Austin Kearns Optioned to AAA.

[Snatch Catch]

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2083614

Can the Yanks please try and acquire him, like, RIGHT NOW?

[caroline331]

there goes someone on my fantasy team

[AMYanks]

He'd be 100 times better than Womack in LF.

[NelsonMuntz]

He hasn't been very good the last 2 seasons.

[Yanks21]

Kearns has been as bad as Womack...

[AMYanks]

Quantrill for Kearns. God knows they need pitching .

[AMYanks]

Kearns has been as bad as Womack...

He has 11 doubles and 6 HRs... that's not as bad as Womack.

[Yanks21]

He has 11 doubles and 6 HRs... that's not as bad as Womack.

Fair enough...

Nevertheless, Kearns has sucked royally...

[patrick.o]

Kearns has been as bad as Womack...

I have zero desire to go after Kearns, but he's been a much better bat than Womack.

Kearns - .224 BA, .306 OBP, .394 SLG, 18 BB in 193 PA, 17 extra base hits
Womack - .250 BA, .291 OBP, .279 SLG, 11 BB in 225 PA, 5 (yes, 5) extra base hits

[NelsonMuntz]

I have zero desire to go after Kearns, but he's been a much better bat than Womack.

Kearns - .224 BA, .306 OBP, .394 SLG, 18 BB in 193 PA, 17 extra base hits
Womack - .250 BA, .291 OBP, .279 SLG, 11 BB in 225 PA, 5 (yes, 5) extra base hits

That's actually not that much better than Womack. He's just hitting for a little more power. Not that I wouldn't prefer Kearns in LF. I'm sure he's much better defensively.

[Mattpat11]

I kind of assumed that our grand upgrade would be a little more upgrady

[Snatch Catch]

I kind of assumed that our grand upgrade would be a little more upgrady

Kearns faltering and now being optioned is some of the best news I have seen in a while; its the break the Yankees needed.

His value is at an all-time low.

The Yankees do not have the pieces to get a true, established, young talent. They just don't. If they were able to put a package together and acquire someone, it would probably include Duncan, Wang, Melky, etc...in other words, it would send the farm system back to square one.

Kearns JUST turned 25. He was once one of the top 2 or 3 outfield prospects in all of baseball. This is the kind of young talent the Yanks could possibly pull off without resetting the farm. Someone who you could potentially build a team around.

The team's "major upgrade" will not happen without giving up everything. I do not want to do this. Kearns is an incredible talent who's development has been stymied by injury. His asking price, in all likelyhood, just went down.

I would love to see the Yankees acquire him and work with him to reach his potential.

[Babe Rules]

Quantrill for Kearns. God knows they need pitching .

I was thinking the same thing

[Prickly Pete]

If Kearns has options left, which he obviously does, that allows the Reds to keep him at AAA to alleviate their OF logjam and to try to get him back on track. Why would they trade him?

Teams certainly do dumb things sometimes, but is there any logical reason for the Reds to get rid of a guy with that much talent when he's not making big bucks or taking up a roster spot?

[Evil Empire]

Send em Stanton

At worst, he's a fourth OF

BTW, hows his Defense?

[ryanm1058123]

If Kearns has options left, which he obviously does, that allows the Reds to keep him at AAA to alleviate their OF logjam and to try to get him back on track. Why would they trade him?

Teams certainly do dumb things sometimes, but is there any logical reason for the Reds to get rid of a guy with that much talent when he's not making big bucks or taking up a roster spot?

Agreed. They would try to trade one of their CF without options, like Griffey or Dunn before they trade one with them.

[Snatch Catch]

If Kearns has options left, which he obviously does, that allows the Reds to keep him at AAA to alleviate their OF logjam and to try to get him back on track. Why would they trade him?

Teams certainly do dumb things sometimes, but is there any logical reason for the Reds to get rid of a guy with that much talent when he's not making big bucks or taking up a roster spot?

I wasn't insinuating that they would definitely be looking to trade him; only that his value around the league has taken a major hit based upon his being optioned.

I'm now praying that Kearns continues to falter, or possibly even has a lingering injury that he plays through, coupled with Wily Mo going on a hot streak and Junior staying healthy. That would allow the Reds to consider moving Kearns.

Him being demoted to the minors, though, was a great thing from my perspective of wanting the Yankees to acquire him.

[patrick.o]

Kearns faltering and now being optioned is some of the best news I have seen in a while; its the break the Yankees needed.

His value is at an all-time low.

The Yankees do not have the pieces to get a true, established, young talent. They just don't. If they were able to put a package together and acquire someone, it would probably include Duncan, Wang, Melky, etc...in other words, it would send the farm system back to square one.

Kearns JUST turned 25. He was once one of the top 2 or 3 outfield prospects in all of baseball. This is the kind of young talent the Yanks could possibly pull off without resetting the farm. Someone who you could potentially build a team around.

The team's "major upgrade" will not happen without giving up everything. I do not want to do this. Kearns is an incredible talent who's development has been stymied by injury. His asking price, in all likelyhood, just went down.

I would love to see the Yankees acquire him and work with him to reach his potential.

I just can't see going after this kid. There's no way his asking price is low enough. Like you said, he was once one of the top 2 or 3 OF prospects in baseball and he's only 25. And he's had success before. That's one side.

The other side is that he's never managed 500 ABs in his professional career, and he's never managed 400 ABs in the majors. And, his numbers have declined precipitously each year he's been in the majors.

So you have a guy who could be really good (= expensive to trade for) but who is never healthy and is in a perpetual state of decline (= high potential to never work out) at the easiest position in baseball to fill.

Thanks, but unless he comes real cheap I'll take my gambles elsewhere.

[Snatch Catch]

So you have a guy who could be really good (= expensive to trade for) but who is never healthy and is in a perpetual state of decline (= high potential to never work out) at the easiest position in baseball to fill.

But he may not be that expensive to trade for for all the reasons you have outlined.

[NelsonMuntz]

I also read a scouting report that said he hasn't been the same since his forearm injury -- pitchers are pounding him inside and he's simply not attacking the inside pitch. I'd be wary of giving up too much for him.

[JeffWeaverFan]

Trade for Kearns. Please, he'll be cheap and he is definitely better than Woemack.

[cubswin]

But he may not be that expensive to trade for for all the reasons you have outlined.

right, but what do the Yanks have that you would be willing to give up that's of interest to the Reds? If they were in contention, maybe they'd be willing to deal him for some form of short-term help. But in last place, wouldn't they have to get some kind of value in return? Would you want to deal Cano or Wang for him? Or good prospects? It just seems like a bad fit.

[parkerstrong]

Kearns has digressed every year...he is a slight upgrade. It would be hard to give up anything of worth to acquire him.

[Saxmania]

Kearns has digressed every year

He should keep his mind on baseball.

Be seeing you,

Saxmania

[Snatch Catch]

right, but what do the Yanks have that you would be willing to give up that's of interest to the Reds? If they were in contention, maybe they'd be willing to deal him for some form of short-term help. But in last place, wouldn't they have to get some kind of value in return? Would you want to deal Cano or Wang for him? Or good prospects? It just seems like a bad fit.

Yes, I would deal Cano for him.

Kearns has digressed every year...he is a slight upgrade. It would be hard to give up anything of worth to acquire him.

He is a slight upgrade playing at his current level. If the Yankees acquire him and work with him, he has the potential to be the best hitter on this team not named Alex.

This is the kind of young talent the Yankees actually have the ability to acquire if they are creative (what that is, I don't know), because Kearns now has the tag of "bust" and "damaged goods" on him.

He should keep his mind on baseball.

You have made my Monday, sir. Thank you.