In the middle of August 1997 the Yankees were looking for a right-handed bat as they attempted to get into the postseason one year after winning the World Series.
They sent minor league pitcher Tony Armas Jr. to the Red Sox for first baseman/catcher and former Yankee Mike Stanley.
The Yankees made the playoffs as the wild card but lost to the Indians in the opening round. Of course, that burned George Steinbrenner but a little over three months later the Red Sox used Armas to complete a trade, that already included Carl Pavano, with the Expos that delivered Pedro Martinez to Fenway Park.
That curled The Boss’ hair and this was before Martinez tortured the Yankees for years.
Until Thursday’s swap that brought infielder Stephen Drew to The Bronx for Kelly Johnson the Stanley-Armas swap was the last trade between the blood rivals.
“One of our two teams, one has to be in a playoff mode and in my opinion the other team has to be rebuilding to some degree,’’ said general manager Brian Cashman, an assistant under Bob Watson in 1997, a year before he replaced him.
“There is a great deal of respect between the Red Sox and the Yankees. It’s an amazing rivalry but certainly very careful, I think, when we do business with each other. That’s an obvious statement.’’
The Yankees inquired about David Price and Jon Lester and all but accepted that the Rays and Red Sox weren’t going to do business with them although the clubs were intrigued by an improving pool of Yankee prospects.
“The pitcher in Tampa and the pitcher in Boston they were less willing to move within the [AL East] if not willing at all to move within the division which I understand,’’ Cashman said of Price, who went to Detroit and Lester, who is now in Oakland.
The Yankees have to be happy about Price and Lester leaving the AL East and not landing in Baltimore or Toronto.
To make room for Stephen Drew the Yankees will designate Brian Roberts for assignment. Cashman spoke to Roberts Thursday about the move and praised Roberts and Kelly Johnson, who went to Boston for Drew, as professionals.
Johnson is on the DL with a groin problem and eligible to come off Aug. 7.
The Yankees will have to make a move to create space for Martin Prado. They could send Zoilo Almonte to the minors or in a bolder move could send the slumping Ichiro Suzuki away.
With Prado available to play right field, Ichiro could find himself in the same bind he was in at the beginning of the year when Carlos Beltran was the everyday right fielder, making Ichiro a defensive replacement or pinch runner.
The Yankees claimed right-handed reliever Esmil Rogers off waivers from the Blue Jays and he will join the Yankees’ bullpen Friday night.