Yankees Acquire Castro From Cubs
We knew that the Yankees weren't going to the Winter Meetings in Nashville looking to reel in high-priced free agents.
We also knew that they would still look to supplement a roster that was beaten in the AL Wild Card game.
They did that on Tuesday, acquiring SS/2B Starlin Castro from the Cubs for pitcher Adam Warren and IF Brendan Ryan.
There's a lot to like about this trade, but also some negatives:
The Good:
1. The Yankees are getting younger. Make no mistake about it. The contracts are being turned over and the pieces are in place to be good for a long time.
2. Castro is right-handed. The Yankees were lefty dominant, especially in the OF, so this helps offset that. He crushes LHP. He's a career .295 hitter against them.
3. He's an upgrade over Ackley/Refsynder. He's durable and will play every day, and also offers power (five seasons with more than 10+ homers).
The Bad:
1. He has not been a good fielder throughout his career. He actually got moved from SS last year after committing 18 errors there last season. He only had a .957 fielding percentage last year.
2. His OBP is low. He had a .296 last season. He's never walked more than 36 times in a season.
3. Giving up Warren is a tough piece. Starting pitching cost the Yankees last season, and they just gave up a reliable arm.