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Tonight was a great night for the Evil Empire, and not just because of their 1-0 victory over the hated Red Sox.  They made a nice trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates, acquiring two player who fill big needs without giving up anything huge.  But first, let’s talk about the game. 

Joba Chamberlain… WOW.  Listen, we all know Joba has DY-NO-MITE stuff.  Anyone who has seen him pitch can tell you that.  But Joba featured more than just “stuff” tonight, he showed off something more important: moxie.  He went into Fenway Park, as hostile a place as a Yankee wll ever go, and shut down the Red Sox.  He went 7 scoreless innings, giving up just three hits and one walk while striking out nine.  Not only did he dominate, but he also outduled fabled Red Sox ace Josh Beckett, the two-time World Series hero.  Joba’s been terrific as a starter so far, but this was without a doubt his biggest and best game.  Best of all was his high heat directed at Kevin Youkilis, who has officially become Joba’s arch-nemesis.  Huge night for Joba; he really showed me something tonight.  I’m pumped.

The second big item came off the field.  During the game, the Yankees swung a big deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates, acquiring outfielder Xavier Nady and lefty reliever Damaso Marte for four prospects.  Nady fills a need in left field/DH, as it seems unlikely that Hideki Matsui will see action again this year.  Nady’s lines on the year so far are .330/13/57.  Those are well above his career average, but if he can keep up that pace just a little bit, that’s a huge bat to add to the line-up.  Marte is the good lefty reliever the Yankees haven’t had all year.  He has an ERA of 3.47 and a WHIP of 1.16, very respectable numbers out of the pen.  He’s been consistently good for a number of years now, with an ERA under 4.00 every year since 2002.  His career ERA is 3.21.  This guy is good; hopefully he can hold up in the Bronx.

Of the four prospects the Yankees dealt to the Pirates, none are top of the line prospects.  Ross Ohlendorf has good stuff, but he did not perform consistently in the majors this year.  He was demoted to AAA Scranton where he became a starter.  He’s pitched OK down there, but he projects as a 5th starter or middle reliever.  I still like Ohlendorf, but he’s expendable.  Phil Coke has pitched well at AA Trenton (2.60 ERA), but he’s not a top-flight prospect (26 years old at AA).  I’d be more than willing to part with him in a deal like this.  George Kontos is similar to Coke, but a few years younger.  He’s a solid pitcher but not in the league of Phil Hughes, Ian Kennedy, etc.  The real wild card in this deal is outfielder Jose Tabata.  Tabata was once considered a DY-NO-MITE prospect, a guy who could be a perennial All-Star.  However, he’s struggled mightily this season, both on and off the field.  He hasn’t hit at all this year, for power or average.  His .630 OPS is disgraceful.  To make matters worse, the team has suspended him twice for behavior issues.  He’s still young, only 20 years old, so there is plenty of time for his career to be salvaged.  If he turns into the player he was once projected to be, then Pittsburgh will have made out very well in this deal.  But he also carries a great deal of risk.  Bottom line, I’m willing to part with Tabata to get Nady and Marte in return.

At the end of the day, the Yankees got two good players without giving up the farm.  They were able to hold on to their big-time prospects while filling two needs.  Best of all, neither Nady nor Marte is eligible for free agency after this season, so neither player is a two-month rental.  Nady has one more year of arbitration before becoming a free agent.  Having Nady for 2009 gives the Yankees flexibility when deciding whether or not to bring back outfield free-agent to be Bobby Abreu.  The Yankees will hold a $6 million club option on Marte.  If he pitches well, they can bring him back for just one more year.  If they decide he’s not worth it, then they can let him walk.  But either way, the ball is in their court.

I for one am very happy about this trade.  Huge DAP to General Manager Brian Cashman for getting this deal done.  The Yankees now stand just 2 games behind the Sox (and I don’t count Tampa Bay as a viable threat, so the Sox are all that matters to me) and just got two big pieces that put them in positon to move up in the standings.  Here. We. Go!