It would be a timely turnaround, for in making a barrage of trades last summer to improve the major league team, the Yankees repeatedly swapped youngsters from the minor leagues.

If the Yankees and the Red Sox swapped all their players, their fans would blink for a few seconds, but then go on cheering for their same old team just as passionately.

The Yankees swapped top prospects and $3 million for Knoblauch before the 1998 season because of his ability to get on base.

He went to Richmond on July 3, four days after the Yankees had swapped Ken Griffey to Atlanta for Paul Zuvella and Claudell Washington.

The Yankees, in effect, swapped Key for Wells, letting Key go to Baltimore as a free agent because they preferred to sign Wells instead.

At least two members of the Montreal organization are said to be pushing to make that trade immediately, rather than waiting and risking the possibility that the Yankees will swap for a player from another team.

To get Justice, the Yankees swapped outfielder Ricky Ledee and two prospects who will be drawn from a list of eight whom the Yankees and Indians agreed upon.

In November 1979, the Yankees and the Toronto Blue Jays swapped six players, the most noted of whom was Chris Chambliss.

It all began when the Yankees, needing infield defense, swapped some prospects for the Mets' superfluous shortstop, Rafael Santana, a quiet Dominican.

One baseball official involved said the chances are "50-50" that the Yankees will swap Mendoza to the Athletics.