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BBTN MINUTE: MANNY TALK

PUDGE TO GIVE YANKEES A NUDGE

By Chris Singleton, ESPN

I think Wednesday's trade for Ivan Rodriguez gives the Yankees some peace of mind. With Jorge Posada going down, the Yankees were one injury away from having no one to handle their pitching staff. No offense to Chad Moeller, but you really need a good catcher to handle the guys they have in that rotation. Jose Molina has handled the pitching staff very well -- in fact, that's been his strongest attribute -- but Pudge will bring more offense than Molina and still will be more than capable of handling the staff. If Molina were to get injured, without Posada, that would have been the straw that broke the camel's back for New York. Now, I don't know exactly how much Pudge will play. Either way, though, now you've got two good catchers. Molina's going to handle the pitchers better, but Pudge is certainly strong defensively and definitely will give you something more at the plate.

Their recent acquisition of Damaso Marte will offset the loss of Kyle Farnsworth. I see Marte as one of the best lefty relievers in the game right now. He can slide into Farnsworth's role nicely. Farnsworth has become part of that family, and I think Joe Girardi is sad to see him go. Farnsworth has had his struggles, and even though he's been better lately, the Yankees probably thought it was 50/50 that he'd be a guy to count on the rest of the way.

Now, this move doesn't put the Yankees over the top, it just allows them to sustain what they are doing right now --- playing good baseball. I think they are still on the outside looking in at the playoffs. Their schedule the remainder of the season is difficult. They have 10 games with the Angels, and a couple of very long road trips. In fact, on Monday they begin a stretch in which they play 16 of 19 games on the road.

Also, I don't think this an indication that the Tigers have totally packed it in this year. I think manager Jim Leyland was honest with Pudge and told him Brandon Inge was going to be assuming at least half of the catching responsibilities going forward. So, I'm sure Pudge hasn't been the happiest guy around the Tigers clubhouse. When a veteran player who can still play has his playing time cut like that, he can't be happy. Now, he's going to New York and putting on those pinstripes. I think it's going to be an honor for him. The prospect of him platooning in New York could be more attractive to him. He has won before with the Marlins and Tigers, but to be near the end of his career and go into Yankee Stadium as a home player, I think that excitement will help to make up for some of the problems normally involved with having to move in the middle of the season. He's also very familiar with the American League, and that should help, too. I think Farnsworth will help the Tigers bullpen. He could close, but I think Todd Jones could end up back in that role eventually. Right now, Fernando Rodney is being given a chance, and they might look to him as a guy who could hold that job for the next five years, but Jones should still get another shot this season.