I initially thought trading for Xavier Nady and Damaso Marte was a steal for the Yankees: the corner outfielder and lefty relief pitcher they needed for three prospects and a Triple A/major league tweener.

But at second glance, the trade isn’t as great as everyone is making it out to be – at least in this Yankee fan’s mind. For a guy who has hit .330 this year (his career best), Nady has only 57 RBIs and 50 runs – both totals ranking just third on his own team. I would expect those production numbers to be better, especially on the Pirates who are second in the NL in runs scored. The Pirates’ problem has been pitching, not hitting.

While Nady doesn’t strike out much (55 in 327 at bats this year), he only has 25 walks, leading to a low .383 OBP for a hitter batting .330. The benchmark OBP for a quality batter should be 80 points or more over the batting average. This lower OBP is a prime reason for Nady’s low runs scored total.

Nady is an above average fielder in right, but his defensive numbers are considerably worse when he plays left – and that’s where he’s likely to play in New York. Perhaps one option for Girardi would be to play Johnny Damon in left (when he’s healthy) and put Nady in right and Bobby Abreu at DH. Also, unless Nady hits the ball down the line, will he hit as many home runs in Yankee Stadium? His 162 game career average is just 20 home runs and 75 RBIs, and that’s the pace he’s on this year.

Does everyone remember El Duque’s great relief appearance for the Chicago White Sox against Boston in the 2005 playoffs? He came in the game in the sixth with the White Sox leading 4-3, but with the bases loaded and no outs. Well, he came in for Damaso Marte, who had loaded the bases with a single and two walks. Marte’s career numbers against the Red Sox hitters aren’t good: lots of walks and Ortiz, Manny, Varitek and JD Drew each have an OPS over 1.000. Ortiz has a homer, three RBI’s and two walks in 10 plate appearances against Marte.

The big reason I don’t like this deal is that the Yankees gave up way too much. The original deal had RHP Ross Ohlendorf, RHP George Kontos, LHP Phil Coke and OF Jose Tabata. Ohlendorf has some major league experience and all three of the other players were at Double A Trenton. But the trade was changed to remove Kontos and Coke and insert Triple A RHP’s Daniel McCutchen and Jeff Karstens, both only 25 years of age.

Karstens is very injury prone and had no future with the Yankees, but McCutchen (same 2006 draft that produced Joba Chamberlain, David Robertson and Ian Kennedy) is the one pitcher the Yankees should not have traded. He is a bulldog and, despite a 4-6 record at Triple A, he had adjusted well from a 1-6 start and has two complete games shutouts over the last month. McCutchen will probably be starting in the majors immediately, and while his initial few starts might not be impressive, he will become a very durable and productive starter for many years.

Getting back Marte is nice, as all bullpens could use a good lefty to get tough outs, but Xavier Nady is not a Manny Ramirez (or even a Barry Bonds) type of impact hitter.

Why is Nady considered the missing piece? Is he really going to get the opportunities to help this team win? Damaso Marte obviously will have big situation impact moments, especially when facing a big lefty, but Nady will have a minimal impact.

If the Yankees are going to make the playoffs, it will be on the backs (and bats) of Arod, Jeter, Abreu, Giambi, Damon and Cano – not Nady. Nady is on pace this year for about 20 HR’s and 80 RBI’s, basically his career type numbers. Only his batting average is much higher this season, but batting average is the biggest hype number that everyone sees.

If you were going to trade for a right handed hitting outfielder from the Pirates, why not Jason Bay? He has had a more productive career thus far, is much better defensively and has consistently higher OBP and slugging numbers than Nady. I know Nady was a part time player during much of his playing career, but Bay appears to be more durable, too, having played in more games than Nady over the same time frame (both came up in 2003). If Bay were the traded player, it might be a better deal. 

This is similar to Posada’s season last year – a big batting average year and not all that much more run production for more hits.

It would have much more beneficial for the Yankees (if not now then the future) to platoon with Gardner and Christian in LF (with some time for Damon) and let McCutchen have the 5th spot over Ponson. The future of the Yankees would be better off with the young guys getting good time down the stretch. The Yankees will be hard pressed to continue their winning ways when they go on those two murderous West Coast road trips.

Brian Cashman got caught up in the media hype of what they thought the Yankees needed. What the Yankees needed was to keep their own young players and let them play.

The Yankees think they made a great deal, but I’m not on board with that sentiment. They gave up too much, Nady won’t produce as he did in Pittsburgh, and Marte has bad numbers against the Red Sox. Brian Cashman needed to make a trade to satisfy all those Yankee fans demanding a move to get to the playoffs, but this isn’t the deal I would have made.