When the Yanks almost traded Jorge Posada

So here’s a fun little bit of Yankee history for you: In December 1995, the Yankees tried to trade Jorge Posada and could not. When the Yankees were negotiated with the Mariners over Tino Martinez, Jorge Posada was originally in the deal. The Mariners, Jack Curry reported on Dec. 5, 1995, did not want to give up Jeff Nelson and Tino Martinez for Sterling Hitchcock and Jorge Posada. The Yanks, meanwhile, were hesitant to include Russ Davis in the deal. Eventually, Hitchcock and Davis, but not Jorge, went west. I’d say the Yanks made a good choice.

Three weeks later, though, George Steinbrenner personally tried to off-load Posada, and this time, the Yanks got lucky. As Murray Chass reported on Dec. 27, 1995, the Boss who desperately wanted David Wells called then-Reds GM Jim Bowden to offer him Jorge Posada and Mariano Rivera for the larger-than-life lefty. Bowden decided he preferred Curtis Goodwin. A bad move by the Reds turned into a great one for the Yanks. (Hat tip to Bryan Hoch.)