Monday evening the New York Yankees reached into their farm system yet again and traded for Japan's most successful baseball player, Ichiro Suzuki.
They traded two pitching prospects to the Seattle Mariners for the veteran right fielder. D.J. Mitchell and Danny Farquhar were sent over to Seattle for Ichiro.
Now, granted that Ichiro is in the latter stage of his career, it is pointless to look at his career averages. The main thing Ichiro provides for the New York Yankees is speed. Despite being 38, Ichiro can still cover ground on the field but most importantly he can provide a distraction on the base pads when he gets on base.
This year, Ichiro is sporting a .288 on-base percentage, which is not amazing, but he does look capable of swiping at least 30 bags this season, which will give New York a chance to manufacture runs whenever they do not hit home runs.
Shane Victorino would have been a better option granted that he is younger than Ichiro, but for the price, the Yankees could not say no to the future hall of famer.
Mitchell, who the Yankees drafted in the 10th round of the 2008 draft, barely has any MLB experience. He is a prospect that was expected to be a starter some day, but he struggled recently in Syracuse, the Yankees' Triple-A affiliate.
In 2012, he started 14 games and went 6-4 with a 5.04 ERA.
Farquhar is a relief pitcher that bounced around early in his career. He was also a 10th round draft pick in the 2008 draft, but he was picked up by the Toronto Blue Jays.
He was bounced back in trades and as a waiver pick up a couple of times between the Blue Jays and Oakland Athletics. The Yankees selected Farquhar from Oakland's waivers and now he finds himself flying back west to Seattle.
Is it even worth mentioning his minor league numbers? You would think this guy is yet to be discovered or is destined to disappear in somebody's farm system.
His minor league numbers are not bad. Farquhar has appeared in 208 games in five years in the minor leagues. He has a career 3.08 ERA in 282.2 innings pitched, 59 career saves and he had 290 strikeouts.
So did the Mariners get cheated in the trade?
I would say not exactly. Both teams get what they want and Ichiro wins as well.
Ichiro is searching for a World Series ring before retiring.
They Yankees are not a team with a deep farm system and chances are that no other team with a deep system would have offered big parts for a depleted Ichiro.
Ichiro should supply sufficient spark in the Yankees' lineup to get the job done for them.
The Mariners are continuing to rebuild and young pitching is something they need.
Mitchell and Farquhar are 25 and 24 years-old-respectively.
Last night, Ichiro faced his former team and went 1-4 with a single in his first at-bat as a Yankee with a stolen base.
