What a block buster eh? Considering Pineda is under team control for 5 more years and Montero for 6, this seems like an unlikely trade for the Yankees. We're all used to the big contract acquisitions from them, but this one's interesting. Michael Pineda (3.4 WAR / 171 IP in 2011) and Jesus Montero (0.6 WAR / 69 PA in 2011) both are 22 years of age, and are projecting over 3 WAR next year according to OLIVER.
So how does this trade project for both teams in the next 3 seasons?
The projections for next year seem to widely vary in terms of WAR, but for IP and PA, seems to look at Pineda pitching around 175 IP and Montero getting 496 PA.
Pineda Projections (2012)
OLIVER: 4.1 WAR / 180 IP
CAIRO: 2.6 WAR / 168 IP
Bill James: - / 176 IP
Montero Projections (2012)
OLIVER: 3.3 WAR / 554 PA
CAIRO: 2.2 WAR / 380 PA
Bill James: - / 552 PA
While Jose Campos, the prospect the Mariners are sending to the Yankees, has an ETA of 2015, Hector Noesi, the former Yankees prospect, played in 56.1 innings last year tallying 7.19 K/9, 3.51 BB/9 and a 4.09 FIP. In low A last year, Campos played in 81.1 innings and tallying 9.41 K/9, 1.44 BB/9 and a 2.38 FIP. John Sickels rates Campos as the Mariners 5th best prospect with a B rating.
Although the cumulative WAR favors the Mariners (15.3 WAR vs 11 WAR for the Yankees), assuming the Mariners would use Montero in the DH role, that would be to their benefit as he's not the best defensive backstop. Even if we do think of DH as an aging player's position, this 2010 Baseball Reference article notes that the age of the DH is getting younger. Via the handy Play Index, the avg age of a DH between 06-11 is 32 years old.
I do think slugging is easier and cheaper to buy than quality starting pitching. See Mark Buehrle this year: 3.4 WAR, and pulling in 4 years / $58MM, Paul Konerko's 2010 contract year: 3.9 WAR and 3 years / $37.5MM
What the internet thinks of the trade:
Analysis and Background of Pineda/Montero Deal (MLB Trade Rumors)
Yankees Land Pineda, Don't Pay Retail (Fangraphs)
New York Yankees Trade Jesus Montero To The Seattle Mariners For Michael Pineda (Pinstripe Alley)
So Michael Pineda Is Leaving And Jesus Montero Is Coming (Lookout Landing)
Cashman Rebuilds Yankees Rotation (Jim Bowden, ESPN)
Despite Moving from Safeco, Pineda Should Thrive as a Yankee (Bill Petti, here!)
The Prospects Mariners/Yankees Trade (Minor League Ball)