The New York Yankees and Seattle Mariners shocked the baseball universe last night by completing a four-player trade centered around two of the most hyped young stars in baseball:
Jesus Montero - who hit over .300 and blasted four home runs for the Yankees in 18 regular season games last year - was swapped for 22-year pitching phenom Michael Pineda, who finished 2011 with a 3.74 ERA and 173 strikeouts in 171 innings.
The deal provides Seattle with an upgraded offense, and the Yankees with a solid number-two starter behind C.C. Sabathia.
Considering the premium placed on young, cheap starting pitching, most experts agree the Yankees came out on top here. Remember the Hanley Ramirez-for-Josh Beckett deal between the Red Sox and Marlins, for example? Ramirez went on to become one of the top 10 hitters in baseball... yet Boston would do that swap all over again in a heartbeat.
Who do you think got the best of the Yankees/Mariners trade?