MLB

Yanks’ Jimenez talks stall

The Yankees know what they need. They are not oblivious that their rotation after CC Sabathia is filled by doubt, uncertainty, distrust and skepticism.

They hunger to land a no-brainer Division Series Game 2 starter. But you can’t buy fish at a car dealership, and what the Yankees are shopping for is just not overt in this market. As of late yesterday afternoon, the Yankees still were portraying themselves as not close on anything and pessimistic that something would materialize by tomorrow’s 4 p.m. deadline.

That is their familiar demeanor at this time of year, yet annually they find a trade or three. It is just they are going to need Hope Week to mean something different if they are going to find a co-pilot to Sabathia.

The closest fit is Ubaldo Jimenez. And to say the Yankees and Rockies are not finding common ground on Jimenez’s value is an understatement. Colorado is selling Jimenez as an ace and wants two of the Yankees’ best prospects plus Ivan Nova.

The Yankees see Jimenez as no better than a No. 2 with at least as much chance to regress than return to the no-doubt ace he was at the beginning of last season. They worry his effectiveness/fastball have diminished, that he has never pitched in the AL and that his high-maintenance delivery is a threat for wildness and injury. But Colorado sees a 27-year-old who started the All-Star Game just 12 months ago and has a team-friendly contract with two years remaining at $10 million.

This creates the Catch-22 in negotiations. The more the Rockies try to trade him with all his upside, the more interested teams worry that there are warts they do not know about with Jimenez. His sub-par first half has been blamed on factors such as not being in ideal shape in spring training, frustration that the Rockies took care of teammates Carlos Gonzalez and Troy Tulowitzki long term but not him, and an uneasy relationship with pitching coach Bob Apodaca.

Nevertheless, the profile of Jimenez in the game is not as a malcontent, but actually as conscientious and team-oriented. That is what even the Yankees believe about Jimenez.

So personal reputation will not keep Jimenez out of pinstripes. It is about a failure to communicate between two organizations. I have heard that talks with Colorado have been more contentious than cordial, with the Yankees expressing concerns about Jimenez’s health.

Colorado has wanted two of the Yankees’ top three prospects (Manuel Banuelos, Dellin Betances and Jesus Montero) plus Nova, a key for the Rockies because he could go into the rotation instantly to replace Jimenez. The Yankees, at best, would build a trade around Montero or, maybe, Betances, but vow not both.

Neither side says it will blink, which would mean no deal. Nevertheless, the Rockies are selling the player hard enough to suggest their preference is to move him.

The Red Sox are involved, and executives throughout the game believe Boston will obtain a starter as protection in case Clay Buchholz cannot return from a back injury. Nevertheless, after giving up major prospects for Adrian Gonzalez, the Red Sox are not viewed as willing to yield more high-end youngsters and, thus, their involvement with Jimenez could just be as a nuisance to the Yankees.

The Reds were the first to call Colorado about Jimenez in early July when they demoted Edinson Volquez, but their recent poor play makes them less heated to make a deal. The Tigers, Indians and Rangers remain interested, as well, with FoxSports.com reporting that Detroit would include its best prospect, pitcher Jacob Turner, in a deal.

If not Jimenez, the Yankees would be in the market to create depth by acquiring a starter who likely would push Phil Hughes either to the bullpen or the minors (he has one option left). That would give the Yankees Hughes and Ivan Nova in reserve in case there were breakdowns, especially with Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia.

Hiroki Kuroda tops this secondary wish list. But the Dodgers’ asking price was high for the righty, and there remains doubt if Kuroda would waive his no-trade clause. A person who knows Kuroda thought it would be tough to get him to accept a deal.

“He loves the city, his teammates and really everything about being a Dodger, but his offense,” the source said.

Kuroda was 6-13 despite having an ERA of just 3.11.

The Yankees had a scout in attendance last night to watch Seattle’s Erik Bedard, but did not have one Thursday to see Houston’s Wandy Rodriguez. But one team official said, “We have a lot of guys in a lot of places. Don’t read too much into it one way or the other.”

How Texas’ Beltran deal went bad

Early this week, the Mets actually thought they were going to trade Carlos Beltran to the Rangers. Texas was being the most aggressive, though it was unwilling to include an elite prospect such as shortstop Jurickson Profar or lefty Martin Perez.

But Texas’ system is so deep that the Mets felt a multi-prospect combination would work, especially because no team yet had stepped forward with the elite youngster the Mets craved most.

The Mets, however, were insistent that certain players not atop the Rangers’ prospect list be included, but Texas would not budge on certain requests.

Neither side would confirm the prospects that were in dispute, but it is believed by outside executives that the Mets very much wanted lefty Robbie Erlin.

At some point Tuesday morning, the Giants re-entered the discussions in their most significant way in a while and said they would include top pitching prospect Zack Wheeler, just the kind of elite player the Mets wanted enough to accept just one prospect back. That triggered the endgame, which knocked Texas out as front-runners and made Beltran a Giant.

Of course, it also worked for the Mets because San Francisco is where Beltran wanted to go, and doubt persists that he would have waived his no-trade clause to go to Texas.

* Once Beltran was traded, Hunter Pence became the prized outfielder in the trade market. The Phillies and Braves battled for him, and last night Philadelphia acquired the righty-hitting outfielder they so desired. In exchange, the Astros received four prospects, including first baseman Jonathan Singleton, 19, and right-handed pitcher Jarred Cosart, 21, both of whom were playing for High-A Clearwater.

* The majority of scouts/officials spoken to believe that before tomorrow’s deadline: Atlanta and Philadelphia will both get righty-hitting outfielders (Carlos Quentin, Ryan Ludwick, Josh Willingham, Coco Crisp); Texas will get a bullpen arm (Heath Bell, Andrew Bailey); and Boston and Detroit will add a starter (Ubaldo Jimenez, Hiroki Kuroda, Erik Bedard, Rich Harden, Jason Marquis).