?

[RLA68]

...And again what do we have to get anything or anyone decent? Phillips will not get us a respectable starting pitcher.

[RockSports17]

He will probably be used in a package of players to get us a decent SP. Ya, straight up he won't get us a top notch pitcher. But who knows. Cashman may just pull off a heck of a trade. He's just being used as trade bait, doesn't mean he'll be traded.

[RLA68]

It might be interesting. I just don't see that we have a lot even to package. The only scenario is a dump of salary but I also do not see anyone wanting to help us. Example is Arizona, only when RJ demanded a trade and during the winter did that happen.

[Saber]

Andy Phillips certainly isn't very young or likely to get much better, and would likely be a throw-in in any trade. He still would be nifty as a right-handed power source in a utility role, if he were used that way.

[RLA68]

I doubt we have the chips to just thrown anyone in. Just my pessimistic opinion.

When was the last time anyone came up and stuck from our system? We had a ton of talent back in the 90's. Jeter, Posada, Rivera, Pettite, and even Soriano and Nick Johnson(I wish we still had). That is just the guys that made their mark here. we had a couple that we traded just before their debut.

Do we have anything like that anymore? No.

[RockSports17]

Even the last guy Navarro. That catcher who was traded in the RJ trade. Last spect I remember being any decent.

[RLA68]

Yep. An aweful lot of Yankee propaganda will need to be spun to make anyone believe otherwise.

Even the last guy Navarro. That catcher who was traded in the RJ trade. Last spect I remember being any decent.