Friday, December 16, 2005
Yankees send Womack to Reds
12/08/2005
DALLAS -- The Yankees finally made a move at the Winter Meetings, though it was hardly the blockbuster that many had hoped for.
New York sent Tony Womack and cash to the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for Minor Leaguers Kevin Howard and Ben Himes. The Yankees will send $900,000 to the Reds to pay part of Womack's $2 million salary in 2006.
"This was on my agenda," general manager Brian Cashman said. "I was trying to get something done, had a couple of different places to do it and had to figure out which was the best for us."
Womack, 36, batted .249 with 15 RBIs and 27 stolen bases last season for the Yankees, appearing in 108 games, 80 of them starts.
After beginning the season as the team's starting second baseman, Womack was moved to the outfield in early May when Robinson Cano was called up to take over at second.
Womack was eventually benched entirely, serving primarily as a pinch-hitter and pinch-runner for the second half of the season.
"It was a tough season for Tony," Cashman said. "His new role, it wasn't something that he preferred. It was in his best interest and our best interest for me to find something that made sense to get a change of scenery for him."
Howard, a 24-year-old third baseman, led the Arizona Fall League with a .409 average this season and was second with a .475 on-base percentage. He hit .296 with 12 home runs, 70 RBIs and 13 stolen bases last season with Double-A Chattanooga.
Himes, a 24-year-old outfielder, ranked eighth among all Reds prospects with a combined .300 batting average in 98 games for Class A Sarasota and Class A Dayton in 2005.
"It's nice to add guys who can go right into the system and maybe become something someday for us," Cashman said, "and at the same time, put Tony into a position where he can compete better."
Source: http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/
DALLAS -- The Yankees finally made a move at the Winter Meetings, though it was hardly the blockbuster that many had hoped for.
New York sent Tony Womack and cash to the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for Minor Leaguers Kevin Howard and Ben Himes. The Yankees will send $900,000 to the Reds to pay part of Womack's $2 million salary in 2006.
"This was on my agenda," general manager Brian Cashman said. "I was trying to get something done, had a couple of different places to do it and had to figure out which was the best for us."
Womack, 36, batted .249 with 15 RBIs and 27 stolen bases last season for the Yankees, appearing in 108 games, 80 of them starts.
After beginning the season as the team's starting second baseman, Womack was moved to the outfield in early May when Robinson Cano was called up to take over at second.
Womack was eventually benched entirely, serving primarily as a pinch-hitter and pinch-runner for the second half of the season.
"It was a tough season for Tony," Cashman said. "His new role, it wasn't something that he preferred. It was in his best interest and our best interest for me to find something that made sense to get a change of scenery for him."
Howard, a 24-year-old third baseman, led the Arizona Fall League with a .409 average this season and was second with a .475 on-base percentage. He hit .296 with 12 home runs, 70 RBIs and 13 stolen bases last season with Double-A Chattanooga.
Himes, a 24-year-old outfielder, ranked eighth among all Reds prospects with a combined .300 batting average in 98 games for Class A Sarasota and Class A Dayton in 2005.
"It's nice to add guys who can go right into the system and maybe become something someday for us," Cashman said, "and at the same time, put Tony into a position where he can compete better."
Source: http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/
