Yankees pay little for Chase Headley's name
The Yankees acquiring Chase Headley from the San Diego Padres would’ve been a huge deal about 18 months ago. Headley was fresh off a near-MVP season in San Diego. He clubbed 31 home runs and swiped 17 bags while playing terrific defense at the hot corner. He looked like a star, or at the very least a player at the height of his powers.
Today, the Yankees look like they upgraded their third base situation but acquired more of a “name” than a 6 WAR talent. The names bandied about for Headley’s services last winter certainly pale the actual return, a scrap heap find in Yangervis Solarte and wildcard prospect arm Rafael DePaula.
The Yankees are comfortable in upgrading their defense and adding a switch-hitting bat with, at the very least, more potential than their in-house options (such as Kelly Johnson and Zelous Wheeler). They don’t net the draft pick as the potential free agent cannot receive a qualifying offer after being traded midseason.
This trade, like so many the Yankees make, is about this year. With Michael Pineda eyeing a return, an upgraded position here or there (and thereby strengthening their bench), the Yankees can’t yet be counted out in 2014.
The spectre of Alex Rodriguez lords over this acquisition, of course. The Yankees could potentially secure Headley with a contract extension before he hits the free market, though they still have the contractual elephant that is A-Rod in the room.
The Padres do what the Padres do - they made a curious decision. It’s easy to say the Padres should’ve traded their third baseman before his value bottomed out but, looking what he eventually netted them, it’s interesting to wonder how much worse off they’d be settling for a (potential) compensation pick after losing him to free agency.
The Padres stuck with Headley when they weren’t going anywhere and he was a productive player. Now, after two injury-stricken and less than productive seasons, they’re left with the worst offense in baseball and two unexciting pieces. But the savings! Oh, the cash savings. Beige gold, as they call in San Diego.
Chase Headley finds himself in a strange position. Leaving the only club he’s ever known, with numerous lucrative contract offers in his past, he’s about to jump from the placid waters by the San Diego Bay into the ongoing media circus of the Jeter farewell tour during a pennant race in New York.
That said, is Chase Headley perhaps pleased to be out of SD? From a competitive standpoint, surely. From a financial standpoint? Going into free agency as a non-star without the fear of the Qualifying Offer tax is a nice little boon to the back pocket.
In the end, the Yankees hope they get more of the “real” Headley than the one hampered by injury and, presumably, Petco Park over the last couple years - for the low, low price of a high-A pitching prospect and a scrapheap looking more like his true self every day since June 1st.
The Padres get more grist for their low cost league average mill and the fallen star third baseman gets a chance to play for a winner before free agency carries him away. A decent piece of business for Brian Cashman, currently authoring a nice little trade deadline as the first one to the buffet.