Poor Yankees just can't catch a break. They finally thought they had a way to stick it to the Sox, prying away Daniel Turpen in the Rule 5 draft, only to have to box him up and ship him back to Boston.
The Yankees have returned pitcher Daniel Turpen to the Red Sox after having selected the righty in the Rule 5 Draft in December. Turpen, who was acquired from the San Francisco Giants in exchange for reliever Ramon Ramirez during the 2010 trade deadline, would have had to make New York's 25-man roster if he was to remain in that organization. The Yankees were required to pay the Red Sox $50,000 to select a player in the Rule 5 Draft, $25,000 of which will be returned by the Sox since the 24-year-old Turpen didn't make New York's team.
Turpen pitched in five spring training games with New York, allowing four runs on six hits while walking four and not striking out a batter in 3 2/3 innings. In his 12 relief appearances with Double-A Portland following his trade to the Sox organization, the 6-foot-4 hurler went 4-1 with a 4.91 ERA. He was originally an eighth-round selection by the Giants in the '07 draft.
I picture the exchange to be not dissimilar to a hostage exchange. Middle of the desert, the Steinbrenners pull up in a black Escalade and push a blindfolded and handcuffed Turpen out of the backseat. John Henry sends Larry Lucchino and Johnny Pesky in a Lincoln towncar with a duffel bag full of hundred dollar bills.
Jeremy Giambi is holding a machine gun. You know, typical Yankee-Red Sox stuff.
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