It's finals time for me, so I apologize for the lack of updates lately - this situation shall be rectified in short order and I'll be back to posting multiple times a week soon, I promise!

To tide us over until my schoolwork is complete tomorrow, here's an interesting little nugget courtesy of the New Haven Register, who had a chat with the Cash Man recently. Cashman confirmed to the Register that the Yankees made not one but two generous offers to Damon, both of which $cott Bora$ turned down. The first offer was a 2-year, $14 million deal, which was promptly turned down despite the fact that that was pretty much exactly what Damon had requested (and about four times what he's worth). The Yanks tried one more time before signing Nick Johnson, this time offering one year for $6 million - far less than they had originally asked for, but by that point the demand for him had dried up considerably and the Yanks needed Damon less thanks to Granderson, so still a decent offer all things considered. Needless to say, that was rejected as well.

Per the Cash Man, Bora$ cited Abreu as the reason for the rejections, saying: "Bobby Abreu’s (new) contract is $9 million a year right now on the table so why would we do that? So I expect to see a Bobby Abreu contract."

As Damon approaches the last few weeks before Spring Training without a contract, I can't help but wonder if he's as pissed at Boras as he should be. Sure, "Abreu money" would be great, but times have changed - teams aren't doling out millions of dollars for dudes with sub-par fielding skills (even ones who can hit 25+ home runs in the new stadium). The offers the Yanks made were perfectly reasonable, and methinks Boras and Damon made a huge mistake in assuming that other teams would be looser with their wallets than the Yankees. It's not 2006 anymore (thank god) - the days of absurd contracts are largely over.

The Cash Man got a little jab in, saying "I hope he does not sign for something less than our offer. That means he should have been a Yankee and that’s not our fault.”

According to a tweet (the most official and scientific of all resources!) today by Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the Yankees plan to announce a deal with former Padres GM Kevin Towers sometime before Spring Training, most likely as some sort of "special consultant" (the Cash Man ain't going anywhere, simmer down). Buster Olney predicted it back in October, and Towers himself said during the Winter Meetings (during which he met with several teams, including the Yanks) that he'd like to work with an American League team, so while Nightengale's tweet is not "official" news, Towers almost certainly will be joining the Yankees in 2010.

Whatever it is he'll be doing for the Yanks, I'm willing to bet it will result in all sorts of goodness. Even with the Padres' budget, which is approximately equal to my salary at my after-school job in high school (Jane's Cakes and Chocolates, represent!), the Padres won four division championships made it all the way to the World Series in 1998 during his reign. Before becoming GM, Towers was a scout, and used his skills to put together some surprisingly impressive teams made up primarily of random under-the-radar dudes - particularly pitchers - who had been cast off by other teams (deemed "dumpster diving" by the San Diego Union Tribune). He was also responsible for one of the most ridiculous trades of the past couple years, when he arranged a deal that sent a minor league catcher (Billy Killian), Akinori Otsuka (whose performances in the local "Corkys Pest Control" commercials remain the highlight of his career) and Adam Eaton to Texas in exchange for Adrian Gonzalez, Chris Young and OF Terrmel Sledge.

He won't be in sole charge of trades in New York, but I look forward to seeing what he comes up with for the Yanks - with his keen sixth sense for under-valued talent and the Yanks' money to behind him, I anticipate big things.

Yes, it's been a minute or two since I last blogged (and longer still since I kept this site updated on a truly regular basis), and I apologize for my absence. No, I haven't stopped obsessing over the Yankees (come on now), nor have I given up on the blog - 2009 was simply a wildly busy year in the land of the YC. Even whilst I was forced to push the bloggity to the back burner last year, I always intended to fire it back up as soon as one of three things happened:

1) I finished school, thus freeing up my evenings for bloggin'
2) Vince McMahon hired me as a high-paid special consultant for the WWE, with my sole responsibility being to watch every episode of Raw and Smackdown and offer suggestions on how the storylines and characters could be improved (for the love of christ, can John Cena and Randy Orton not be in a title match at just one PPV?), thus freeing up my days for bloggin'
3) Something ridiculous in the baseball world fired me up so much that I decided I simply MUST get back on the blogging saddle pronto, regardless of my lack of time to do so.

I'm still in school, and Mr. McMahon has yet to seek out my valuable services, so you can all thank Mark McGwire for inspiring me to dredge up my blogger.com password and get back to work!

Get it? That's what's called "topical humor" in the comedy world. Of which I am not a part.

The illustrious Carl Pavano, who during his four years with the Yankees spent more time at the DL Resort and Casino than the rest of the organization combined - and that includes the oft-ailing Big Stein - will NOT be returning to the team in 2009. Rather than signing him up for another year of non-service to the tune of $13 mil, the team bought him out for a little under $2 million. That's right, Other 29: it's your lucky day! You can have him! Enjoy!

The sad thing is, with so many teams desperately needing pitching, C-Pav is guaranteed to get a deal somewhere. Fun!

So now that he's officially out, let's commence the discussion of who his rotation replacement(s) will be.

As of right now, there are SEVERAL open spots in the rotation. Moose is most likely not coming back, Pettitte's status is up in the air (although it sounds like he wants to return), and whether either Hughes or Kennedy will be worth the cost of laundering their jerseys remains to be seen - and the Cash Man has already said they'll be looking for not one man but two.

My pick, you ask? I'm rooting for another guy who just joined the FA market today: AJ Burnett. At first glance he's not quite as desirable as CC, BUT his asking price is going to be lower and he doesn't appear to be in danger of developing obesity-related diabetes any time soon. Also, as a veteran AL East-er we already know he can hack it against the competition that the Yankees face yearlong. He wouldn't be an ace, most likely, but he's a solid talent and would make a huge impact on the team.

Of course, he has his own history of a love for the DL Resort and Casino, which we must keep an eye on...

In fact, just typing that made me re-think my desire for him.

Thoughts?

I mentioned the other day in my Top Ten Tuesday/Wednesday/xDay posty that the Yankees don't have much in the way of cheap trade bait these days, and I meant it. Unless they're willing to trade big name proven talent like the Wangster or Matsui, there's just no way they're going to swindle themselves a deal for a top-tier player.

Judging by the latest "viral rumors" swirling around the WWW, there are a great deal of peeps that either have a different idea of the relative value of certain players or are some of the legions of delusional Yankees fans who hold onto a misguided belief that ANYONE who wears pinstripes is some sort of athletic god. The "rumor" of which I speak involves a trade between the Mets and the Yankees that would send Carlos Beltran to the Bronx in exchange for...

Robinson Cano, Jose Veras or Brian Bruney, Ian Kennedy, some other prospect and cash.

While I would certainly love to see this mystical trade occur, I am in the possession of a sound mind and henceforth can do nothing but roll my eyes at the idea. Carlos Beltran is an All-Star that ANY team would love to get their paws on. He is an OBP machine, provides Gold-Glove caliber defense, averages 30 homers a year, and steals bases - in other words, exactly what the Yankees could use. Who in their right mind gives him up for a second baseman coming off an utterly horrendous (insert Simon Cowell voice) year and a bunch of pitchers that have done next to nothing? NO ONE. If I were the Fred Wilpon I'd actually be a little insulted that anyone would think that I'd consider such a deal.

The fact of the matter is that, as I said two seconds ago, the Yankees don't have anyone that makes a team say "wow, I want that player so badly I'm willing to give away my 18-win starter!" And you can't just tag a few more losers onto a deal and expect it to make a difference. Two wrongs don't make a right, and two mediocre relievers don't make a Peavy.

The trade deadline is just under 11 days away, and there are names aplenty being tossed around as potential acquisitions. Whether the need to make a move is up for discussion - especially because, lest you have forgotten, we've got a couple potentially good starters in Hughsie and I-Ken (we hope) as well as Matso Ball and Damon rotting on the DL - but the question for the day is who they might want if they DO make a move.

Submit your suggestions in the comments, and I'll make sure to let the Steinbrothers and the Cash Man know what we've decided when I have my bi-weekly chat with them tomorrow (obv).

ESPN is reporting that the Yanks have a "tentative" deal to bring Richie SexsNO to the Bronx as early as Saturday.

Is he really better than Better Mint? I'm assuming that's whose roster spot will be usurped. He actually hits pretty well against lefties - .344 average this year - which I admittedly did not realize when I first proclaimed my disdain for the very thought of bringing him on the team, so I suppose there is an outside chance that he can do something for the team. They only have to pay him a prorated chunk of the league minimum $390K, so even if he winds up being miserable at least they wont have wasted much dinero on the perdador.

Thoughts?

Despite the 6-game winning streak and three straight games with 8+ runs scored, it's been a semi-rough week for the Yanks, thanks to the loss of the Wangster. As I'm sure you're well aware by now, Wangy had trouble rounding the bases (damn you, 90-degree turns!) earlier this week and busted up his foot; he's now a fallen soldier and has taken up residence at the quickly-overcrowding DL Resort and Casino (which, incidentally, features such games as "how will Pavano hurt himself next?" and the "Wheel of Broken Bones" slot machine).

I've discussed on this here bloggity the few pitching options available to the team, be it by trade or signing pitchers cast away by the rest of the league. Since the issue becomes more pressing with each passing day, I think we should continue the discussion and take a gander at who might be available to fill out the rotation.

Top Ten (semi-realistic) Pitching Options:

10) Carl Pavano (or...not)
9) Roger Clemens
8) David Wells
7) Brad Penny
6) Sidney Ponson (ps: whyyyy bring that bad attitude to a team that's been playing with heart and spirit!?)
5) Brian Fuentes
4) CC Sabathia
3) Hughsie
2) IPK
1) Kei Igawa (you know it's coming)

Read Last Week's Top Ten: Depression-Inducing Disappointments

I'm not sure if you noticed, but the Yanks have serious pitching issues.

Both the rotation and the bullpen have taken a beating this season, with everything from injuries to shocking failures to Jobamania's departure from the 'pen that left the Yanks with a huge hole in the 8th inning spot hitting the team hard. They've been doing their best to piece together the pitching staff and offer run support for the struggling Pettitte and Wangster, but many a game has been lost due to the struggling pitching staff.

Obviously, something needs to be done about this unfortunate situation, and quick. The Yanks have been struggling just to keep their heads above water, and if the pitching staff can't pitch well enough to keep the team in the game and give them a chance to win the Yanks are going to have a hard time topping the Sox and Rays and weaseling their way into the playoffs (sidenote: who would have thought the words "Rays" and "playoffs" would wind up in the same sentance? Without the words "no chance?"). 1 or 2 games over .500 isn't going to cut it when as we get closer to the finishing line.

What is the solution, then? During the off-season they were hesitant to trade Hughes, Kennedy, Melky, or even Cano - at least one of whom would most likely be desired by any team willing to trade a decent pitcher - but now that they've experienced such pitching problems their stance may have changed. There is speculation that the Indians might put C.C. Sabathia on the block soon, since they have very little chance of making a playoff run themselves and would be wise to score a few youngsters in exchange for a guy that is going to be a free agent after the season anyway. Another possibility could be Colorado reliever Brian Fuentes, who could fill that 8th-inning slot. While it'd be a bust to trade away fan favorites like the Melkster and Robby, it seems to me that a bolstering the pitching staff is going to be key to the Yanks (hopeful) success this season.

Would you be willing to trade one of the aforementioned players in exchange for Fuentes or a half-year rental of Sabathia? Or would it break your tender heart to lose a beloved youngster?

Discuss!

Question: Who is 45 years old, fat, gout-stricken, owns a hunting lodge with Kirk Gibson, adores a good martini and wants to pitch for the Yankees?

Answer: None other than our old and dearly beloved friend David "Drunky McDrunkerson Perfect Game" Wells!

That's right, munecas, Boomer has been working out in San Diego and has expressed an interest in making a return trip to New York for a second third stint pitching for the Yanks. For his part, Hank Steinbrother has admitted that he has considered the possibility, and I'd imagine that with I-Ken taking a (hopefully helpful...) breather down in AAA and Hughes on vacation at the DL Resort and Casino (playing $2/4 hold 'em and laying down some bets on the Marlins) Hankster's interest is peaking. He said he hasn't discussed it with the Cash Man yet, but since taking the reigns from his pop he hasn't seemed to give much of a hoot about Cash's ideas or input; Hank calls the shots these days and if he decides he wants Boomer, I have a feeling it won't matter much what Cash thinks - he'll sign him.

After watching Kei Igawa pitch yesterday (if you can call that pitching... I think "gentle lobbing intended to give the Tigers a lovely batting practice session" is more appropriate), I would have no problem putting Wellsy on that mound. He's been rocking a 4-5.00ish ERA over the last couple years, and if the Yanks could count on that and focus on giving him some decent run support, I'd say that would be a lovely arrangement.

What dost thou think?

Happy 2008, my delightful friends and foes! I hope your night was one of wholesome Monopoly-playing and included neither drunken debauchery nor sobbing over a glass of champagne about your relationships/work/weight/family/lack of Spice Girls reunion show tickets. Many folks look at the dawn of a new year as a time to take stock of their lives and make a commitment to change (commitments that will be forgotten by February 1st or at the latest the beginning of Spring), and I see no reason why a baseball club shouldn't do the same. The Yanks have been working on improving the team all off-season, of course, but I think that making some solid resolutions - and sticking with them at least through the summer - couldn't hurt.

Top Ten New Years Resolutions The Yanks Should Consider

10) Burn Giambi's glove so that if Girardi gets confused and accidentally tries to have him play first base, Jason will have to say "no can do, boss"
9) Allow the Cash Man to actually speak every once in a while (that one is directed at YOU, Hank and Halitosis)
8) Shove Pavano in a box and deny his presence on the team (kinda like last year!)
7) Now that Torre is gone, try not to blow out a reliever's arm by June
6) Do something to honor Bernie (remember him?). Give him a job or something. Retire his number. Let him play some guitar during the national anthem perhaps?
5) Keep an eye out for pitching in foreign markets, like this dude
4) Prevent the Sox from getting Santanamania. I don't care if the YANKS get him, but if Boston gets him that will prove very troublesome. Pull some strings and Svengali that lad on over to the Mets
3) Make a huge effort to throw some public support behind A-Rod. He was under enough scrutiny the last few years BEFORE he opted out and then became the highest player in the history of the universe, and if he is going to succeed in New York for the next 97 years (or however long that contract is), his sensitive soul is going to need some positive reinforcement. A little "we love him on the team!" PR could go a long way here.
2) If the team makes it to the playoffs (I'd like to say "when", but let's not get all cocky and start assuming things mmkay?!), start acting like the division series is as important as the World Series. It really seems to me that for the past few years they've been approaching the ALDS like it's a few silly practice interim games they will breeze through on their way to the next round, and we know how THAT'S been turning out (not well, if you're new around here).
1) Actually keep a couple of these resolutions...



Read last week's Top Ten: Big Stein's Christmas Dreams

As I mentioned yesterday, I was out of the baseball loop for a few days and when I finally had time (after what seemed like an endless 72 hours of a total lack of ESPN!) to scope out the scene, there were several stories out there that made my little Yankees Chick brain extremely eager to hop on the blog and pretend that people care about my opinions! GOOD TIMES!

What's on my mind today is more Santanamania. To be perfectly honest I'm sick to death of all of this idle chatter and flip-floppin' and wish someone would just trade for the beast and we can all move on to the inevitable subsequent Danny Haren trade talks. Until then, though, we must persevere and obsess over the battle for the 2-time Cy Young winner.

With their boatloads of cash and tradeable youngsters at the ready, The Yanks and BoSox essentially managed to push any other interested teams out of the running a few weeks back, but as of just a couple days ago, the Mets might as well be considered potential buyers/traders themselves. Now that it is (at least) a 3-team race, let's break down the top seekers and how likely they are to land Santanamania.

Yankees:
Key players on the block: Melky and Hughsie
Roadblock: Twins want more - like I-Ken - and the Steinbrothers refuse to give up more than Hughsie, Melky, and a lower-level prospect. It seems extremely unlikely that the Yanks would agree to add other players to their side of the trade, because it was difficult enough just for HankStein to offer up those two.
Status: Stalled. The Steins don't want to wait forever and the Twins brass doesn't seem keen enough on their offer to make the move. The Yanks insist they aren't completely out of the running, though.

Sox:
Key players on the block: Ellsbury or Lester
Roadblock: The Twins want Ellsbury and Lester, not one or the other.
Status: Stalled. It was looking close for a while there, but the Twins are holding out for more and the Sox are not showing any signs of buckling under the pressure.

Mets:
Key player on the block: Prospects (like Carlos Gomez), Humber, and Pelfry.
Roadblock: Is a group of prospects, middle-tier young pitchers, and no big name players going to do the trick? The Twins probs want Reyes (who wouldn't?), but the Mets don't want to let him go.
Status: Unknown at the moment. Seem to be a dark horse compared to the Yanks or Sox, but there doesn't appear to be all that much info on how the Twins feel about the Mets' interest just yet.


So what's the verdict? It seems like everyone is stalled, but the Twins have every reason to trade Santana and little reason to keep him. Unless they sign him to a huge extension - which Santana doesn't even seem to really want and the Twins probably don't have the cash to make happen - they lose him after 2008 anyway, and with the loss of Torii and the Tigers beefing up their team, their shot at taking the division isn't all the great compared to the last couple of years. If they trade Santana they will wind up with a great group of youngsters at bargain-basement salaries and can create a much better team in just a couple short years. The roadblock there, though: Santana still has to approve any trade!

The big news these days in Yankees-ville (and Twins-ville... and all the villes of all the teams in the running) is where Santana is going to end up - and who the receiving team will have to give up in return. Then there is also Danny-Boy Haren, who is apparently up for grabs, too! Who will get them? What will they give up? Do the Yanks want them? Do you care what I think (don't answer that one...)?

There are just over 3 months until the glory of baseball returns to our daily lives in the form of Spring Training, and surprisingly the Yanks have already managed to hammer down quite a bit of their 2008 roster by way of resigning Jorgie Porgie, Big Mo, and A-Rod, picking up Abreu’s option, and bringing in the fresh managerial blood with The Girardino. As has become the norm over the past few years, though, pitching is yet again a question mark. The good news is that – unlike so many years in the past – the team has quite the stockpile of strong healthy youngsters to fill out the rotation or perhaps even be traded for a proven the Free Agent Man of the Hour, Johan “And You Thought Barry Baked Ziti Was Expensive?!” Santana.

Mr. Santana still has another year with the Twins left on his contract – for which he is due $13.25 mil - and the Twins actually reportedly offered him a 5-year deal worth $93 mil last week, but he has made more than one comment just in the last year about wanting to be dunzo with that team. Based on the comments he made about wanting to play for a championship team and the fact that he wants a lot more than just 5 yrs/93 mil, Santana would probably waive his no-trade clause to head for a team with the cash to sign him to a monster extension and the talent to make a post-season run, and I would say that the Yankees fit the bill on both accounts. Because of that no-trade clause, though, Santana has quite a bit of leverage. The twins can't just trade him to any old team; he could very easily muscle out his last year in Minnesota in favor of waiting to become a free agent after next year and then really go after some big bucks, and he will probably demand a hearty extension as part of any trade offer. Of course, Santana won't have a trade to approve or disapprove until the Twins feel like they are getting a great return. According to at least one source, they are asking the Yanks for Melky and Hughsie, which, to Ye Ole Yankees Chick, sounds like a very fair deal, but if the Cash Man has anything to say about it (and sidenote: where the hell has our dear Cash Man been these days? It seems as though Hank Steinette has been keeping Cash in a closet and doing all the talking) the Yanks might want to keep a tight hold on Hughsie. If the Twins are wise, they will put together a trade that Santana will approve ASAP, because they are going to be sans Santana in 2009 either way and they might as well get something in return; if the Yanks are wise they will listen to what the Twins want, throw some cash and years Santana's way, and lock that sucker down.

Thoughts?

The Yanks locked down Jorgie Porgie last week and by some crazy twist of events managed to bring A-Rod back to the team, but they have hit something of a roadblock in their "bring all the 2007 dudes back so we don't have to make many (or any) substantial trades this year" plan with Mo. The Yanks made him an offer for 3 years, $45 mil, at the same time that they were making their deal with Jorgie, but he has yet to accept it. He hasn't flat-out refused it, but he is reportedly asking the Yanks to up the ante to 4 years or throw some more dough at him for a 3-year deal.

Now, I love Mo as much as any Yanks fan, and I certainly want him back on the team, but I am having a hard time buying into the idea of a 4-year contract for a 38 year old man, greatest closer of all time or not. By asking for 4 years, he is implying that he can be counted on when he is almost 42 years old, which is, in a word, insane, or, in another word, delusional. He does have a hefty amount of leverage, though, because the Yanks really don't have any alternatives. If they let Mo get away, they would be forced to use Joba as a closer, which just opens a hole in a rotation that is already mighty sparse; also, the only way they'd be able to fill the hole left by Joba would probably be to trade I-Ken and/or Hughsie, which just creates new holes! Tis a conundrum indeed. The only move the Yanks would be wise to make at this point, given the complete lack of available pitchers, is give him the money and keep the deal at 3 years. Money is something that the Steins have plenty of, so it seems that shelling out a little extra cash to avoid having to make a trade that would almost certainly necessitate the shipping off of one of their prized youngsters and also allow them to avoid being saddled with an old man in 4 years is worth the salary increase.

Of course, with whatever salary they end up giving him (assuming they do indeed agree on contract terms eventually and we don't have to see him playing for Torre wearing Dodger blue next year) we Yanks fans can steel ourselves for the inevitable "OMGZ u guyz spend sooo much money Yankees suck go Sawx!" idiocy.... Which I would still prefer to "OMGZ u guys gave an old dude a 4-year contract u always sign old dudes Yankees suck go Sawx!"

Barry Bonds was indicted on 4 counts of perjury and 1 count of obstruction of justice today, all stemming from his gigantic head and the fact that said gigantic head made it very obvious that he is or was a juicer (oh and I guess they have some actual "evidence", too, but really, that head size pretty much seals the deal in my mind). I'm all for cracking down on cheaters and I'm glad Balco B is finally feeling some heat, but I feel I must point out the asinine nature of this: our government is spending time (and my money and yours, assuming you pay taxes you dirty tax evaders) tracking down and prosecuting big-headed athletes whose only crime essentially boils down to douchebaggery. Pardon me, Mr. President... can we please focus on resolving this hack-job of a war you have us all involved in? Oh, what's that? You're too busy talking about baseball with Senator Mitchell? No problem, I'll go ahead and let the troops know they're going to be stuck in Iraq for another few years. They won't mind so long as they can rest assured that cheaters are not allowed to prosper!

Ladies and gentlemen, A-Rod has returned to the building. Or Team.

After testing the free agent waters for a solid 17 days, it looks like A-Rod is going to be back in NY next year. And the year after that... and the year after that... and the year after that...

Though it is currently yet to be confirmed, word on the street is that A-Rod and the Yanks are working on a 10-year, $275 mil deal. This comes as a bit of a surprise after the kibosh the Steins and Cash Man put on post-opt-out negotiations and Boras's delusional determination to score a deal worth closer to $350 mil, but happen it did.

When I first heard the rumblings yesterday of A-Rod crawling back to the Yanks in hopes of opening up some negotiation chat, I assumed it was part of some sketchy evil-doings by Boras, a move with obvious ulterior motives - some sort of attempt at raising his value on the market or weird "let's throw people off" move. I honestly did not think it was a genuine sign of a desire to rejoin the team, and I certainly did not think that the Yanks would have any real interest beyond perhaps some curiosity as to how much he and the Boras-Man were asking for now that they'd had a couple weeks to shop the kid around. The team actually said that they would be willing to talk to A-Rod, but would not be willing to deal with Boras (wise move, my friends). The fact that a deal not only came to light but was sussed out so quickly is incredible and leads me to think that there must have been either serious groveling, ass-kissing, or interesting contract terms discussed. It does sound like A-Rod will be "crediting" the Yanks (via his salary) for the $30 mil that they lost from the Rangers when he opted out, and I would guess that that gesture of good faith on A-Rod's part likely made for a good start to the negotiations.

I have been supporting A-Rod for years, defending his post-season performances and assuming/hoping that any signs of greed were either misconstrued or could be blamed on Boras because I believe he is an absolutely amazing player and takes a lot more shit than he really deserves. For the first time though, I really 100% believe in my support of him. Shaking Boras off to make his own decision shows a lot of character from a man that has seemed to be at the whim of money and his agent for his entire career. I'm thrilled about this.

You?

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.

Now that the Torre-to-Dodgers speculation has finally become official and we know where the dear man will be hanging his managerial hat for the next few years, I think it’s fair to start the conjecture over which former Yanks he’ll be taking cross-country with him. It seems fairly clear from rumors all around the interwebs (if someone writes it online, then it MUST be true, obv) and from the not-so-subtle clues we can take from his various press conferences/interviews that Mattingly will end up serving as Torre’s right-hand man on the bench in LA, but there is also speculation that Larry Bowa and Lee Mazzilli will be on board, too. It sounds like the Dodgers are giving Torre all the leeway in the world to do as he pleases with his coaching staff, and I’ve yet to hear of a man that has worked with Torre that doesn’t like working with him, so it stands to reason that whomever Torre wants in LA, he can probably have. The thought of the old Torre-Mattingly duo in the dugout together in Dodger blue rather than pinstripes strikes me as simultaneously creepy and reassuring – creepy because, of course, we’ve never seen Mattingly in anything BUT pinstripes and we have become so accustomed to thinking of Torre as a "Yankee", and reassuring because they are just a heartwarming twosome.

Once a contingent of ex-Yanks has formed over in LA in the form of management and coaching, then the REAL fun can begin: the "will A-Rod, Mariano, Pettitte or Posada end up back with Torre and Mattingly in 2008??!" game. If this was to happen, and we see a whole crew of Yanks favorites out in LA, will we see some Yankees fans heading to the Dark Side to root for the enemy? Will the poor YCD (Yankees Chick Dad), who spent his whole life rooting against the Dodgers, have to support the team because of his love for Torre et al? Tis a conundrum I have a feeling we will all be facing very soon...

News on the Steins' managerial pick should be coming any day now, and word on the street is that the Yanks are also prepared to extend an offer to A-Rod in hopes of locking him down before he can opt out. The rumored extension offer would keep A-Rod in pinstripes for an additional 5 years (his current contract still has 3 years on it) for about $30 mil for each of those 5 years. From the Yanks' perspective it is critical that they sign him to an extension - they need to hang on to the current contract so that they can continue to get cash from the moronic Rangers. If the Steins and the scary Boras-Man are able to agree on something in that range, A-Rod would earn somewhere in the neighborhood of $230 mil over the next 8 years.

For a refresher on the existing contract, you can check out the post I wrote a while back where I broke it down for y'all here: A-Rod contract biz