Never too early to start talking Yankee trades. The Yanks were supposed to have great pitching depth this year, but Michael Pineda and Mariano Rivera are gone for the year, Phil Hughes is struggling and who knows what Andy Pettitte has left. Like every year the Yanks will be buyers at the deadline; who they can trade for will be based on who the sellers are and who’s out there.

The first guys they could look at are aging veterans whose contracts are up after the season like Tim Hudson, Gavin Floyd and Jake Peavy. All these guys would be very short term solutions who would really need to show something to be considered reliable again.

They could also look right in their own division at the man who’s pitching against them tonight, James Shields. There’s no way the Rays will be able to afford Shields after the season ends and he’s always pitched well against the Yankees. However, the Rays are tied for the best record in the AL right now so any big trade seems unlikely.

The best place to look would be the Brewers who may lose Shaun Marcum and/or Zack Greinke. It’s hard not to like Marcum more. The Yanks know him well from his time in Toronto and he’d be the cheaper option.

Against all odds Baron Davis left MSG to a standing ovation. It’s no coincidence that following the injury the Knicks won their first and probably only game of the series. Not only that, but Baron’s replacement Mike Bibby hit a clutch three with about a minute to go. Davis’s playing time was based more on desperation then ability. Mario Chalmers has destroyed Davis in the series averaging 12.3 points and 4.8 assists to Baron’s 7.8 points and 3.3 assists (and 3.3 turnovers). Every player on the Knicks roster not named Carmelo Anthony or Iman Shumpert (who’s lost for this series and probably part of next year) is a liability on either offense or defense. Baron found a way to be a liability on both.
Despite how much I despise Baron as a player it was hard not to feel bad watching his knee (or patella, whatever) dislocate. You know it’s bad when players on the court can’t even look at it. This will probably end the career of one of the most overrated players of the last decade (the guy made only two all star teams and advanced past the second round just twice). I guess that’s what happens when an old overweight man tries to play in the NBA. Now Baron can sit on his couch and gain weight this offseason. Only this time no one will care.