Harden has been out all season with a strained lat. He returned on July 1st and has been a bit rusty, but promising. He was impressive against the Rays on Thursday night. He went six innings, struck out seven and gave up two runs on just three hits, both runs coming on a two-run shot by Desmond Jennings in the sixth inning.

Harden isn’t a bad option, he would probably come pretty cheap. He is a huge injury risk though and even when healthy he is no sure thing. Over his last three seasons he has just a 4.67 ERA. His K/9 of 9.4 during that stretch has been impressive, but unfortunately, it comes with a 4.8 BB/9.

Because he is neither healthy or productive consistently he should be a guy they target only if there is nobody else that realistically fits. This is more of a sign of how thorough the Yankees have been during the deadline than anything else.

Harden is on a one-year contract that pays him $1.5 million and is a free agent at the end of the season (he is neither type-A nor B).

Related Stories

• December 7, 2010 -- Rumors: Yankees Interested in Rich Harden
• October 31, 2010 -- 10 Starters the Yankees Can Sign if They Fail to Get Cliff Lee
• November 18, 2009 -- Why They Don’t Fit, Part Two
• November 18, 2009 -- Yankees Could Sign Rich Harden, Ben Sheets, or Erik Bedard

Read more New York Yankees news on BleacherReport.com

“I’m going to be hard-pressed to find anything better than getting Bartolo Colon and Phil Hughes off the disabled list,” the Yankees GM Brian Cashman said at a Hope Week charity event on Staten Island. “I can’t imagine I’m going to run into anything but you’ve still got to go through the motions…

“We’re prepared for chaos if it comes before Sunday’s deadline. But I like the team we have…

“I go into the marketplace with a team that’s a championship-caliber team as it sits,” Cashman said. “It’s hard to upgrade on that.”

There are certainly going to be people who are upset with these statements. Sure the Yankees roster can probably get better, but compared to the holes in the other rosters around the league, the Yankees problems aren’t glaring.

Everyone expects the Yankees to upgrade their rotation, but it’s a rotation ranked fifth in the league in terms of ERA. The rotation’s biggest problem, Phil Hughes, also has an internal replacement in Ivan Nova, who was demoted to the minors despite pitching very well.

The other big problem could be the DH spot where Jorge Posada has been struggling. But by keeping that spot open, the Yankees give themselves decent flexibility to use Alex Rodriguez there more often and can slot Eric Chavez there occasionally as well.

The one spot where the Yankees can really use an upgrade is probably their left handed reliever. The problem with upgrading here is that teams aren’t just going to give these pitchers away and it is a relatively small need on a ball club. That means that it is a hard position to upgrade without overpaying.

The important thing to keep in mind with Cashman’s statements here is that he may be bluffing. Teams seem to be asking a ton from the Yankees in any deal. By issuing statements like these, Cashman could be helping himself by lessening the perception that the Yankees are desperate and willing to pay any price.

I still expect the Yankees to make at least one move at the deadline, but more and more it seems like it won’t be a blockbuster that some fans are hoping for. Remember, when it comes to trading, sometimes the best ones are the ones that aren’t made.

Related Stories

July 19, 2011 -- Yankees & Rockies Both Watched Betances Last Night

• June 25, 2011 -- Olney: Rivals GM’s Could See Cashman Leaving Soon
• June 2, 2011 -- Cashman: Draft is the Most Important Day of the Year
• May 31, 2011 -- Quote: Cashman on the Current State of the Trade Market

Read more New York Yankees news on BleacherReport.com

Joel Sherman of the NY Post reported today that the reason they are targeting Kuroda over Jimenez is that they are uncomfortable with the asking price of Jimenez and want to turn to Kuroda because he will be cheaper in prospects.

However, we got a better reading of where Kuroda stands on his no-trade clause and it isn’t exactly inspiring if you are a Yankees fan.

“My honest feeling is that I can’t fathom wearing another uniform than the Dodgers uniform right now,” Kuroda said to AJ Cassavell of MLB.com. “I never thought about it, and it’s really hard to think...

“I haven’t really decided on anything, so I can’t really give you an answer,” Kuroda said. “Today I was wearing a Dodgers uniform, and I was playing here, to win, for this team. I have a few days before the Trade Deadline, so I’m going to think about it, I’m going to talk to my agent about it, and we’ll go on from there.”

So take that for what it’s worth. He doesn’t sound like he’s really willing to change teams, but he didn’t come out and say he definitely wouldn’t leave Los Angeles, either.

Keep checking Bronx Baseball Daily for the latest updates.

Related Stories

• July 27, 2011 -- Trade Rumors: Yankees Intensify Pursuit of Hiroki Kuroda
• July 25, 2011 -- Trade Rumors: Yankees Still Pursuing Hiroki Kuroda
• July 18, 2011 -- Yankees Trade Rumors: Kuroda Won’t Accept Deal to East Coast
• July 15, 2011 -- MLB Trade Rumors: Yankees Like Hiroki Kuroda">MLB Trade Rumors: Yankees Like Hiroki Kuroda

Read more New York Yankees news on BleacherReport.com

Yankees unwilling to trade big prospect for reliever; think they’ll be OK in pen. seek SP but still see Ubaldo as longshot

With Rafael Soriano‘s return looming, the Yankees haven’t been attached to too many relievers in rumors. The few we have heard about are mostly lefties with the exception of Padres’ pitchers Heath Bell and Mike Adams.

That doesn’t mean that Brian Cashman doesn’t have other leads he is following—he most certainly does. It just means that the Yankees aren’t likely to land any big names.

Jon Paul Morosi of Fox Sports tweeted earlier today that the Yankees are still talking to the Padres, but with half a dozen teams interested in Bell and Adams and the Yankees looking to hold on to their bigger prospects, talk is cheap.

I expect they will keep on trying to add a lefty all the way up until the last minute before the deadline though.

Related Stories

• July 18, 2011 -- Trade Rumors: Yankees Have Serious Interest in Mike Adams
• July 16, 2011 -- Trade Rumors: Yankees Looking All Over for Pitching
• June 27, 2011 -- 10 Relievers the Yankees Could Trade for at the Deadline
• June 26, 2011 -- Trade Rumors: Yankees Have Interest in Heath Bell

Read more New York Yankees news on BleacherReport.com

It wasn’t a pretty sight, as he allowed four runs in five innings on six walks. Not an impressive performance, especially considering the fact that Yankees GM Brian Cashman was on hand, according to Jack Curry of the YES Network, along with a scout from the Colorado Rockies, according to Josh Norris of the Trentonian.

It wasn’t a total lost cause. Betances really had one bad inning where he allowed two runs on four walks and two hits. He also struckout seven during the game, so he got his point across. The Yankees also had several other prospects play very well in the game, including Austin Romine (3-5), Melky Mesa (2 BBs, SB) and Ray Kruml (1-3, 2 BBs).

This is obviously significant, as the Yankees and Rockies have been discussing a trade involving ace pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez. Cashman wouldn’t discuss a trade with a scout, but it could be an indication that both sides expect Betances to be involved in a deal.

Related Stories

• July 17, 2011 -- Jimenez Trade Rumors: Rockies Want Montero, Banuelos, Betances, and Nova
• July 15, 2011 -- MLB Trade Rumors: Yankees Interested in Ubaldo Jimenez">MLB Trade Rumors: Yankees Interested in Ubaldo Jimenez
• July 15, 2011 -- Banuelos Not Montero Named Yankees Top Prospect by ESPN
• June 26, 2011 -- Which of the Yankees Top Pitching Prospects Should Be Traded?

Read more New York Yankees news on BleacherReport.com

The Yankees were one of 17 teams in Denver on Thursday night to watch Ubaldo Jimenez pitch.

According to several talent evaluators, they have a better than average chance to acquire the 27-year-old because they have the top-shelf prospects the Rockies are looking for.

In mid-June the Rockies started getting calls on Jimenez and were told they weren’t actively shopping him, but if teams were willing to talk about moving their best prospects the Rockies would listen…

…According to a person familiar with the Rockies’ mindset, they believe Jimenez has pouted this year because Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez received contract extensions and he didn’t.

“They are annoyed at him,’’ the source said of Jimenez, who is 5-8 with a 4.08 ERA but pitching better lately after starting the season 0-5.

The Rockies recently scouted the Yankees’ Triple-A and Double-A teams and like Jesus Montero but not with the idea of using him at catcher. Instead, they view him as a first baseman. They also are high on pitchers Manuel Banuelos and Dellin Betances.

So Jimenez is available, but he won’t be coming cheaply. The Yankees have been very against involving any of their top three prospects in deals—for a top-of-the-line starter, though, they might change their tune.

The big question is, is he worth it?

Earlier in the week, Mike Axisa of River Ave Blues discussed the possibility of landing Jimenez from the Rockies and determined that a deal for him could be similar to the one that sent Dan Haren from the A’s to the Diamondbacks a few years ago. In that deal, the A’s netted themselves six prospects, including Carlos Gonzalez, so it seems that any deal involving the Yankees and Jimenez would include at least one, probably two of their top three prospects and then other top prospects in the organization as well.

Again though, is it worth it?

Jimenez is clearly an amazing talent, going 19-8 with a 2.88 ERA in Colorado of all places last season. His numbers have dropped this year, though, and his track record hasn’t been long enough to this date to consider him a can’t-miss front-of-the-rotation guy.

On top of that, his velocity has taken quite a fall this season from a year ago, perhaps a sign that last season put a lot of stress on his arm.

His strikeout and walk rates are at their career levels though and his FIP and xFIP are right in line with his career totals even though his ERA isn’t, so perhaps it’s a bit of bad luck. Still, the loss of velocity, although not tremendous, is alarming. Any deal for Jimenez is going to sting, to say the least, the farm system.

It’s hard to imagine dealing a large portion of the team’s best prospects for a guy who isn’t even 100 percent healthy.

At the same time this may be just the type of pitcher that Brian Cashman has been waiting to become available on the trade market. With no big name starters expected to hit the free-agent market until at least 2013, this may be the time the Yankees have to pounce.

Is it worth it?

Hard to say, but if they can swing a deal without giving up Dellin Betances and Manny Banuelos, they shouldn’t hesitate at all. If one of them has to go, it might be hard, but depending on the other prospects, the trigger might have to be pulled.

If both go, then the Yankees should hold up. If both are gone and Jimenez turns out to be A.J. Burnett, then the Yankees are just screwing themselves.

Either way, a deal for Jimenez is going to sting and sting badly and would likely change the face of the Yankees farm system.

Personally, I feel like the Yankees certainly should try diligently to work out a deal, but they shouldn’t force it. Jimenez just doesn’t have the track record to go all-in.

Related Stories

• July 15, 2011 -- Banuelos Not Montero Named Yankees Top Prospect by ESPN
• March 15, 2011 -- Cashman: Some Prospects are Untouchable in Trades
• February 23, 2011 -- Yankees Have 6 on Baseball America’s Top 100 Prospects List
• February 10, 2011 -- Yankees Farm System Ranked 4th in Baseball by AOL

Read more New York Yankees news on BleacherReport.com

On that note, Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated tweeted earlier today that the Yankees like Hiroki Kuroda of the Dodgers.

The Yankees would certainly have some company in their pursuit of Kuroda, as in the same tweet, Heyman noted that the Red Sox have let the Dodgers know they are interested as well. We do know that the Yankees are more inclined to go after rental starting pitchers, as Kuroda would be, rather than spend lots in prospects to land a more long-term solution.

There is also one other possible snag in any deal the Yankees could make for Kuroda: He has a full no-trade clause and has indicated that he would need some form of compensation to waive it. That could mean that he is looking for an extension from any team looking to deal for him.

If that turns out to be the case, it could mean the Yankees won’t go after him as hard as they otherwise would, again, preferring rental starters. Kuroda is 36 years old, after all. Getting him past this season might not be the smartest idea, depending on the money.

Related Stories

• June 28, 2011 -- 10 Starting Pitchers the Yankees Could Trade For
• October 31, 2010 -- 10 Starters the Yankees Can Sign if They Fail to Get Cliff Lee
• August 25, 2010 -- Yankees Trade Rumors: Interested in Hiroki Kuroda

Read more New York Yankees news on BleacherReport.com

When the Yankees needed bullpen help, though, they called up Amaury Sanit from Triple-A and put the recently acquired Todd on waivers to make room for Sanit on the roster.

Today, the Yankees officially lost Todd to the Cardinals, who claimed him off of waivers, according to Mark Feinsand of the NY Daily News.

Really, none of this constitutes a big move, but it is curious as to why the Yankees didn’t just call up Todd to the majors instead of Sanit. Neither pitcher is especially good, but this way the Yankees could have at least kept Todd.

At first glance, Todd seems like nothing special. He’s just a minor league reliever with a career 3.06 ERA. But his K/9 of 9.2 and BB/9 of just 2.6 is pretty darn impressive. Perhaps the Yankees figured with so much depth in the system that he would never really get a good shot to begin with, but why claim him in the first place then?

Either way, he’s gone now. Jess Todd, we hardly knew ye!

Related Stories

• March 24, 2011 -- Yankees Cut Greg Golson, Brandon Laird and 5 Others (Updated)
• March 16, 2011 -- Yankees Cut Andrew Brackman, Brandon Laird, and 4 More
• September 12, 2010 -- Yankees Notes: Pettitte, Miranda, Russo, Posada, Gardner
• June 23, 2010 -- Trade Rumor: O's Want Young SS for Wigginton

Read more New York Yankees news on BleacherReport.com

Though he knew he wanted out of Kansas City, which has a promising future but looks like it will have a brutal present, [Zack Greinke] wasn’t sure where he wanted to be.

He told friends he didn’t think he could play in Boston or New York. But when he and Yankees general manager Brian Cashman met clandestinely in Orlando (Greinke’s hometown) at an off-site location during the winter meetings, Greinke’s desperation not to endure yet another losing season in Kansas City was such that he is said to have tried to convince Cashman that he wanted to come to New York. And that he could actually thrive in New York.

However, people who were briefed on that meeting said Cashman ultimately decided that Greinke’s first thought about New York was probably correct — that it wasn’t the best spot for him.

Greinke told people the day he accepted his Cy Young Award in New York City that he didn’t think he could ever live in New York, and kept telling friends the same. But as the days dwindled this winter, he made his surprise plea to Cashman to make him a Yankee.

It just speaks to how strongly the Yankees believe that the Bronx is the wrong place for Greinke. Consider that despite Greinke's lobbying, the Yankees—who have a strong need for starting pitching—still didn’t really make any push for a trade.

Greinke is a good pitcher too, but when a guy publicly says that he wouldn’t feel comfortable in a place, the tendency is to believe him.

Only when he felt more uncomfortable in Kansas City did he turn to the Yankees.

Part of me wonders what role his brother Luke Greinke played in this situation.

Luke was a Yankee draft-pick back in 2008. While pitching for the Staten Island Yankees, he told me that he wasn’t a big-city guy and felt uncomfortable not only pitching in New York City, but didn’t even like being there. I

t’s possible that the Yankees saw how Luke reacted and worried that Zack might feel the same way.

The Brewers look to have a good team this season, but Greinke won’t be a free agent until after the 2012 season.

If the Brewers are not contending next season  if and when they lose some of their offensive punch in Prince Fielder (a free agent after this season), it is possible that Greinke could be back on the trade market before he hits free agency in two years.

Related Stories

• December 20, 2010 — Rumors: Asking Price for Greinke was Montero, Nunez, and More
• December 19, 2010 — Yankees Lose Another Option As Zack Greinke Traded to Brewers
• December 17, 2010 — Zack Greinke Switches to Derek Jeter’s Agent
• December 14, 2010 — 10 Starters Yankees Could Trade For After Missing Lee

Read more New York Yankees news on BleacherReport.com

"The Yankees at one point this offseason dangled right-hander Ivan Nova and infielder Ramiro Pena for [Francisco Liriano], according to a major league source. The Twins, however, want prized left-hander Manny Banuelos as part of any package, the source says. Though just 20, Banuelos is expected to open the season at Double A.

"The teams have not spoken in at least a month, according to a second source. But given the Yankees’ needs, the discussions are almost certain to revive before Opening Day."

The source that confirmed that the sides haven’t talked in about a month is Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated. His source also used the words “right now,” leaving open the possibility that the two sides could resume talks again. That might happen a little closer to the start of the season, or they could start again in June.

Either way, at this point it seems like these sides will attempt to work out a deal. The Twins don’t seem to want to hold on to Liriano long-term. They question his ability to stay healthy, his communication with the club and his style on the mound.

It seems crazy to give up on a guy so good and so young, but armed with these reasons and probably realizing the fact that they won’t be able to afford him when he gets to free agency, a trade seems inevitable. It’s just a matter of when.

Whatever they do talk, the Yankees are likely to do whatever they have to to keep the Twins from insisting on Banuelos or Dellin Betances. A package of Nova and Pena won’t likely get it done, but the Yankees do have prospects better than Pena and worse than Banuelos. It’s a matter of negotiating and settling on another one.

Related Stories

• November 17, 2010 -- Notes from Cashman: Nova to the Rotation, Joba to the bullpen, Aceves, and More
• October 6, 2010 -- Yankees News: Roster Decisions
• September 12, 2010 -- Discussion: Yankees Playoff Roster
• August 23, 2010 -- Yankees Notes: A-Rod, Nova, Call-Ups, Sabathia

Read more New York Yankees news on BleacherReport.com