They Caught A Whale

It looks like the Yankees will be signing Sidney Ponson for the remainder of the season. While this isn't the pitcher I was hoping for, right now I'm willing to see someone other than Chacon get the shot. I think there is a little potential in Ponson to get the job done.
It looks like the trade market for starting pitching is going to be very thin. It's possible that a top pitcher might be landed, but it is likely going to come at a high cost. The Yankees didn't have to give up anyone to sign Ponson. Hughes, Cano, Wang, Cabrera are still in Pinstripes. And right now, that's a good thing. There's still 2 plus weeks to evaluate Ponson as the 5th starter. If things don't work out, there is still the possibility of trading away the youngsters. Honestly, I hope the farm doesn't get mortgaged, but someone will likely have to go if the Yankees want to improve the ballclub. Bringing in Ponson is a calculated risk. It's a deal for the remainder of the season so it's not costing the Yankees much. I hope it pays off.
Cashman was quoted as saying, "This is something that made sense compared to everything else that's been available so far." He also said, "We obviously haven't made a trade, but there's reason for it; at this point I don't feel there's something worth me pulling the trigger on. We've certainly had opportunities, but not ones that I think are in our best interests to pursue. If anything falls more in line with what makes sense for our short- and long-term goals, then we'll be more aggressive towards those efforts. Just stay tuned, we'll see where this thing takes us over the next few weeks." That's what I like to hear from the GM. Cashman knows the deal. He's not going to bend over and take it with no vaseline. The longer he waits, the more likely the Yankees will acquire the right player at the right cost.
With so many teams in contention for playoff spots, it will likely be a pretty light trading season. There were a few deals today, but nothing Earth shattering. It's going to be pretty hard for teams to wrangle away top talent, unless they're looking at teams that have no chance at the postseason, such as the Pirates, Royals, and Cubs. It'll be an interesting couple of weeks. I'm excited. Are you?
J