NEW YORK -- The Yankees solved two of their problems with one trade on Sunday, acquiring right fielder Bobby Abreu and right-hander Cory Lidle from the Phillies for four Minor League prospects.

New York sent shortstop C.J. Henry, left-hander Matt Smith, catcher Jesus Sanchez and right-hander Carlos Monasterios to Philadelphia for Abreu, a two-time National League All-Star and 2005 Gold Glove winner.

"He gives us an experienced, left-handed bat; an everyday, grinder-type player," Joe Torre said. "I've been very impressed with the way Bobby Abreu plays his game for a long time. He's a good fit for us right now at a position we were trying to find a day-to-day solution."

"It's a good team; they have such good players over there," Abreu said of the Yankees. "Those guys have been to the World Series a long time. To play with those guys -- Jeter, A-Rod and Giambi and those guys -- it's going to make me feel good."

Abreu is hitting .277 this season, but his on-base percentage is a robust .427, third in the NL. After averaging 25 homers per season from 2000-05, Abreu has just eight home runs this year, though he does have 65 RBIs.

"I just want him to do what he's been doing," said general manager Brian Cashman. "We're not looking for a home run hitter; we're looking for somebody who has a number of different weapons who can help you. He's still an offensive force."

Abreu will become the Yankees' everyday right fielder, moving Bernie Williams and Aaron Guiel to the bench. Melky Cabrera will likely remain the regular left fielder until Hideki Matsui returns from the disabled list next month, at which time the youngster should become a bench player.

"We feel we've had a chance to upgrade significantly in right field," Cashman said. "Bobby comes with some weapons that can put pressure on, whether it's taking a walk, stealing a base, hitting a double, triple or home run."

The Yankees did not have to pick up Abreu's $15 million option for 2008 in order to get him to waive his no-trade clause, as the Phillies gave him $1.5 million to do so. New York will pay Abreu $4.4 million for the remainder of 2006 and $15 million in 2007. The Yankees retain the option for 2008, which they can buy out for $2 million.

"There's been a lot of talk the last few days on the baseball side of it before the decision was made to go for it from the financial side of it," Torre said. "We think Bobby Abreu is a good player; he's not just a quick fix."

Abreu's arrival probably signals that 2006 will be the final season of Gary Sheffield's tenure in New York, as the Yankees hold a $13 million option on him for next season. New York now has $41 million committed to Abreu, Matsui and Johnny Damon for 2007.

Cashman and Phillies GM Pat Gillick had been working on several trade scenarios over the past few days, including one which would have sent Scott Proctor to Philadelphia for Abreu.

"Two days ago, it was a whole different equation that we were working on," Cashman said. "You just don't know how things are going to shake out."

Offers went back and forth, and after the two men agreed on the prospects that would go to the Phillies, Cashman and Yankees president Randy Levine called owner George Steinbrenner Sunday morning to make their recommendation. Steinbrenner gave them his blessing to make the deal, which was officially announced after the Yankees' 4-2 win over the Devil Rays.

"He knows what kind of player Bobby is; everybody knows what he's done for a long time in Philadelphia," Cashman said. "These aren't easy decisions; I know it wasn't for me. It's a lot of money [and] it's a big commitment; we're trying to win now and give this team reinforcements."

Lidle went 8-7 with a 4.74 ERA in 21 starts for Philadelphia, posting 13 quality starts. In parts of nine seasons with six different teams, he has a career record of 78-69 with a 4.55 ERA.

Lidle will likely join the back end of the rotation in place of Sidney Ponson, who has started twice for New York since being signed on July 14. Lidle last pitched on Thursday for the Phillies, so he could start on Thursday in Ponson's place against Toronto.

"I wouldn't have done this if I didn't get a pitcher back," Cashman said. "I had to have Cory Lidle or this doesn't get done. We have a good team, but this has some exposure in areas."

"He's one of those pitchers that, when he's on, can give you a lot of trouble," Torre said. "He's not overpowering, but he's got enough weapons to make teams work very hard."

Cashman managed to acquire both a big bat for the middle of the lineup and a starting pitcher for the back end of the rotation without dealing away any of the club's blue-chip prospects, most notably Philip Hughes and Jose Tabata.

"The Phillies got prospects in this deal, but there were certain guys that, at this point in time, I was unwilling to give up," Cashman said. "[Players such as] Phil Hughes and Tabata, there are a lot of guys I was looking to protect."

Henry, the Yankees' first-round draft pick in 2005, was hitting .237 with two homers, 33 RBIs and 14 stolen bases in 76 games this season with Class A Charleston.

Smith has spent the 2006 season shuttling back and forth between New York and Triple-A Columbus, posting impressive numbers in both places. The left-hander, who did not allow a run in 12 appearances with the Yankees this season, is 0-1 with a 2.08 ERA in 24 relief outings for the Clippers.

Sanchez hit .264 with no homers and 10 RBIs in 23 games for the Gulf Coast League Yankees, while Monasterios went 1-2 with a 2.97 ERA in seven games (three starts) for the GCL Yankees.

"The Yankees only deal for the present," Torre said. "We made this move for right now. We gave up some young players that are going to be a part of the future somewhere else."

Both Abreu and Lidle are expected to join the Yankees on Tuesday. The club did not announce any corresponding roster moves, though Ponson and Guiel appear to be the likely candidates to be designated for assignment, though Bubba Crosby, Shawn Chacon and T.J. Beam are possibilities as well.

"We have a sprint that we're ready to take on," Cashman said. "It's tough competition in this league, so hopefully we're a little better prepared to withstand the next two months with the moves we just did."

The deadline isn't until late Monday afternoon, but Cashman and the Yankees appear to have made the one move they needed to make with 24 hours to spare. That said, the GM didn't rule out the possibility of another deal before the deadline.

"There's time on the clock," Cashman said. "I'm not anticipating things, but we have until 4:00 tomorrow. You never know."

Trade clouds Sheffield's future
Abreu acquisition may signal end of slugger's New York stay
By Mark Feinsand / MLB.com

NEW YORK -- At the beginning of Spring Training, Brian Cashman told Gary Sheffield that he didn't see any reason why the Yankees would not pick up the outfielder's $13 million option for 2007.

Of course, at the time, Sheffield hadn't undergone surgery to fix a serious wrist injury. And Bobby Abreu wasn't wearing pinstripes.

Sunday, that became a reality, as the Yankees dealt for the two-time All-Star, sending four prospects to Philadelphia for Abreu and pitcher Cory Lidle.

Sheffield had left the stadium by the time the trade was announced, but his agent, Rufus Williams, said that Sheffield was excited about the acquisition of Abreu.

"It's all positive," Williams said. "Gary is a team player; Gary hopes that Bobby Abreu can help win them a World Series. That's what he came there for and that's what he's trying to do."

Added Williams: "I don't think you cast Gary away because you bring Bobby Abreu in."

Abreu is owed $4.4 million this season and is guaranteed $15 million in 2007. Throw in the $13 million the Yankees have committed to both Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui, and the 2007 outfield appears to be locked up -- without Sheffield -- for a total of $41 million.

Despite the obvious numbers, Cashman wouldn't say that the Abreu trade meant that the Yankees would not pick up Sheffield's option.

"There's a time and place for those things to be discussed and looked at," Cashman said. "We're trying to finish off something here in '06, so we'll look at '07 at another time."

Joe Torre spoke with Sheffield during Sunday's game to inform him of the possibility of the Abreu trade, telling the outfielder that the move doesn't mean that Sheffield's tenure in pinstripes will be over at the end of this season.

"I told Sheff that, if this deal is done, it doesn't say for sure that we're not going to have him here or pick up his option," the manager said. "That doesn't mean you're making him any promises that you are, but it doesn't mean that, because you get an outfielder, tell him that this is the way it's going to be."

Sheffield, who hasn't played since May because of a torn ligament in his left wrist, is in the final year of a three-year, $39 million contract. Sheffield, who will turn 38 this November, could be limited to designated hitter duties if and when he returns to action in September.

Sheffield hit .291 with 70 home runs and 244 RBIs in his first two seasons with the Yankees, and he was hitting .309 with four homers and 19 RBIs in 30 games before injuring his wrist this season.

"Gary's going to play for three more years; we hope it's with the Yankees," Williams said. "We know what Gary has done; we know what he's capable of doing. The move today doesn't impact how Gary has performed for the team; that's up to them to decide. He's done all that could be asked of him, so he's upbeat."

The Yankees won't have to make a final decision on Sheffield's option until after the season, but it would be hard to imagine the club having the financial room or flexibility on its roster to bring him back at that price tag.

"That's up to the Yankees," Williams said. "Gary has been an incredible player for that team. They'll have to gauge what they think is best. I'm sure Cash and his team will do that."

Yanks welcome newest teammates
Damon: 'These guys are going to help us tremendously'
By Mark Feinsand / MLB.com

NEW YORK -- It didn't take long for word to spread throughout the Yankees clubhouse: Bobby Abreu and Cory Lidle were on their way to New York.

The trade, which sent four prospects to Philadelphia, gives the Yankees a new right fielder and a new starter at the back end of the rotation, two areas New York was hoping to improve.

"I think it's a great move for us," Johnny Damon said. "I think the trade gets us closer to realizing our goal, and that's winning a World Series. These guys are going to help us tremendously."

"We added two aspects that we thought would be helpful for us," Mike Mussina said. "Hopefully the guys come in here and play the way they're capable of playing, not get swallowed up in what New York can become and get us over the top."

Ever since Hideki Matsui and Gary Sheffield went down with left wrist injuries in May, the Yankees have been using Melky Cabrera in left field and a combination of Bernie Williams, Aaron Guiel and Bubba Crosby in right field.

The loss of Sheffield and Matsui also put a hole in the lineup, taking away two of the team's hitters from the middle of the batting order. Abreu, who saw all but 43 of his plate appearances this season in the No. 3 spot, will likely hit fifth or sixth for New York.

"I know he's a heck of a player," said Alex Rodriguez. "We've been grinding out wins. Hopefully this can bring a little meat to the batting order and make us even better."

"It brings a guy who can get on base on a .400 clip, a guy who has power who kind of needs to find it right now," Damon said. "He just brings a presence at the plate. He's a guy that can turn over the lineup."

One person who was not as excited to hear of the Yankees' addition was Red Sox manager Terry Francona, who managed Abreu from 1998-2000 in Philadelphia.

"He is an impact player," Francona said. "My hope is he stinks. My concern is that he goes over there for a couple of months and he might be one of the best players in baseball, because I think he has that in him. He's a good player."

Abreu is hitting .277 with eight homers and 65 RBIs this season. His .427 on-base percentage ranked third in the National League, so he'll fit right in with the likes of Derek Jeter (.427, 3rd in the AL) and Jason Giambi (.402, 6th in the AL).

"He's a great hitter, there's no doubt about it," Giambi said. "He takes great at-bats, like Jeter, can put a lot of hits together. He can definitely give this offense a shot in the arm."

Sal Fasano, who played with both Abreu and Lidle in Philadelphia this year before being designated for assignment earlier this month, believes that Abreu can help the Yankees over the final two months of the season.

"I think he's really going to like the spotlight," Fasano said. "Bobby's got that kind of magnetic personality; he's always smiling, is energetic and always having a good time. He enjoys being the center of attention. The bigger the stage, I think the better he'll play."

Third-base coach Larry Bowa, who managed Abreu from 2001-04, believes that adding him to the Yankees' lineup can only help the club.

"Bobby is a run producer; he plays the game right," Bowa said. "A lot of people perceive him to be laid back, but when the umpire says, 'Play ball,' he's ready to go.

"He was the main guy in our lineup; him not being the main guy in this lineup, there might be less pressure," Bowa added. "He felt that if he didn't do it in Philadelphia, no one was going to do it. He took a lot of pressure on himself."

Abreu will certainly search out Bowa when he arrives on Tuesday. After all, Bowa currently wears No. 53, which was Abreu's number in Philadelphia.

"We'll talk," Bowa said. "If he can guarantee me that he'll hit .300, I'll give it to him."

The acquisition of Lidle was also good news for the Yankees, who have struggled to fill the fifth spot in the rotation.

"He'll do just fine," said Fasano, who caught him with the Phillies. "He has a good sinker, curveball and split; he throws a lot of strikes and knows how to keep you in the game."

"Lidle will come in and just throw strikes," Mussina said, "[He'll] eat up innings and get ground balls and do what he's done ever since I've known him."

Mussina seemed relieved to learn that Scott Proctor was not part of the trade, as had been reported by several media outlets.

"I would have really had a problem if we traded Scott Proctor, to be honest with you," Mussina said. "Bullpen help is tough to come by, and quality arms that can throw the way he can throw the baseball are not out there to be had at any time.

"It would have been tough to trade some of the guys up here," he added. "These guys have played tremendous baseball for four months. Coming from a guy who has been around a while, seeing those guys stay puts a smile on your face. I don't want anybody to think we don't appreciate what they do."

Proctor was informed by manager Joe Torre after the game that the Abreu trade had been completed, and that he was not a part of the deal.

"It's going to be a real good off-day," Proctor said.

Damon spoke with Abreu when the Yankees played in Philadelphia back in June, saying that he "seemed pretty excited" about the trade possibilities that were ahead of him. Tuesday, Abreu will begin the next chapter of his career, starting in right field while wearing pinstripes at Yankee Stadium.

"His dreams are coming true," Damon said. "He's coming to the best place in the world to play baseball. He's going to enjoy it, but we need him to just be solid."

NEW YORK -- Scott Proctor has heard all of the rumors, but he's doing his best to keep them all in perspective.

One day, he's headed to the Braves for Wilson Betemit. The next day, he's on his way to the Phillies for Bobby Abreu. Who knows where he'll be traded to next.

Until he hears otherwise, Proctor is going forward with the mindset that, when he wakes up on Tuesday, he will still be a member of the New York Yankees.

"We're always confronted with distractions throughout the course of the year, so I'll handle this one like the others," Proctor said. "You have a job to do, so when the phone rings, it's all about getting outs."

That Proctor seems to be coveted by several teams is a sign of his development, as he wasn't even supposed to make the Yankees' roster out of Spring Training. An injury to Aaron Small opened up a spot for Proctor, and he did the rest by becoming one of the team's most reliable arms in the bullpen.

"Gator [Ron Guidry] made a comment today when I told him he better keep me here," Proctor said. "He said, 'Well, you could go back to [stinking] where nobody wants you, then you wouldn't have to worry about it.' I said, 'I think I'll stay where I'm at.' It's been quite a transformation for me this year."

Proctor has already been traded once during his career, as the Dodgers sent him and Bubba Crosby to the Yankees at the trade deadline in 2003. Of course, he was just a Minor Leaguer at the time, so he hadn't established the roots in the clubhouse that he has in New York.

"I have a lot of real good friends here; guys I consider my brothers," Proctor said. "I play to win; this is the ideal place to play if you have a choice."

Proctor doesn't read the papers or watch ESPN, so most of what he hears comes from either teammates and reporters in the clubhouse or from his father, who monitors all of the rumors via the Internet and TV.

"My family pretty much stays up to date on all of the rumors," Proctor said. "I'm just going out and playing baseball. The biggest thing is just making sure that my wife is comfortable; everyone else can fend for themselves until it's over."

The Yankees would have a major hole to fill if they traded Proctor, who leads the American League in appearances and is tops among all big-league relievers in innings pitched with 64.

"You have to make a plan," said Joe Torre of the possibility. "If you're going to lose something in a certain area, you're going to have to find some support from somewhere. You can have a plan, but you still have to go out there and see if it works."

Monday will surely be an anxious day for the 29-year-old, who plans on sleeping late and spending time with his wife and children during the Yankees' off-day.

"The worst part is that we're not going to have a game, so I'll be going about my business and every time that phone rings, I'm going to wonder," Proctor said. "It's going to be a long day. Whatever happens, happens."

Robbie's rehab: Robinson Cano ran the bases at about 80-percent strength on Sunday, and Cashman said he could take part in a simulated game as early as Tuesday.

"He's making progress," general manager Brian Cashman said.

After the simulated game, Cano could move on to Minor League rehab games by Wednesday or Thursday, starting as a designated hitter before working his way back to second base.

Octavio Dotel is hoping to get into Minor League rehab games this week, but Torre isn't counting on getting a meaningful contribution from the right-hander until he sees him on the mound in pinstripes.

"I'd like to believe he can [help]," Torre said. "But even when he gets here, you're going to have to give him rehearsal time because it's not fair to throw him into the heat right away."

Cashman said that Dotel could get into a rehab game as early as Tuesday, but he didn't give a timetable for Dotel's return. Given that he has encountered a pair of setbacks after pitching in rehab games, it is unknown how many games Dotel will need to appear in before joining the Yankees.