Start with this: Any trade of Jacoby Ellsbury would be incredibly difficult. He's 35 years old and hasn't played in a major league game in 476 days. He's owed about $48 million for the next two years, he has a full no-trade clause and -- here's the capper -- if the season started today, Ellsbury wouldn't be cleared to play, because he's still going through treatment for his hip.
Did we say it would be difficult to trade him? It might be impossible. Because of the no-trade clause, Ellsbury could simply try to angle to have a full range of choices by rejecting all proposals, then wait for the Yankees to get boxed in by roster needs and release him.
But in order to salvage any opportunities to play in these, the final years of his career, it might behoove Ellsbury to jump at any chance to join another organization interested in him -- and the San Francisco Giants have at least some interest, and some need. Ellsbury doesn't have much trade value, and if you want to define how much, just imagine what he might garner if he was a free agent today, in this freezing-cold market, coming off a yearlong absence.
