The rich get richer, while the poor get… nothing.

When the season started I wrote that on paper the Jays were as good as the Yankees or Sox entering the year, but that the Sox and Yanks have the advantage in season, as they have more resources to bring in necessary midseason help. Throughout the season, the Sox have exercised their deep farm system, by getting in season pitching help in the form of Manny Delcarmen, Jon Lester and Craig Hansen. Neither the Jays nor the Yankees have quality arms that they can bring up from the minors to help their cause, but resources aren’t just about your minor leagues; today, in an attempt to fill the outfield hole created by Hideki Matsui and Gary Sheffield’s injuries, the Yankees flexed their financial might by acquiring Phillie outfielder Bobby Abreu. On the block for weeks, Abreu has been rumored to be headed everywhere, but his expensive price tag and depreciating home run rates meant most teams wanted the Phillies to pick up part of his contract. The money isn’t a concern for the Yankees, who also agreed to take on the contract of Cory Lidle. Having watched Lidle as a Jay, I cannot expect he’ll provide the Yanks with much in the American League East, but taking his contract along with all of Abreu’s meant that the Yankees didn’t have to give up top pitching prospect Phillip Hughes. Abreu takes nothing away from their Major League roster and nothing serious from the minors. Depite his depreciating HRs, his high on base percentage will make him an extremely useful player for NY and the Yanks will slot him in behind ARod and in front of Posada. Anything they get from Lidle just counts as gravy. It’s the kind of deal that J.P. Ricciardi couldn’t have made for the Jays and it’s the reason that despite being 10 games over .500 the Jays will be on the outside looking in come October.