Russ, would you be worried if they re-signed Damon? Defensively speaking, anyone short of Nick Johnson can’t be as bad in left field as Damon was last year…and again….they won the World Series.

These are smart calculated moves by Cashman. Cashman is being frugal this year because, quite honestly, he didn’t like any of the options available to him.  And….he has a plan.  He will open the coffers next year for a certain Tampa Bay left fielder.

It’s all part of a plan. These aren’t the Yankees of old that spend for the sake of spending. And last year proves…they’re not afraid to spend.

And Gardner is not a lock to start in the outfield this year. He STILL has to prove he can hit.  Offensively, speed is worthless if you can’t get on base. He hits, he plays. He doesn’t hit, he pinch runs late in games and goes in for defensive purposes…..OR….

Girardi likes Gardner, but remember this, he also liked Cody Ransom. Cody couldn’t dream of  making contact with a baseball, and what happened to him????

Pedroia, Youkilis, Cameron, Ortiz, Scutaro, Beltre, Drew, V-Mart, and Elsbury. Does that scare you??? It doesn’t scare me.

Already I can see the chain reaction: the chemical precursors that signal the onset of an emotion, designed specifically to overwhelm logic and reason. An emotion that is already blinding you to the simple and obvious truth: the Red Sox are not going to make the playoffs and there is nothing Theo can do to stop it.

Youkilis is the only one in that lineup that can’t be pitched to; a solid game plan on the mound will take care of everyone else.

Pedroia: Overrated. Ortiz: Finished. V-Mart: Overrated. Drew: Overrated. Cameron: Scrub. Beltre: Juice. Scutaro: Renteria Part 2. Elsbury: Whatever.

Lackey will fold in the AL East pressure cooker. Lester is due for a poor year. Which Beckett will show up in 2010? Dice-K is an expensive and embarassing Red Sox mistake.

No need to worry Russell. The Red Sox aren’t even making the playoffs in 2010.

Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman, “They’re really in a sad state those Mets. They can’t do anything right. I heard they even sent their spring training equipment to the wrong a address in Florida.”

Cashman is referring to the tractor trailer stuffed with uniforms, bats, baseballs, gloves, and training equipment that was mistakely sent to Tony’s Auto Body in Pensacola, Fl. Tony, the owner of the business, promptly put all the items on eBay. Omar Minaya accidently provided the address to which he was shipping the bumper of Fred Wilpon’s  Chrysler LeBaron. What happened to the bumper? Well, it arrived safely at the Mets facility in Port St. Lucie.

This is but one example of an exponentialy growing list of daily mistakes made by New York Mets management – primarily Minaya.  A Mets insider who spoke on condition of anonymity shared, “It’s no secret that internally Omar isn’t running the show anymore. Fred doesn’t want to eat his salary, but he wouldn’t trust him to manage a sidewalk pretzel cart at this point.”

The staffer also shared a humorous tidbit. He asked me, “When was the last time you saw Omar wear a necktie?

I responded, “Hmmm, good question. I can’t recall. I may have never seen him wearing one.”

The staffer continued, “Right. He never wears one. And it’s not because he wants to be casual. He would love to wear a necktie.  The reason is because he doesn’t know how to…you know…tie it. He can’t tie the knot. I’ve seen him struggling with it prior to a press conference, and he inevitably gives up and throws it on the floor. So, that about sums it up.”

Yankees owner George Steinbrenner may not be running the Yankees anymore, but he enjoys the friendly cross-town competition, “It’s just a sad state,” George began, “Fred’s been a good friend and a good competitor. It’s not easy running a team in this town and I hate to see Freddy struggle. So, I have asked Brian Cashman to consult with the Mets for two weeks to help straighten things out over there. Two weeks only. That’s it. I just can’t allow the Mets to become the Knicks.”

So there it is folks, Brian Cashman is going to help clean up the New York Mess…I mean…Mets.

*The passage above is fictional

I agree with Joe in that Boston will be hard pressed to aquire Gonzalez. Padres GM Jed Hoyer knows the Boston farm system as well as anyone, and he’s not going to do Theo any favors or allow himself to be fleeced with two months on the job. I definitely think Gonzalez will be traded, but not until July 2010.

I’m surprised that Halladay signed for as little as $60 Million over three years. Granted that’s $20 Million per year, but the belief was that it would take a Sabathia/Santana type deal to grab Halladay. This goes to show how badly Halladay wanted to get out of Toronto. I would have executed a trade for Halladay if I knew he could be signed for this type of deal. I would have gone as far as $80 Million over 4 years and considered that a fair deal.

This “working within a budget” garbage is annoying, but smart. The Yankees are setting the stage for the 2011 hot stove. The were extravagant last year, won’t be as flashy this year, but next year…

Next year the Yankees will be  – or pretend to be  – players for Beckett, Lee, Mauer, Werth, Berkman, Pujols, Cain AND will need to re-sign Jeter and Rivera.

The fact that Pujols is available next year is another indicator that the Red Sox will only go so far in a trade to aquire Gonzalez.

The work to build the 2009 Championship team began in 2007 when Cashman didn’t trade for Santana. He had a plan. And I believe he still has a plan for 2010 and beyond. No decision should be made in a vacuum.

1. Kennedy: A starter that relies on “smarts” rather than stuff. Bad attitude that didn’t fit in with the clubhouse.  Prone to injury.
2. Coke: A decent left handed reliever in whom Girardi lost trust.
3. Jackson: A powerless question mark that will never be as good as Melky Cabrera…let alone Granderson.

So, a good gamble.

I expect the Yankees to grab Halladay this week as well. It makes too much sense. It keeps him from the Red Sox. He’s a can’t miss….AND…..it help’s insure last year’s investment in Burnett. So, you get Halladay…and in getting him…you get the guy responsible for making the guy (Burnett) you signed last year as valuable as he was…..

I would expect Montero and either Hughes or Chamberlain to be sent to Toronto in any deal in addition to couple other lower level prospects.

Forget Halladay. Forget Holliday. Forget Lackey.

The Tigers are in very bad financial shape. Sad really. Nearly everyone on the Tigers is available…

If they can somehow aquire Miguel Cabrera and Edwin Jackson by taking on Cabrera’s immense salary….they’d be in great shape for 2010 assuming everyone else is healthy.

1. Outfielder

3. Starting pitcher (s)

4. Middle of the order bat/DH

After a +200 hit season, the time has come to trade Robinson Cano. Cano would have been gone after last season if he had a decent year.  Robinson srtikes me as a player that will have very good years….followed by not so good years. He has the potential to be much better, or last year could have been his career year. I say trade him while his value is high and while he’s young and affordable.

I would also seriously consider trading Chamberlain or Hughes in the RIGHT deal.  Chamberlain is in limbo, is he a starter? A reliever? What happened to the 98 MPH fastball? What happened to the steel nerves? I’m less inclined to deal Hughes, but in the right package he’s fair game.

As far as Damon and Matsui? There’s no way Damon gets 4 years if I’m the Yankee GM.  The MAX is two years with a team option for a third. That’s a lot. If Damon walks, then I am a slightly more aggressive with Matsui. Matsui gets no more than two years. World Series MVP aside, he is still an older player with very bad knees - knees, mind you, that were drained twice in a season where he never saw action in the outfield. I’m extremely cautious in signing these two players. They helped to produce a World Series Championship, so unlike Giambi, their paychecks for all their time as NY Yankees are somewhat justified.

Give the above….what are the various scenarois:

1. Trade for Halladay: The Jays will still want a lot in return. We’re talking Chamberlain, Montero, Jackson. I’m not sure I’d want to trade all those players for a guy who will be a free agent after 2010. If Halladay wants to be a Yankee, he should allow himself to be traded, play out his contract SOMEWHERE, and enter free agency for the 2011 season. So, I say don’t trade for Halladay…unless the deal is very very favorable.

2. Trade for Matt Cain: Cain had a very good 2009 season. He’s young. Fortunately, so did Robinson Cano. I would trade Cano and a pitcher not named Hughes/Joba for Cain. I think the Giants would make that deal. They desperately need offense. I made this trade over the Halladay trade because Cain is very young. You pitchers like Cain are never available on the free agent market.

3.  Trade for Granderson: No thanks.

4. Sign Mark DeRosa: Definitely. DeRosa can play second if Cano is traded, or in the outfield, or spell A-Rod at third base. Plus, it seems he would fit perfectly in the clubhouse.

5. Sign Ben Sheets: Why not? It’s just money, and probably not that much relatively speaking. His arm injury was much less severe than Tommy John surgery and he’s taken a full year off to heal and rehab. This is a smart gamble.

6: Trade for Franklin Guiterrez: Guiterrez is arguably the best defensive center fielder in the game. And hit bat isn’t bad either. Send them Chamberlain.

2010 Yankees

Rotation

1. Sabathia
2. Burnett
3. Cain
4. Sheets
5. Pettitte (assuming he re-signs)

Line-up

1. Jeter SS
2. DeRosa 2B
3. Teixeira 1B
4. A-Rod 3B
5. Guitteirez CF
6. Posada DH
7. Swisher RF
8. Cabrera LF
9. Cervilli C

• This improves the center field defensive and adds some of the offense lost by Damon, Matsui, Cano.
• Second base defense is probably weakened but offense is nearly a wash.
• A full year of Posada due to reduced catching workload.
• Improved catching defense due to Cervilli when he plays.
• Cabrera moves to left field which improves the defense on that side of the outfield. Guitirrez’ coverage make Swisher defense more palatable.
• The lineup is very flexible.  DH becomes a waystation when Posada is behind the plate: Posada catches and A-Rod/Jeter/Tex can DH. Play Pena at second base, put DeRosa in right field, sit Swisher. Swisher at 1B, Teixeira DH’s, etc., etc. Lots of options and rest for the regulars.
• Rotation is significantly improved.
• With no major capital committed in 2010, Yankees can make a push for Lee/Halladay and have some money left over for JETER.

Since Willis is finished, it would mean that any team taking the deal would essentially be paying $13.5 Million for………Curtis Granderson. He’s not worth $13.5 Mill.