This seems to come up about 3-4 times a year, but the Yankees payroll is just disgusting at this point. Because they can afford to take on Bobby Abreu’s contract ($13M this year, $13M in 2007, and a $13M club option — which the Yankees may not have to pick up), the Yankees got him and starter Corey Lilde from the Phillies for:

• A SS in low-A ball batting .237 with a monstrous 2 home runs
• A relief pitcher in AAA with a 2.08 ERA
• A catcher in below-A ball with a .264 BA
• A starting pitcher in below-A ball with a 1-2 record, and 2.97 ERA

So basically, if you could afford the contract, all it took was a bag of balls for a career .300 hitter and a decent starting pitcher in a market where Sidney Ponson got a tryout. Too bad the commissioner is no better than a bag of balls, otherwise maybe there’d be a salary cap by now.

And Theo, we couldn’t beat this to get Lilde? I hope to hear some great news in the next 18 hours, otherwise I’m very concerned.