Yanks: trade 2B for pitcher.

There is precedent in Yankee history:

October 11, 1946 the New York Yankees traded second baseman Joe Gordon to the Cleveland Indians for pitcher Allie Reynolds.

Gordon, born February 18, 1915, was a six time all-star at the time of the trade, 1942 MVP and future Hall of Famer.

Reynolds, born February 10, 1917, had never been an all-star.

Reynolds joined Vic Raschi in the 1947 Yankees starting rotation and won the World Series.  February 24, 1948 Eddie Lopat was traded by the Chicago White Sox to the New York Yankees for Fred Bradley, Aaron Robinson and Bill Wight.

Although they finished third in 1948 Reynolds, Raschi and Lopat formed the core of the Yankee rotation that won a record five consecutive World Series 1949-1953.

Andy Pettitte will announce his retirement today.  Yanks need starting pitching.  The Yanks can repeat history by trading all-star second baseman Robinson Cano for 2010 Cy Young winning pitcher Felix Hernandez of Seattle.

Felix Hernandez Born: April 8, 1986
Robinson Cano Born: October 22, 1982
Hernandez is 3.5 years younger than Cano.

black ink:
Cano none .
Hernandez:
2009: wins, W-L%, WP, H/9
2010: ERA, GS, IP, BF, H/9

Wins Above Replacement (WAR):
Cano: 2010 AL  6.1 (4th)
Hernandez: 2010 AL  6.0 (6th)

Cano:
WAR Position Players
2007 AL  5.6 (8th)
2010 AL  6.1 (4th)

Hernandez:
WAR for Pitchers
2008 AL  4.5 (9th)
2009 AL  5.8 (3rd)
2010 AL  6.0 (1st)
Active  24.2 (25th)

Free Agent after this season:
Cano:2011 ($10M)
Hernandez: 2014 ($10M)

Cano:

2011	28	New York Yankees	$10,000,000
2012	29	New York Yankees	*$14,000,000	$14M Team Option, $2M Buyout
2013	30	New York Yankees	*$15,000,000	$15M Team Option, $2M Buyout

Hernandez:

2011	25	Seattle Mariners	$10,000,000
2012	26	Seattle Mariners	$18,500,000
2013	27	Seattle Mariners	$19,500,000
2014	28	Seattle Mariners	$20,000,000

Seattle would save money on Cano and would probably do this deal.

The more I think about it the more I like it.  It opens a position for Derek Jeter at second after that stupid contract the Yanks gave him and they can replace Jeter at short with one of those guys who catch everything, swapping the new SS bat for Cano's.

Offense is reduced but defense may improve and pitching will definitely improve.  Yanks should do this deal.

Source: baseball-reference.com