There’s no other way to describe it. When you acquire a two-time All-Star outfielder who is one of the better all-round players in the game and don’t have to surrender one of your top two prospects—heck, one of your top five prospects—it can only be classified as trading larceny. That is the shocking act of piracy that Yankee general manager Brian Cashman committed over the weekend in acquiring Bobby Abreu from the Phillies for a quartet of middling minor league prospects.

Not only didn’t Cashman give up either Philip Hughes or Class-A outfield prospect Jose Tabata, he also didn’t have to give up pitching prospects Tyler Clippard or Stephen White or even former No. 1 draft pick Eric Duncan. Of the four players he did surrender, only left-hander Matt Smith figured to be of any assistance this year, and that was only if the Yankees recalled him from Triple-A Columbus, likely in September. Over the long-term, shortstop C.J. Henry projects as having the most potential, but the Yankees’ 2005 No. 1 draft choice has struggled to hit at the Class-A level, putting his major league chances in serious doubt. Given the early returns, Henry may be a better athlete than he is a serviceable major league shortstop.

In exchange for Henry, Smith, catcher Jesus Sanchez, and pitcher Carlos Monasterios, Cashman acquired a two-time All-Star in Abreu, with the gift-wrapped bonus of journeyman right-hander Cory Lidle, who becomes an immediate upgrade over retread Sidney Ponson. Critics of Abreu point to his declining power and his unwillingness to crash into outfield walls, but those are the only flaws in his well-rounded game. He hits for a robust average (.301 career), shows the patience of a saint at the plate (92 walks and a .427 on-base percentage this year), collects doubles like baseball cards (26 in 99 games), and remains one of the game’s best and most efficient basestealers (20 steals in 24 attempts). At a time when the Yankees were surviving with a barely passable platoon of Bernie Williams and Aaron Guiel in right field, they have moved up to an elite class of outfielder in Abreu, who is nearly the same age as Derek Jeter and figures to keep right field locked down through the end of 2007—at the very least. He will also fit smoothly into the Yankee lineup, batting fifth behind Johnny Damon, Jeter, Jason Giambi, and Alex Rodriguez, giving the Yankees a set of interlocking left-handed and right-handed batters through the top half of the order. Abreu is a player who helps in both the pennant run and the long run, making this the ideal kind of in-season acquisition.

The trade represents a stroke of genius for Cashman, who up until now had done little to help Joe Torre amidst a wave of injuries and advancing age. Moving from a season-long cycle of inertia to immediate action, Cashman addressed the team’s two principal needs in one fell swoop. He acquired an outfielder with patience and some power, while adding a left-handed bat to a lineup that was tilted toward the right side, which is never the kind of balance you want to have at Yankee Stadium. At the same time, Cashman added a serviceable No. 5 starter in Lidle, one who has received battle testing in New York during a respectable 1997 stint with the Mets.

Prior to yesterday’s trade, the Yankees ranked as underdogs to both the Red Sox in the East and the White Sox in the wild card race. Thanks to Cashman, the Yankees now have the advantage on paper over the Red Sox for the first time since Hideki Matsui and Gary Sheffield went down with nearly season-ending wrist injuries. They also seem to rank pretty evenly with the White Sox, who have pitching issues of their own to sort out. That doesn’t guarantee that the Yankees will win anything, but it does mean that Cashman has done his job—and very well, I might add—in making a move that needed to be made.

After waffling over whether they wanted to be buyers or sellers in this summer’s swapmeet, the Brewers apparently decided to look to the future in trading Carlos Lee to the Rangers for outfielders Kevin Mench and Laynce Nix and pitcher Francisco Cordero. Still, it’s a highly dubious trade for the Brewers; Mench has struggled since a hot start, Nix has failed in numerous attempts to become the Rangers’ everyday center fielder, and Cordero lost his closer’s role after a horrid start to the season. Furthermore, the Brewers also gave up two other players in the trade, both minor league prospects. The Brewers would have been better served to keep "El Caballo," try to secure the wild card, and then receive two draft picks as compensation for losing Lee…

The possibilities of Bobby Abreu being traded to the Yankees have not completely died. In a twist to ongoing trade talks, the Phillies have indicated they might be willing to part with Abreu for something other than Philip Hughes—provided the Yankees take Jon Lieber off their hands. Bothered by a groin strain and saddled with an ERA near five and a half, Lieber has become an unwanted commodity in Philadelphia. The Yankees might be willing to take on Lieber’s contract since he pitched well for them in the 2004 postseason. The Yankees like Leiber’s makeup and personality; it may simply be a question of how healthy he is…

As many as five contending teams are trying to latch on to the Hall of Fame services of Greg Maddux. The interested clubs are the Dodgers, Brewers, Mets, Padres, and Giants. Maddux would probably be pleased with four of those destinations; I don’t think he’d prosper in New York considering his reluctance to sign with the Yankees about a decade ago. (Remember when he spent the entire time in a NYC hotel room playing video games?) Given the number of clubs vying for the 326-game winner, the Cubs should be able to procure two decent prospects in return…

The Indians’ promotion of top prospect Andy Marte signals the beginning of the end of Aaron Boone’s days in Cleveland. Boone’s struggles at the plate are no huge surprise, but his frequent errors at third base have become mind-boggling. The Indians will probably use Boone in a utility role for awhile, but unless he adapts well to the change he’ll likely be landing on the designated-for-assignment list before the end of August…

Is it possible that we could make it through a full season without a single manager being fired? Now that Dusty Baker has been guaranteed employment through the end of the season, the chances of a clean managerial campaign went up dramatically. Philadelphia’s Charlie Manuel would seem to be the most vulnerable, but he might be the beneficiary of the patience of general manager Pat Gillick. And if the Royals’ horrendously bad play hasn’t been enough to get Buddy Bell fired yet, will it ever be? Stay tuned.

***

Just a reminder to any fans who will be visiting Cooperstown for this weekend’s induction ceremonies: I’ll be signing copies of The Team That Changed Baseball: Roberto Clemente and the ’71 Pirates on Sunday afternoon at 12:30. The signing will take place at Augur’s Book Store, which is located on Main Street, just one block down from the Hall of Fame. Stop by and say hi.

Most contending teams are searching for power hitters and pitchers via the trade route, but at least a couple of clubs have keyed in on shortstops. The Red Sox and Blue Jays both have interest in Tampa Bay’s Julio Lugo, but as with all veteran commodities this summer, the price tag is steep. The Rays want two top prospects for Lugo, preferrably pitchers. At this point, the Jays have balked at the asking price for Lugo, who would enable Toronto to move Aaron Hill to second base, where he is a much better fit. As for the Red Sox, they’re also reluctant to part with two of their prized young arms, even if Lugo represents a major upgrade over the one-dimensional Alex Gonzalez…

Wilson Betemit has suddenly become a hot property on the trade market. The Padres are very much interested in the Braves’ utilityman, so much so that they have supposedly offered prized middle reliever Scott Linebrink. Some scouts think that Linebrink should replace the aging Trevor Hoffman as San Diego’s closer, but the Padres may be willing to part with him in order to bring in Betemit and solve their third base problem…

Due to his impending free agency, the Cubs have been shopping the white-hot Aramis Ramirez to several contenders, including the Astros and Angels. The Angels supposedly offered rookie first baseman-DH Kendry Morales straight-up for Ramirez, but the Cubbies turned it down flat. Morales has struggled at the plate in his major league debut, and given his defensive limitations at any position but first base, the Cubs considered him too much of a risk at this stage of the game.

While much of the rumor-mongering has been centered on the Yankees’ attempt to acquire a corner outfielder, a similarly perplexing problem involves their first base situation. Andy Phillips, who has struggled badly since the All-Star break, has been a huge disappointment, hitting more like a utility infielder than a first baseman. That’s why the Yankees have had serious talks with the Braves about a deal that would send Scott Proctor to Atlanta for Wilson Betemit, with whom Yankee scouts are enamored. It’s a gamble, given Proctor’s effectiveness and the lack of depth in the Yankee bullpen from the right side, but it may be one that Brian Cashman considers a worthy risk. The acquisition of the switch-hitting Betemit would likely address two concerns for the Yankees; he would become their primary first baseman, while also serving as a hard-hitting backup at the other three infield positions. Betemit would also become an option in the outfield, especially if either Hideki Matsui or Gary Sheffield are hit with setbacks in their attemps to return to action this season…

The Mariners’ surprising acquisition of Ben Broussard has eliminated their interest in Todd Walker, who remains on the trading block and will likely be dealt to a contender like the Mets or the Blue Jays. Walker would be a good fit for either team; he could take on the Shea Hillenbrand utility role in Toronto or give the Mets a needed left-handed hitter off the bench. As for Broussard, he will likely platoon with Eduardo Perez–his former teammate in Cleveland–playing first base against right-handers with Richie Sexson putting in some time as a DH…

Although they’ve already added Aubrey Huff, the Astros would like to make at least one more deal. They’re willing to move last year’s Rookie of the Year contender Willy Taveras in an effort to add a pitcher or a hitter, whichever is more attractive to them. One of the parties interested in Taveras is the Cubs, who are dissatisfied with the offensive failures of Juan Pierre. The Cubs have several trading chips to offer, including Walker, Aramis Ramirez (who would be part of a much larger deal), and the recently acquired Phil Nevin.

With the best and most productive offense in the major leagues, the White Sox’ heavy interest in Alfonso Soriano is a bit puzzling. The power-packed Sox don’t really need another bigtime bat (though Soriano’s basestealing speed would be a nice addition), but they’re apparently motivated by a game of keepaway—specifically trying to keep Soriano away from division rivals like the Tigers and Twins. The Sox’ chances of finalizing a much rumored deal for Soriano may come down to their willingness to part with prized right-hander Brandon McCarthy; the Nationals are said to want a package that includes both McCarthy and center fielder Brian Anderson, but the White Sox have deemed both McCarthy and Triple-A third base prospect Josh Fields as untouchables… If the Sox can convince the Nats to take someone other than McCarthy, their plan is to put Soriano in left and slide Scott Podsednik over to center field. That scenario, which would weaken Chicago defensively at two positions, would mark a dangerous departure from last year’s World Championship blueprint of defense and pitching…

Not satisfied that they have solved their offensive struggles with the mid-season addition of Eduardo Perez, the Mariners have had talks with the Cubs about the lefty-swinging Todd Walker. Now that the Cubs have completely fallen out of all playoff contention, they will almost certainly do something with Walker, who is scheduled for free agency this fall. Walker would be a nice fit for the Mariners as a platoon DH, alternating with Perez, while also serving as fill-in behind Adrian Beltre at third base, Jose Lopez at second base, and Richie Sexson at first base. If used properly, Walker could become a key component to a contending team’s pennant run in August and September…

The Yankees offered two middling prospects to the Phillies for Bobby Abreu; not surprisingly they were turned down. The Yankees’ unwillingness to include Philip Hughes in such a deal is understandable, but they’ll have to sweeten the pot by including either Scott Proctor or Melky Cabrera. Otherwise, Pat Gillick will have an easy time of saying no to Brian "Nothing’s Imminent" Cashman…

Speaking of the Yankees, a preposterous rumor made its way through New York City on Monday. According to the whispers, the Yankees were considering a blockbuster deal that would send Alex Rodriguez and Melky Cabrera to the Phillies for a package of Bobby Abreu, Pat Burrell, and former Yankee Tom Gordon. Yeah, and right after that, Cashman would submit his resignation. When asked about the rumors surrounding A-Rod, Cashman explained that other GM’s shouldn’t even ask him about acquiring Rodriguez. He’s simply not available.

***

My next appearance for The Team That Changed Baseball will take place this Sunday, July 30, (the day of the Hall of Fame Induction), at 12:30 pm. I’ll be signing copies of my new book at Augur’s Book Store, located on Main Street in Cooperstown. Later in the day, Bruce Sutter and 17 deceased Negro Leagues greats will officially become Hall of Famers in the annual induction ceremonies.

With the trading deadline just a week away, we’ll spend most of the week examining the bevy of trade rumors hitting both leagues. Today we’ll take a look at the latest scuttelbut involving the Phillies, Yankees, Rangers, and D-Backs. And away we go… A chances of the Yankees’ acquiring Bobby Abreu from the Phillies seem to be dying on the vine. The Phillies are insistent on the inclusion of Philip Hughes, while the Yankees are trying to get by with a package of middle reliever Scott Proctor and two lesser prospects. Given the financial commitment that Abreu’s contract would require, it’s doubtful the Phillies will be able to secure equal value for the underrated star right fielder. At this point, he may be staying put in the City of Brotherly Love… Although Jonathan Papelbon is having a dream season, the Red Sox would still like to add another hard-throwing reliever to their set-up mix. One target is Philadelphia’s Tom Gordon. According to one weekend report, the Red Sox have offered Trot Nixon for Gordon straight up. That deal would do little for the Phillies, given their preponderance of outfielders and Nixon’s impending free agency. If the Phillies are to send “Flash” to Beantown, they’ll likely ask for either starter Jon Lester (who’s basically untouchable) or reliever Manny Delcarmen as part of the return package… Luis Gonzalez’ days in Arizona may indeed be numbered. Having heard the team’s new general partner link his name to steroids earlier this season, Gonzalez once again became infuriated when he was benched for a game last week. The Diamondbacks could solve two problems by trading Gonzalez: making room for rookie Carlos Quentin in the outfield and ridding themselves of a player whose contract option they have no intention of picking up past this season. The hottest bidders for Gonzalez appear to be the Rangers, who would like to find another outfielder, thereby eliminating the necessity of playing Mark DeRosa in right field everyday. The Rangers could offer a B or C-level prospect for the onetime World Series hero, who would still have to give his approval to any deal. Given his current unhappiness in the desert, expect Gonzalez to waive his no-trade rights.

As many as seven teams have expressed interest in acquiring Alfonso Soriano, who will almost certainly be traded between now and the July 31^st dealing deadline. The frontrunners remain the Mariners, who have been the most intent of all the Soriano bidders. They can also offer a commodity that most teams have in short supply: young, hard-throwing relievers. With J.J. Putz and Rafael Soriano (no relation to Alfonso) available to close the eighth and ninth innings, the M’s might be willing to package stud right-hander Mark Lowe with young center fielder Adam "Don’t Call Me Ruppert" Jones in trying to entice the Nationals. Now if the Mariners are able to pull off a deal for Soriano, it will be interesting to see where they will play him. The temptation would be to use him in center field, what with Jeremy Reed sidelined for the rest of the season, but another positional switch might not be the best way for the M’s to curry favor with Soriano, who is eligible for free agency this winter… The Yankees remain interested in Soriano, but are adamant about their refusal to include Philip Hughes in any package. The Yankees’ front office is split as to whether to include Class-A outfield prospect Jose Tabata, who could go a long way toward convincing Jim Bowden to allow Soriano to begin his second term in the Bronx … And then there are the Tigers, who have the prospects and cash to bring Soriano to Motown, but would still prefer a left-handed batter to balance their one-way lineup…

While Soriano is a lead-pipe cinch to be traded, the same cannot be said of Bobby Abreu. The Phillies want another team to take on all of Abreu’s contract while giving up at least one major-league-ready player in the deal. That’s a demand that both the Tigers and Yankees are having trouble meeting. The Yankees would also prefer to hold on to Melky Cabrera since trading him would only open another hole in left field until Hideki Matsui is able to return in August or September… The Mets have talked to the Phillies about Abreu, with Pat Gillick asking for Lastings Milledge in return. That’s a deal that Omar Minaya wouldn’t have even considered at the beginning of the season, but the lenghtening slump of Carlos Delgado has made him willing to listen to the name of Abreu. Ultimately, the Mets will probably back off on Abreu, if only because they consider starting pitching a much higher priority than adding another big bat to what is still the league’s best lineup…

With the price tags for Soriano and Abreu seemingly prohibitive, the Yankees have had serious discussions with the Rangers about Kevin "The Head" Mench, who has cooled down after his early season home run barrage. The Rangers like the disgruntled Shawn Chacon, who is currently buried in long relief, but they would probably need another Yankee to be included in order to balance the deal. If the Yankees were to acquire Mench, they would probably make him the everyday right fielder, with Bernie Williams backing up and getting in some time as a spare DH and corner outfielder…

Busy on all fronts but convinced that the starting pitcher market is either unobtainable or undesirable, the Yankees have keyed in on trying to deepen their bullpen. That goal becomes more imperative now that Octavio Dotel’s elbow soreness may result in a summer shutdown. New York’s two principal targets are the Pirates’ Roberto Hernandez and the Cubs’ Scott Williamson, both power-pitching right-handers who can help bridge the gap to Mariano Rivera. The Yankees like that Hernandez has pitched well in a New York setting (for the Mets) and that Williamson has pitched well in a pennant race (for the Red Sox). If the Yankees can acquire either for a price similar to what the Braves surrendered for Bob Wickman (a lower level minor leaguer), they’ll happily make that deal…

While the Yankees have pretty much given up on trading for a starting pitcher, the rival Red Sox have made inquiries into the availability of Royals left-hander Mark Redman. Up until now, the Royals have been asking All-Star prices for the undeserving All-Star, but they may be willing to back down now that the deadline is fast approaching. Redman is no great shakes, but as a left-hander with a good change-up, the Sox think he might do well at Fenway Park. And with three starting pitchers currently on the disabled list, the Red Sox need bodies at the back end of the rotation.

For much of the summer, the consensus of public opinion has stated that the flawed Yankees will need more pitching if they are to overtake the Red Sox in the American League East or the White Sox for the American League wildcard. For weeks now, the New York City papers have carried articles calling for the Yankees to add a starting pitcher and a relief pitcher; otherwise, they will not have enough to catch the pitching-superior ChiSox or BoSox.

Well, a scan of the American League pitching standings might produce some surprising results. According to Sunday’s statistical rundown, the Yankees’ staff actually has the fourth best ERA in the league—behind only the Tigers, Angels, and A’s. In reality, the Yankees’ staff ERA is considerably better than both the Red Sox (who are ranked seventh in the AL) and White Sox (currently ranked ninth). Yet, we hear precious little how those teams need to acquire more pitching for the stretch run.

Sometimes perceptions just don’t equal reality—an oft-recurring theme in baseball. With a staff featuring two aging aces in Randy Johnson and Mike Mussina, a regretful free agent signing in Jaret Wright, and the eminently hittable Shawn Chacon, it just seems that the Yankees’ pitching is not pennant-caliber. In reality, almost every team in the American League –outside of the Tigers and their sub-4.00 ERA—could use a dose of extra pitching for the final two and a half months of the regular season. Sure, the Yankees need pitching, but at the same time it should be said that the Red Sox and White Sox need pitching even more.

The White Sox are perceived by many fans to have a deep and talented staff; they appear to be pitching rich. However, this year’s performances show otherwise. Other than Jose Contreras, the White Sox have not had a dominant starting pitcher. Freddy Garcia, no longer throwing with the same velocity in the past, has an ERA near 5.00. Javier Vazquez’ ERA is well over 5.00, which might explain the recent trade rumors surrounding him and the Mets. Jon Garland has been awful for most of the season. Even All-Star Mark Buerhle has slipped from his 2005 level, with an ERA over 4.00 and an undeserving All-Star berth in Pittsburgh. And then there’s the bullpen, where Cliff Politte has been so bad that he’s been designated for assignment.

As for the Red Sox, their situation isn’t much better than Chicago’s. Only Curt Schilling has pitched like an ace. Josh Beckett, after a decent start, has struggled to make a transition to the American League. Middle-of-the-rotation members David Wells and Matt Clement remain on the disabled list. Tim Wakefield and Jon Lester are decent, but one is so old and the other so young, that the Red Sox don’t know what they can count on from start to start.

So say it again, if you want. The Yankees don’t have enough pitching to make the playoffs. Maybe they don’t. Then again, the Red Sox and the White Sox aren’t any better. Those teams need pitching more badly than the Yankees if they are to make the postseason in 2006.

And that’s the story that most of the media has been unwilling to tell this summer.

***

My next book signing for The Team That Changed Baseball will take place this Friday, July 21, at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown. I’ll be discussing the 1971 Pirates in a 1:30 pm discussion, which will be followed by a formal signing in the Hall of Fame Library’s Atrium. For more information on the signing, call the Hall of Fame at 607-547-0329. Or send me an e-mail at bmark@telenet.net.

Now that Jim Bowden has committed duel acts of highway robbery in acquiring Felipe Lopez and Austin Kearns for a mish-mosh of relief pitchers and B-level prospects, the path has been cleared for him to trade impending free agent Alfonso Soriano. The chances of Soriano being dealt by July 31^st have just gone up from 85 per cent to 95 per cent, with the most logical destination being the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. The Angels have a need for a major bat and have the young talent to deal, with Bowden insisting on two to three grade-A prospects for Soriano. There’s been talk that Dallas McPherson would head up a package for Soriano, but that appears to be a bad match for the Nationals, who already have Ryan Zimmerman at third and Nick Johnson at first, thereby blocking "Big Mac" at both spots. Instead, an Angels package will probably include catcher Jeff Mathis, who is now blocked by power-hitting rookie Mike Napoli. The highly-touted Mathis could become a platoon partner with Brian Schneider in Washington. As part of a package for Soriano, the Angels would also include one of two veteran relievers—either left J.C. Romero or right-hander Brendan Donnelly—who would then become Chad Cordero’s prime setup man in the Capitol City. The Nationals would love the Angels to include Triple-A left-hander Joe Saunders in the deal, but the Halos are unlikely to surrender their top pitching prospect, who has burned up the Pacific Coast League this season… While a deal linking Soriano to the Halos appears to make the most sense, it’s not a lead-pipe cinch. Other teams have been even more aggressive in pursing Soriano, most notably the Tigers and Yankees. Detroit GM Dave Dombrowski feels that he needs another bat to stave off the White Sox in the AL Central and will push hard for Soriano if he can’t find what he ideally wants—a left-handed bat with power (such as Bobby Abreu or Cliff Floyd). Somewhat surprisingly, the Yankees would also like to bring Soriano back to the Bronx (in spite of his lack of discipline at the plate and on the bases) and might be willing to part with outfield prospect Jose Tabata. Still, they remain steadfast in their desire to keep right-hander Philip Hughes in the organization and have refused all offers for the teenaged stud, who has been dominating hitters at Double-A…

Greg Maddux’ recent slump hasn’t lessened the Brewers’ interest in bringing him to Miller Field. Milwaukee’s front office believes that Maddux would thrive while working with his brother Mike, who is the Brewers’ pitching coach. The Cubs would love to pick up Billy Hall in a deal for the future Hall of Famer, but will probably settle for a package of two solid prospects instead… The Brewers have also shown interest in beefing up the bullpen and finding some help for overworked All-Star Derrick Turnbow. Philadelphia’s Tom "Flash" Gordon is a primary target, assuming the Phillies begin to dismantle their team during the second half…

Rather amazingly, we’ve ventured into the second half of the season and still no managers have been fired in 2006. The favorites to buck the trend remain Charlie Manuel and Dusty Baker, who both appear destined for different locales by 2007. One reason that Manuel and Baker haven’t been replaced already can be found in the lack of exciting managerial candidates-in-waiting. With a big name like Lou Piniella sitting out the rest of the season while collecting paychecks from the Devil Rays, the Phillies and Cubs would probably turn to in-house candidates like Gary Varsho (Philadelphia’s bench coach) and either Gene Clines, Larry Rothschild, or Chris Speier (coaches in Chicago).

I wish I could be in Pittsburgh for the All-Star break, but it just isn’t possible given work and family commitments. Still, I’m happy to say that my book, The Team That Changed Baseball, will be in the Steel City throughout the break—and beyond. Publisher Bruce Franklin recently told me that the book is available at the gift shop of the Pittsburgh Historical Center, among other locales. The Historical Center, which is a branch of The Smithsonian, is currently hosting an exhibit on Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente, who was the inspirational leader of that 1971 World Championship team.

I hope that the Pirates will do something special to honor the 35^th anniversary of the 1971 team during the All-Star break. That team, with its collection of likeable good guys, overachieving spirit, and unprecedented racial harmony, deserves far more recognition than it’s received. Perhaps even FOX will see fit to make mention of that team during its broadcast on Tuesday night.

The boys of ’71 would be more than deserving.