In today's off-day exercise, you get to pick one and only one player to target for a trade and you have to say what you would give up in return. You can shoot for the moon with a guy like DeGrom and be willing to give up some premium value in return (if you're being reasonable) or target one of the half-year rentals like Hamels and offer up a lot less (but it will still take more than just a limited package like Adams and Mckinney). What does the algorithm in your head project as the best do-able deal for the Yankees? My current thinking (subject to change on a daily basis)...
Target: Syndergaard
Compensation: Frazier, Drury, Sheffield, Abreu.
I know, I know, that's a lot to give up. But if it's not painful, it's not realistic.
From the Yankees perspective
--They are getting a proven, top-of-the-rotation, 25-year old with 3 1/2 years left of team control who will slot right in as the #2 starter behind Severino (and they didn't have to give up Torres, Andujar, or Florial). Think about how huge it would be to have two young aces under team control until 2022! The only downside is Syndergaard's history of injuries, but that's all part of the equation that makes him available for a manageable/reasonable price tag.
--They are giving up two young position players who have proven they belong in the Majors, but are buried on the Yankees depth chart; and two of their top pitching prospects, one in Triple A, the other in single A. It's the pitchers that make it painful for the Yankees, but no pain, no gain; and while the two check in as the team's top two pitching prospects according to MLB. com, I'm not convinced they're all that more likely to reach stardom than some of the other arms in the system like Medina, Loaisiga, Stephan, Sauer, Schmidt, Whitlock, and more. Sheffield tops the list based on probability of success, not necessarily upside.
From the Mets perspective
--They are getting two young, starting quality position players under team control (Frazier for five more years, Drury for three) and two very highly regarded pitching prospects, one of whom is ready to make his major league debut (and should slot in right away as a mid-rotation guy), the other just a year or two away (with a fastball that reaches triple digits and two other plus pitches). How often do you get that combination of production and potential without having to give up your veteran #1 starter (DeGrom)?
--They are giving up something that no team ever wants to give up, a young, proven, top-of-rotation pitcher still with years of team control. And to their cross-town rival.
p.s.--I'm not sure how often teams package more than four players in a trade for just one in return, but I would be willing to add another player or two to sweeten the deal: i.e., German, Adams, Acevedo, or one of the established middle-relievers (hopefully not Green or Holder, I love them, but not enough to stand in the way of a deal for Syndergaard).
KC was our AAAA team back then
12-11-1959 Traded by Kansas City Athletics with Joe DeMaestri and Kent Hadley to New York Yankees in exchange for Don Larsen, Hank Bauer, Norm Siebern and Marv Throneberry (December 11, 1959).
Marv Throneberry!!!! There's a player who played for both NY Teams.
You are correct --KC (pre- Charley Finlay) were indeed a AAAA team for the Yanks.
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and that's not unreasonable as a comparison. Thor is as effective as anyone in baseball when he pitches, but he hasn't stayed healthy. Thor has one 30-start season to his name.
I can understand that comparison but Sevy is so much more of a complete pitcher than Thor. Sevy wants to get you out. He's not afraid to rely on his slider or change up if its dominant that night.
Thor seems to me to want to strike everyone out and is more a thrower than pitcher. He gets his pitch count up high too often for my liking by wanting the K so much.
I think the comparison is there because of their great velocity but it stops there for me.
When you can't stay on the field it's time to lose the "Thor" nickname!