Yankees Wanted Ruiz and Young, Amaro Said No

Carlos Ruiz should be a Yankee right now. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Over the last two days, I have tried to explain and defend why Ruben Amaro would be quiet at the trade deadline.

I had declared many of the Phils’ potential trade chips as damaged goods, making it harder for Amaro to trade them. I had speculated that Amaro really didn’t have any trade partners out there willing to give him anything of value for the players he had. And I had postulated that many of his own players with no trade clauses were making it hard for him to make any deals.

Then news broke late last night that the Yankees apparently called Amaro about an hour before the trade deadline and said they wanted to make an offer for both Michael Young and Carlos Ruiz.

What happened next is infuriating and calls into question whether Ruben Amaro truly deserves to remain general manager of the Philadelphia Phillies. – per CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman

"Yankees GM Brian Cashman and Phillies GM Ruben Amaro spoke on the phone around 3 p.m. ET Wednesday, an hour before the trade deadline, at which time Amaro confirmed what the Yankees had been reading in the media: Michael Young was willing to waive his no-trade clause to go to the Yankees.So Cashman offered to send a prospect to Philly and pay the $5 million to go on Young’s deal. And Amaro rejected the deal.Then Cashman asked about Phillies veteran catcher Carlos Ruiz, and was told that Ruiz, who has one home run this year, is not available."

Brian Cashman must have been bewildered beyond comprehension by that phone call, and Phillies fans should be apoplectic.

I understand not wanting to just give players away. That’s totally understandable and if I were Amaro, I wouldn’t do that either. But based on Heyman’s report, Amaro didn’t even LISTEN to offers on Carlos Ruiz. Did Amaro think that Ruiz’ .598 OPS, 1 HR and 4 doubles in 169 injury-riddled PAs this year was SO valuable that he just HAD to hang onto him?

Why? For what purpose? The 2013 season is over for the Phillies and Ruiz is NOT under contract for 2014. What in all that is good and holy was running through Amaro’s head?

Perhaps I should have looked a bit closer at Amaro’s comments to reporters yesterday afternoon after the deadline came and went, with nary a move being made by the team, for some kind of reason. – quotes per the Daily News’ Ryan Lawrence

"“I would have liked to upgrade our current club. I am also looking toward the future. We have obviously gone through a tough stretch. It will be a long haul for us to get back in this race (emphasis mine). Crazier things have happened. We maybe be looking more for tomorrow. I have to be realistic. We could be looking more toward 2014 than 2013 at this point. But that can change with a winning streak. That can change with us playing better.”"

Oh, I see. Amaro still thinks the Phillies can somehow get back in the 2013 race.

Apr 12, 2012; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr during batting practice prior to playing the Miami Marlins at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

He should be put in a mental institution or relieved of his position before he puts us there.

If he truly believes the Phils are a winning streak away from playoff contention and refused to even listen to offers on Ruiz because he think Chooch is going to help this team in 2013 make some kind of mystical World Series run, then Amaro is a crazy glue-sniffer.

I would imagine Ruben would probably like to have Ruiz play for the Phils in 2014. I can understand that, given Tommy Joseph’s lost year and the underachievement of Sebastian Valle in the minors. But it makes absolutely no sense whatsoever not to even LISTEN to offers on Carlos Ruiz. No matter what the long-term plan is.

And why on earth would Ruben refuse a trade from New York in which they offered to pick up all of Young’s salary and offer a prospect?

Now, to be fair, it is entirely possible that the Yankees made up this story or are exaggerating what really happened in an effort to tell their fans that they tried to do something at the deadline.

But if this account is accurate, folks, I can’t defend Amaro. It would mean we’re dealing with a general manager who is clueless and completely delusional about the state of his team.

Refusing to even listen to trade offers on a player like Carlos Ruiz is completely unacceptable, and one would hope Phils management will be on the phone with him today trying to figure out just what exactly went on yesterday.

I have tried to give Amaro the benefit of the doubt over the last few days. Truly, I have.

I can’t anymore.