It seems it was just yesterday that the World Series was being played in Colorado (no mas Rocktober… que triste), but it's time to get into "let's work on 2008" mode. The offseason may have just started, but it's has been a whirlwind of change for the Yankees. We have a new manager, a vacancy at third base, and as always, we are yet again in desperate need of serious pitching help. The winter might be the off-season for the players, but this is when the Cash Man and the 3 Steinmeteirs need to get their asses to work, STAT - the Boss-Folk are down in Orlando this week to get to work on filling in a whole buncha gaps in the roster. It was announced yesterday that Pettitte has declined to act on his player option, but he and the Cash Man have both made it clear that the opt-out does not mean he is throwing in the towel necessarily, just that he needs more time to think about whether he wants to retire. All year dear Andy has been promising that he will either retire in 2008 or come back to pitch for the Yanks, so there remains the possibility that if the Cash Man and the Steins roll out the red carpet again like they did last year they may be able to finagle another 1-year deal; AP single-handedly won quite a few games for the Yanks and, along with the Rocket, provided a nice veteran role model for the youngsters. If they can’t convince him to get his beautiful face back in the Bronx then the list of “shit the Yanks need desperately” grows longer yet again. There is word that the Yanks are very close to locking Big Mo down for a 3-year deal worth $40 mil, which, while a tad nutso considering the fact that the man is an old fogey in baseball terms (38!), still seems like a wise decision – who the hell else are we going to get to close? If you argue to move Joba into the closing role, that just opens up another hole in the starting rotation. Mo will be solid, if not for the full 3 years than at least for the first 2. Posada is also very likely on board for another deal, but I think he and his agent are going to make sure to use Jorge’s unprecedented superhuman crazyman season numbers to ensure that they get the best possible deal available, something in the “bunch of years for a bunch of cash dollars” range.

The other big topic in Orlando is the Miguel Cabrera hoopla - a lot of folks think he'd be a perfect replacement for A-Rod. On one hand, he is a proven slugger, a youngster (yay to non-old dudes!), has already worked with The Giardino to great success, and really wouldn't be all that expensive salary-wise (possibly $10 mil after arbitration). On the other hand, the Marlins are definitely going to want either Hughsie, I-Ken, or Jobamania in return, and he's also kind of a fatass, which is not exactly ideal for a 3rd baseman. The Cash Man says that he doesnt want to trade those 3 aforementioned home-bred pitchers, but as much as I like all 3 of them, I would say trading either Hughsie or I-Ken (not both... the Yanks can throw in some cash and some marginal prospect perhaps?) would be ok if we could grab a guy like Cabrera. After all, a trade is almost definitely going to have to be made to get someone to replace A-Rod, and it seems to me that the Marlins and their love of prospects and hate for paying players more than Missouri's minimum wage makes this trade seem like one that could actually get the Yankees a lot of bang for their buck. Just dont touch my Jobamania. I will hurt you... And I fight dirty.