By Jim Callis
June 25, 2003

Despite opening the season with a $150 million payroll, the Yankees have found themselves with a weak bench and bullpen. They took minor steps to rectify that on Wednesday, trading a player to be named later to the Indians for Karim Garcia and Dan Miceli.

Garcia once was the top prospect in the Dodgers system but never has lived up to that billing over a nine-year major league career that has seen him bat .234-50-158 in 351 games for six teams. His biggest claim to fame is being the player the Diamondbacks traded to the Tigers for Luis Gonzalez in December 1998. A 27-year-old outfielder (though his age long has been questioned), Garcia started last season in the Yankees system but was designated for assignment in July and signed with the Indians as a free agent. He finished 2002 by hitting .299-16-52 in 51 games for Cleveland, easily the best prolonged stretch of his career. After re-signing for one year and $900,000, he hasn't been able to recapture that magic, hitting .194-5-14 in 24 contests. He missed seven weeks with inflammation in his left wrist. Garcia has power in his bat and arm, but he's an undisciplined hitter who has been easy for big league pitchers to solve. He is more potent that Charles Gipson, whom the Yankees designated for assignment after the trade.

Miceli, 32, pitched briefly for the Rangers in 2002 before being released in May. He didn't hook up with another club until the Rockies signed him to minor league contract worth $350,000 in December. He spent the first six weeks of this season with Colorado, then signed with the Indians after the Rockies designated him for assignment. He has a 1-3, 3.79 record this year (1-1, 1.20 since escaping Coors Field), and a 37-15 strikeout-walk ratio in 36 innings. Miceli's best pitch is a 90-91 mph sinker. The Yankees designated Mike Thurman for assignment to clear room for Miceli.

Update: The teams completed the deal with the Yankees sending very minor cash considerations to the Indians.