The last time the Bronx hosted a World Series, Iván Rodríguez was the catcher for the clinching out. In the Yankees’ grandest dreams — which seem more realistic after two major trades in the last week — they will close Yankee Stadium the same way this fall.
With the Detroit Tigers, Iván Rodríguez hit .295 this season with 5 homers and 32 runs batted in, and .382 in his last 30 games.
In a move that was conceived and completed in less than six hours, the Yankees acquired Rodríguez from the Detroit Tigers for reliever Kyle Farnsworth on Wednesday. Five years after leading the Florida Marlins to a title, and two years after lifting Detroit to a pennant, Rodríguez becomes the regular catcher for the Yankees.
“I came to the office today just thinking about the Oriole game, not necessarily making a blockbuster deal,” General Manager Brian Cashman said. “I’ve been dealing with LaTroy Hawkins being designated for assignment; I’ve got some activity there, and at some point I hoped to conclude something on him. But nothing like this.”
The Hawkins move could wait. That was obvious at 10 a.m., when Cashman received a call from Dave Dombrowski, the president of the Tigers. Cashman says he has always appreciated Dombrowski’s direct style, and Dombrowski hit him with a thunderbolt: he wanted Farnsworth for Rodríguez.
Rodríguez, a 14-time All-Star, is hitting .295 with 5 homers and 32 runs batted in. Farnsworth is 1-2 with a 3.65 earned run average and was leading the Yankees with 45 games pitched.
Months ago, Cashman had heard rumors that Rodríguez might be available. But he thought so little of it that he never bothered to check with Dombrowski, even after learning that Jorge Posada would not catch again this season.
Cashman had resigned himself to a tandem of José Molina and Chad Moeller behind the plate. That may have been acceptable, considering the strength of Molina’s defense, but privately Cashman worried that Molina could wear down the way he did in April when Posada left the lineup because of shoulder pain.
Cashman also knew that Farnsworth’s value most likely would never be higher, and the Yankees had depth to replace him. Brian Bruney has been pitching for Class AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and could be activated from the disabled list. Also, the top prospect Mark Melancon was just promoted to Scranton.
“Over time, people are emerging and doing the job,” Cashman said. “I’ve got to give Joe a lot of credit. He’s handed the ball to a lot of guys, given guys an opportunity, and those guys have taken advantage.”
Joe Girardi, the manager, has culled solid performances from José Veras, Edwar Ramírez and Dave Robertson, among others. Just as important, Cashman acquired a veteran late-inning reliever, Dámaso Marte, in the Xavier Nady deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday.
Before Wednesday’s game, Girardi told Cashman that he liked Detroit’s proposal. That was important to Cashman, who said he would not have made the move unless Girardi supported it. He called back Dombrowski, then checked with ownership and scouts.
Rodríguez waived his no-trade clause and told Cashman he would report in time for Thursday night’s game against the Angels. With the deal agreed upon, Cashman called Girardi during the game and told him not to use Farnsworth.
Like Rodríguez, Farnsworth will be a free agent after the season. He joined the Yankees in 2006, and this may have been his best month in pinstripes. Before Monday, he had not allowed a run in 11 appearances.
The Yankees decided it made sense to sell high on Farnsworth, who drew interest from Dombrowski last summer. Farnsworth pitched well for the Tigers in 2005, but he took this trade hard in an emotional meeting with Girardi and Cashman after the game.
“I had a good time here, and it was tough,” said Farnsworth, whose young son played on the field with Girardi’s family after the trade. “I went out there and gave everything I had every time I pitched. That’s the only thing I could ask myself to do.”
One American League talent evaluator, who was granted anonymity so he could speak freely about another team’s player, said Rodríguez was a clear upgrade over Molina, who is not used to catching every day and is slow on the bases.
The evaluator said Rodríguez, 36, is not the player he was with the Texas Rangers — for whom he won 10 Gold Gloves and a Most Valuable Player award — but that he was still solid.
“He plays with a lot of enthusiasm,” the talent evaluator said. “He’s kept himself in good shape. He really is a good athlete. He can hit anywhere from the sixth hole on down for you. He hits behind the runner. He can run the bases, too. He’s still a good base runner. He’s got a good attitude. Hey, he’s still a good baseball player.”
Rodríguez’s name surfaced in José Canseco’s 2005 book, “Juiced,” in which Canseco said he injected Rodríguez with performance-enhancing drugs when they were teammates in Texas. Rodríguez denied the accusation, and although Canseco met with investigators for George J. Mitchell, Rodríguez was not named in Mitchell’s report on steroids in baseball.
Rodríguez, who has a .382 average in his last 30 games, told MLB.com that he was excited about the trade and hoped he could stay with the Yankees beyond this season. But Cashman said he had not thought that far ahead.
“This is about this year,” said Cashman, who signed Posada to a four-year contract last off-season. “There’s been no thought about anything other than this year. I’m not going to disrupt my eighth inning to get a free look at ’09. This is all about ’08.”
The Yankees’ Bobby Abreu said the trade could help the team significantly, and Alex Rodriguez, who played with Rodríguez in Texas in 2002, agreed.
“I’m excited,” Alex Rodriguez said. “I think defensively he helps, and he’s still capable offensively. It’s a good move.”
Cashman will continue to explore possible deals until Thursday’s 4 p.m. nonwaiver deadline, when the Yankees may resolve their stalemate with Seattle over starter Jarrod Washburn.
On Wednesday night, Cashman made the Hawkins move, sending him to Houston for Matt Cusick, a Class A second baseman.
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