30-year old lefty swinging 1B/3B Chad Tracy has opted out of his minor league deal with the Yankees thus becoming a free agent. Tracy played in 18 games in AAA-ball for the Yanks and he was 22 of 68 (.324 avg, 1.018 OPS) with 14 runs scored, 6 homers and 18 RBIs. I don’t blame Tracy for leaving to find another job as he wasn’t going to get called up any time soon.

The Yankees have designated 37-year old righty reliever Chan Ho Park for assignment to make room on the roster for Kerry Wood. Park pitched in 29 games (0 starts) for the Yankees this year and he was 2-1 with a 5.60 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP. His biggest problem in pin stripes was the gopher ball as he gave up 7 homers in only 35 1/3 for the Yanks. They won’t miss him at all.

UPDATE: (8/4/2010) - The Pirates have claimed Park off of waivers.

The Yankees have acquired 33-year old righty reliever Kerry Wood and cash from the Cleveland Indians for a player to be named later. Wood pitched in 23 games (0 starts) for the Indians this year and he was 1-4 with 8 saves, a 6.30 ERA and a 1.60 WHIP. He has now pitched in 357 games (178 starts) in his 12 years in the majors and he is 81-68 with 62 saves, a 3.71 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP. The Yankees probably will try Wood out as the set-up man to Mariano Rivera. You just know that Joe Girardi had his hands in this deal as he caught for Wood while they were together in Chicago with the Cubs.

The Yankees have acquired 30-year old righty swinging outfielder Austin Kearns from the Indians for a player to be named later or cash. Kearns played in 84 games for the Indians this year and he was 82 of 301 (.272 avg) with 42 runs scored, 8 homers, 42 RBIs and 4 stolen bases. He has now played in 925 games in his major league career and he is 817 of 3,177 (.257 avg, .778 OPS) with 467 runs scored, 113 homers, 464 RBIs and 31 stolen bases. This was another solid trade for the Yankees as Kearns gives them another solid outfielder to strengthen the bench.

The Yankees have acquired 34-year old switch hitting 1B Lance Berkman and $4 million bucks from the Astros for 25-year old righty reliever Mark Melancon and 21-year old switch hitting infielder Jimmy Paredes. Berkman will be the Yankees’ full time DH likely starting tomorrow or Sunday in Tampa. Berkman played in 85 games for the Astros this season and he was 73 of 298 (.245 avg, .808 OPS) with 39 runs scored, 13 homers and 49 RBIs. He has now played in 1,592 games in his 12 years in the majors and he is 1,648 of 5,560 (.296 avg, .959 OPS) with 1,008 runs scored, 326 homers, 1,090 RBIs and 82 stolen bases. Mark Melancon was the Yankees’ #15 prospect heading into this season. He pitched in 2 games (0 starts) for the Yankees earlier this year and he was 0-0 with a 9.00 ERA and a 1.75 WHIP. He also pitched in 40 games (0 starts) in AAA-ball this year and he was 6-1 with 6 saves, a 3.67 ERA and a 1.67 WHIP. Melancon pitched in 15 games (0 starts) in his career with the Yankees and he was 0-1 with a 4.87 ERA and a 1.48 WHIP. Paredes was not one of the Yankees’ top prospects. He has played in 99 games in A-ball this year and he was 114 of 404 (.282 avg, .721 OPS) with 59 runs scored, 5 homers, 48 RBIs and 36 stolen bases. Yankees’ GM Brian Cashman probably had a ski mask on when he made this deal as it is a steal for the Yankees.