bjm676 Posted August 27, 2005 Share Posted August 27, 2005 Yankees acquire OF Matt Lawton from Chicago Cubs The Yankees announced today that they have acquired outfielder Matt Lawton from the Chicago Cubs for minor-league right-handed pitcher Justin Berg. To make room for Lawton on their 25-man roster, the Yankees will make a subsequent roster move prior to today's game. The 33-year old Lawton batted .268 with 11 home runs and 49 RBI in 120 games with the Chicago Cubs and the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2005. He began the season with the Pirates, where he led the team with 16 stolen bases and batted .273 (102-for-374) with 28 doubles, 10 home runs and 44 RBI in 101 games before being traded to Chicago on July 31. In 19 games with the Cubs, he was batting .244 (19-for-78) with two doubles, one home run and five RBI. In 2004 with the Cleveland Indians, Lawton was named to the American League All-Star Team and established a career-high with 109 runs scored. He reached base safely in 122 of his 147 games played and his .380 on-base percentage ranked fourth among all American-League leadoff hitters. Originally selected by the Minnesota Twins in the 13th round of the 1991 First-Year Player Draft, Lawton has played parts of 11 Major-League seasons with five teams (Minnesota, 1995-2001; New York Mets, 2001; Cleveland, 2002-2004; Pittsburgh and Chicago, 2005). He owns a .269 career batting average (1260-for-4688) with 267 doubles, 136 home runs and 626 RBI in 1,302 games played. Berg, 21, was 6-1 with a 3.07 ERA in 14 games (nine starts) with Class-A Staten Island this season (55.2IP, 44H, 22R, 19ER, 19BB, 48K). He was selected by the Yankees in the 43rd round of the 2003 First-Year Player Draft. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LosMediasBlancas Posted August 27, 2005 Share Posted August 27, 2005 Cubs white flag? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YASNY Posted August 27, 2005 Share Posted August 27, 2005 QUOTE(LosMediasBlancas @ Aug 27, 2005 -> 10:52 AM) Cubs white flag? They might as well wave it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AddisonStSox Posted August 27, 2005 Share Posted August 27, 2005 Although you have to shake your head everytime the Yanks trade away prospects, I believe this deal is a good one. It will give them the CF they've been looking for and it may pay dividens down the strech. As for the Cubs waiving the white flag: oh yeah. I'd have a firesale and get rid of as much of that dead-weight as possible. Hendry bascially traded Jason DuBose for this Berg kid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoxFan562004 Posted August 27, 2005 Share Posted August 27, 2005 QUOTE(AddisonStSox @ Aug 27, 2005 -> 10:02 AM) Although you have to shake your head everytime the Yanks trade away prospects, I believe this deal is a good one. It will give them the CF they've been looking for and it may pay dividens down the strech. As for the Cubs waiving the white flag: oh yeah. I'd have a firesale and get rid of as much of that dead-weight as possible. Hendry bascially traded Jason DuBose for this Berg kid. I agree, as great as Bernie has been for the Yankees it was obvious he could not cover any ground in CF, it is a good move by the Yanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LosMediasBlancas Posted August 27, 2005 Share Posted August 27, 2005 QUOTE(SoxFan562004 @ Aug 27, 2005 -> 11:04 AM) I agree, as great as Bernie has been for the Yankees it was obvious he could not cover any ground in CF, it is a good move by the Yanks Can Bernie DH for us? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjm676 Posted August 27, 2005 Author Share Posted August 27, 2005 QUOTE(SoxFan562004 @ Aug 27, 2005 -> 10:04 AM) I agree, as great as Bernie has been for the Yankees it was obvious he could not cover any ground in CF, it is a good move by the Yanks They didn't pick up Bernie's contract for next year. So, obviously, this a move for this year and possibly the future. I didn't expect them to go with Womack/Williams in CF down the stretch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WHarris1 Posted August 27, 2005 Share Posted August 27, 2005 Nice deal for the Yanks, that puts them a leg up in the wild card IMO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AddisonStSox Posted August 27, 2005 Share Posted August 27, 2005 QUOTE(robinventura23 @ Aug 27, 2005 -> 10:44 AM) They didn't pick up Bernie's contract for next year. So, obviously, this a move for this year and possibly the future. I didn't expect them to go with Womack/Williams in CF down the stretch. FWIW, Lawton is a UFA after this season. So, I don't think we can really call it a move for the future. But, I think the Yankees are much improved with Lawton in CF than a Womack-Williams tandum down the stretch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chisoxfan79 Posted August 27, 2005 Share Posted August 27, 2005 When has Lawton ever played CF? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WHarris1 Posted August 27, 2005 Share Posted August 27, 2005 I think Matsui will probably play center Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rangercal Posted August 27, 2005 Share Posted August 27, 2005 They traded Dubois for Gerut, Gerut for Lawton, Lawton for Berg? In 2 months? What is the Logic? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knightni Posted August 27, 2005 Share Posted August 27, 2005 QUOTE(rangercal @ Aug 27, 2005 -> 01:35 PM) They traded Dubois for Gerut, Gerut for Lawton, Lawton for Berg? In 2 months? What is the Logic? "Fantasy baseball for losers" logic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CWSGuy406 Posted August 27, 2005 Share Posted August 27, 2005 QUOTE(AddisonStSox @ Aug 27, 2005 -> 04:48 PM) FWIW, Lawton is a UFA after this season. So, I don't think we can really call it a move for the future. But, I think the Yankees are much improved with Lawton in CF than a Womack-Williams tandum down the stretch. You do realize that Lawton is one of the worst defensive left-fielders in the game, much less a CF'er? It's okay if they stick him in LF, and put Matsui in CF. But putting Lawton in CF would be a downright terrible move for the Yankees... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoodAsGould Posted August 27, 2005 Share Posted August 27, 2005 Idonno he is a good fielder he just get lazies at time that was one of the pirates complaints vs him. I guess playing on the yankees and in a playoff race he might not be so lazy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CWSGuy406 Posted August 27, 2005 Share Posted August 27, 2005 QUOTE(SoxFan101 @ Aug 27, 2005 -> 06:06 PM) Idonno he is a good fielder he just get lazies at time that was one of the pirates complaints vs him. I guess playing on the yankees and in a playoff race he might not be so lazy. No, he's an awful fielder. Something like second to last in the NL this year in ZR, and on average, 19 runs below the average OF'er per UZR. There's no getting around it, and putting him in CF would be about as dumb as us putting someone like Carl Everett in CF. Probably worse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Allen Posted August 27, 2005 Share Posted August 27, 2005 Matsui will play CF. Lawton would have been a good pick-up for KW as insurance for Pods. Although he was pretty bad with the Cubs, he does get on base. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fathom Posted August 27, 2005 Share Posted August 27, 2005 I still can't believe the Cubs gave up on Dubois as quick as they did. He has enormous power. Hendry really should be fired for the mess he did with the Cubs this season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoxFanForever Posted August 27, 2005 Share Posted August 27, 2005 QUOTE(chisoxfan79 @ Aug 27, 2005 -> 04:59 PM) When has Lawton ever played CF? Last time he played CF was when he was with Minnie. That was about 5-6 years ago. He always played LF or DH when he was with the tribe and all left or right with Pitt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted August 29, 2005 Share Posted August 29, 2005 QUOTE(rangercal @ Aug 27, 2005 -> 12:35 PM) They traded Dubois for Gerut, Gerut for Lawton, Lawton for Berg? In 2 months? What is the Logic? To all of the people who fancy themselves as GMs on here, this is the perfect example of why you don't make knee jerk reaction trades. Hendry is all over the map with no plan at all, and this is what it got him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.