Our colleague Dave Cameron is dreaming up some big deals he thinks can make sense for both trading partners. His first one is CC Sabathia for Matt Kemp. While I don't see it because the Yankees only have two starters (Ivan Nova is the other) to begin with, Cameron makes his case:
The Los Angeles Dodgers have a crowded outfield, and likely have to trade one of Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier or Carl Crawford due to the emergence of Yasiel Puig (and top prospect Joc Pederson isn't far behind). They reportedly are in the market for another starting pitcher, but don't want to part with a draft pick to sign one of the better starters on the market. By swapping Kemp for Sabathia, they could kill two birds with one stone.
The annual salaries are almost identical, with Sabathia making just a few million dollars more per season each of the next four years, so this wouldn't have a significant impact on either team's budget, but would free up some longer-term commitments for a Dodgers balance sheet that already has a lot of long-term commitments on the books. And this deal could actually benefit both teams on the field as well.
The Yankees' outfield is kind of a disaster. They tried to patch their holes with Vernon Wells and Alfonso Soriano last season, but neither one should be starting on a team trying to win in 2014. Same story with Ichiro Suzuki, actually.
The Yankees need a legitimate corner outfielder who should play every day, and at this point in his career, Kemp probably shouldn't be asked to play center field anymore. In New York, playing next to Brett Gardner, he could simply focus on staying healthy and hitting the ball out of the ballpark. Even if he just becomes more of a solid regular than a superstar, he'd fill a gaping need for the Yankees outfield, and would inject some youth into an old roster.
To read the rest of Cameron's thoughts click here (Insiders only)