Kuzul

New York Yankee SS Derek Jeter has been reportedly told he will not be offered arbitration by the club.  It has been widely reported that there is a large gap between the Jeter and Yankee camps.  Rumor has it that the Yankees are holding fast at a three-year offer in the neighborhood of $15 million per season.  Meanwhile Jeter’s camp is reportedly looking for more years and a higher annual salary. 

Most surprising though may be the public nature of some of the comments issued by each camp.  A quote attributed to Yankee GM Brian Cashman appeared on ESPNNewYork.com.  “We’ve encouraged him to test the market and see if there’s something he would prefer other than this.  If he can, fine.  That’s the way it works.”

Wow.  I can’t imagine this type of public announcement can sit well with Jeter.  So what does Jeter do next?  Look there are scenarios that may be more plausible but if Jeter really feels jilted and is not willing to take (in his opinion) a “hometown discount” I may just have the solution.

Imagine if there was one place that Jeter could go that would:

A. Be a good fit

B. Hit Cashman where it counts

Well as it turns out there is such a place: The Boston Red Sox.

OK. It sounds crazy, and it probably is, but can you imagine the reaction?  The Red Sox have two championships in the last seven years so to some extent they have exorcised all demons from their tormented past. 

However a quick check of baseball history shows a decidedly pro-Yankee slant when looking at players who have moved from one organization to the other.  Sparky Lyle for Danny Cater…really? 

Free agents like Wade Boggs and Johnny Damon left the Sox for greener ($$$) Yankee pastures.  Roger Clemens had a two-year stint in Toronto post-Boston, but ultimately ended up winning another (tainted) Cy Young award in the Big Apple.  And then there’s George Herman Ruth and the ensuing 86 years of angst.  There is an inequity here evident to even the most casual baseball fan. 

Red Sox GM Theo Epstein is cool customer himself when it comes to making baseball decisions, rarely letting emotion dictate his course of action.  It is unlikely that Epstein and Co. would pursue Jeter just to stick it to the bombers.  But could there be solid baseball reasons for making the move? 

Jeter is coming off a disappointing 2010 season and will turn 37 next season.  The chance of him getting a contract offer from Boston longer than the three years offered by the Yankees is probably slim to none.  However no one has ever questioned Jeter’s conditioning and with an incentive to live up to the hype (potentially at the Yankees’ expense) Jeter could work in a Sox uniform for the next three years.  There certainly could be a need.

Think about it.  It’s been reported today that Victor Martinez has signed a four-year contract with the Tigers.  Martinez played nearly 40 games at first over the last couple seasons in Boston.  He’s gone.  Meanwhile third baseman Adrian Beltre is testing the free-agent market.  Epstein has talked about moving Kevin Youkilis to third but with no Martinez the 1B spot gets a little thin. 

David Ortiz can play some first but it’s no secret that he’s probably a better fit at DH.  Jeter could fit into the third-base slot leaving Youkilis to stay where he is.  Jeter is probably a better defensive fit at third base at this point in his career (regardless of the insane Gold Glove award he just received). 

Meanwhile the Sox have some uncertainty at SS and have reportedly had offers for incumbent SS Marco Scutaro.  Imagine having the luxury of using Derek Jeter as your SS “in a pinch.”

OK, back to reality.  This is probably never going to happen.  The money and years Jeter is looking for would seem to preclude any serious consideration.  And I’m not sure Jeter would offer the power that the Sox would ideally like to get out of a corner infielder either.  But wow, would this be a shot across the bow of the Evil Empire. 

The ultimate dagger to the Yankee nation heart. 

I wonder how it would be received.  Would Red Sox fans welcome him with open arms?  Jeter has been the symbol of all things Yankee for 2,300 games…can that just be switched off?  I doubt we will ever find out, but it sure is fun to think about.

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Derek Jeter is still a free agent, much to the surprise of the entire baseball community.

Jeter’s agent, Casey Close, has said that he is “baffled” by the way negotiations are proceeding and how little respect the Yankees organization is showing for their most iconic player.

“They continue to argue their points in the press and refuse to acknowledge Derek’s total contribution to their franchise,” said Close, overlooking the fact that the Yankees have already paid Jeter more than $200 million over the course of his career.

Does Close really drink his own Kool-Aid?

The Facts

The Yankees have already offered Jeter a three-year deal worth $45 million. But the 36-year-old Jeter wants at least four years and has indicated he’d like to play until 2017.

If Jeter wants to play until he’s 43 when he’ll be relegated to utility-man duty, then that’s his prerogative. But the Yankees shouldn’t have to suffer because of it.

The $45 million contract that Jeter has already declined is not only fair, it’s about 50 percent more than what he’d receive on the free-agent market. Close is trying to take advantage of Jeter’s historic relationship with the team to inflate his client’s value.

That’s fine, if it wasn’t for one problem: Jeter’s value is already inflated to the point of bursting.

Let’s be perfectly clear here: Jeter is not a $15 million-a-year player. He may not even be a $10 million-a-year player, and the notion that he should be given a nine-figure contract is more asinine than the $19 million Carlos Lee made last season for a .708 OPS.

By the Numbers

 Jeter had a major drop-off in production in 2010, though naturally he was still an All-Star and a Gold Glove winner. His .270 batting average is more than 40 points below his career average of .314. His OPS dropped to .710 after reaching .871 in 2009. He hit eight less home runs (10) and stole 12 fewer bases (18) than he did in 2009, despite playing in four more games.

Jeter’s agent will argue that 2010 was an aberration and that Jeter is still an elite player. Or he may just be a 36-year-old shortstop with more than 2,000 games under his belt who may finally be on the decline.

It would be irresponsible for the Yankees to handcuff themselves to a player whose best years are clearly behind him, and is a defensive liability (despite what voters might tell you).

But they’re the Yankees! Can’t they afford to overpay everyone? Well, yes, they can. But it’s not in their best interest to do so, especially for a player like Jeter.

Cashman’s Dilemma

Yankees GM Brian Cashman is in a difficult position here. He can’t let Jeter sign elsewhere—it would be a PR nightmare. But he also can’t let Jeter dictate what his value to the franchise is.

If Cashman simply hands over a blank check to Jeter, then future aging Yankees stars will be inclined to demand the same. What happens when Alex Rodriguez asks for his third career nine-figure contract at the age of 41? What happens if Mariano Rivera or Jorge Posada decide they never want to retire and keep cashing paychecks into their 50s?

At some point the Yankees have to draw a line and stick to it. It may be the richest franchise in professional sports with bags of money bursting in every corner of Yankees Stadium, but that’s not an excuse to flush it down the drain by over-committing to someone like Jeter.

New York would be well served to make their stand now, rather than later. They could cut ties with Jeter and find a stopgap solution like Jason Bartlett for a few years, and then go hard after Hanley Ramirez when the Marlins superstar becomes a free agent. Or they could fold and give Jeter exactly what he wants.

Both decisions have dire consequences, but only one decision threatens to cripple the Yankees franchise.

Jeter’s accomplished enough in New York. It’s time for him to take his overrated talents elsewhere.

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New York Yankee pinstripes are the only uniform Derek Jeter has worn in his professional baseball career.

Over his 16 seasons in those pinstripes, Jeter maintained the shortstop position and for the last 11 years has been the team’s Captain.

Jeter all-around made it easy to forget that he is actually human, but reality kicked in this past season—not surprising, considering he is 36 plus years old.

Coming to Jeter’s defense, it was just one bad season and it followed a career best in 2009.

In most situations, a person would inevitably get the benefit of the doubt, except in professional sports, due to the high demands it entails physically.

Contracts and salaries are impacted by age, which makes sense in view of the physical demands of the job.

Jeter is special to the Yankees organization, without question. He is a natural leader whose presence alone demands respect. Jeter’s humble demeanor is unique for a man with his status and successes.

His legacy is not and never will be in question.

So, the timing of Jeter’s Yankee contract expiring is not ideal. Where do you draw the line between what Jeter has done and what his future beholds on the baseball field?

The answer is you acknowledge both: Jeter’s significance in the past is grand enough that it should be reflected with his new contract, but so does his wear and tear.

The Yankees know this, and the organization acted accordingly.

GM Brian Cashman, along with Owner Hal Steinbrenner and President Randy Levine offered Jeter a three-year contract with a base salary of $21 million dollars per season.

To say that offer is fair would be an understatement.

Three more years are all the risk the Yankees should take, unless Jeter shows them otherwise at age 40.

The $21 million a season is above and beyond Jeter’s current value, but it exhibits the organizations gratitude and respect for Jeter the person.

It is not my place to guess what Jeter is thinking or what is behind his reasoning of not accepting this contract.

Yankee fans want the Captain back, as clearly does the organization.

For the first time, I am questioning whether Jeter wants to continue wearing his pinstripes and at what cost.

Let me make it clear, this is something I never thought or wanted to doubt.

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Can anyone explain to me exactly what goes down at the general managers’ meetings?

They happen every November, and the public is always told (in an almost aggressive way) not to expect any actual baseball news to come out of the event. The business, as they say, is more likely to occur at December’s winter meetings, which technically is held in the fall.

It’s kind of confusing.

My theory is that it’s just a vehicle for baseball’s GMs to get away from their families for a week, get their pasty on by the pool, drink lots of scotch and crack jokes about Billy Beane behind his back.

Yankees GM Brian Cashman said in a press conference Tuesday that he has a “small player move” that could go down this week. That’s no way to talk about Andy Stankiewicz, but as I said, Cash was probably six Johnny Walker Reds deep when he made the remark.

The Yankees will likely kick the tires on any player that crosses their radar in the next few months, but as it stands, this offseason looks to be all about the dulcet tones of Clifford Lee & The Core Four.

You all know the subplots surrounding Lee, Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, and Andy Pettitte at this point. I include Jorge Posada because I’m not entirely convinced he doesn’t have a multi-tier assassination plan in place for every catcher in the Yankee system, ala The Godfather Part II.

That said, don’t rule out the Yankees making a splash we didn’t see coming. In retrospect, we probably shouldn’t have been surprised by the Teixeira signing in 2008; Giambi had just come off the books and we were being told the entirely unproven Nick Swisher would be his replacement.

It was during that 2008 offseason that the Yankees looked at a roster littered with holes, then systematically plugged each one with borderline pathological abandon. Today, let’s get into the alcohol-addled mind of Cashman and see what he might see when he looks at the Yankees’ current roster.

ROTATION

SP – CC Sabathia
SP – ?
SP – ?
SP – Phil Hughes
SP – A.J. Burnett

Analysis: Lee and Pettitte are the two clear targets here. Not sure there’s much of a backup plan in place unless you count Zack Greinke, who would probably spontaneously combust in his first start at the Stadium. A personal rule of thumb: Never trade for self-arsonists. Ivan Nova, who showed flashes of friskiness in ’10, could work his way into the equation if Pettitte decides spending 12 months a year in Deer Park, Texas isn’t the worst idea in the world (which clearly it is). By the way, that sound you’re hearing is me banging my head on the desk remembering that our No. 5 starter will make $16.5 million this year.

INFIELD

C – ?

1B – Teixeira

2B – Robinson Cano

SS – Jeter

3B – Alex Rodriguez

DH/C – Posada

Reserve C – Francisco Cervelli
Reserve INF – ?
Reserve INF – ?

Analysis: The hope here is one of the team’s young catching prospects (read: Jesus Christ Montero) will make the leap. It’s a scary thought to have a rookie catching all those big-money arms, but Posada and a veteran Yankee staff should help with the learning curve — again, all assuming Posada doesn’t have a first-degree felony up his sleeve. I’m fine with any backup first baseman that isn’t Nick Johnson or Tony Clark. Jeter isn’t technically on the roster, but let’s not be silly. Ramiro Pena could be replaced as primary utility guy if Eduardo Nunez has a strong camp. Juan Miranda will likely bat behind Juan Gonzalez for the Long Island Ducks next summer.

OUTFIELD

RF – Nick Swisher
CF – Curtis Granderson
LF – Brett Gardner

Reserve 1 – ?
Reserve 2 – ?

Analysis: The Star-Ledger reported on Tuesday that the Yanks may have interest in talented D-backs outfielder Justin Upton. I’d be surprised if they made a move that changed the starting lineup in the outfield, but Cashman should attempt to beef up the depth chart. Watching the likes of Kevin Russo and Colin Curtis last season showed us the farm isn’t exactly teaming with talent in this department.

BULLPEN

Closer: The G.O.A.T.
Eighth-Inning Guy: ?
Other Guys: Joba Chamberlain, David Robertson, Alfredo Aceves
Lefty Specialist Guy: Boone Logan
Long Guy: ?

Analysis: Obviously some roles need to be defined behind Rivera, whose only bit of free agent intrigue will be whether he signs for one year or two. I still have a sense that Joba will be moved before spring training, perhaps in a package that acquires a closer who will shift to the eighth-inning role. I still feel Robertson has the chops to become an important piece of the puzzle, but he was far too inconsistent during the regular season and playoffs this year. The Yankees have reportedly shown interest in free agent left-hander Pedro Feliciano. Cashman said on Tuesday it’s doubtful we’ll see the rehabbing Damaso Marte in a Yankee uniform in 2011.

Happy boozing, Cash! And remember: Don’t. Trust. Epstein.

Dan Hanzus writes the Yankees blog River & Sunset and can be reached at dhanzus@gmail.com. Follow Dan on Twitter @danhanzus.

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The silence of free agency is overwhelming New York Yankees fans, as rumors of contract negotiations and who is going where are circling the sports media.

No one really knows much except that Yankees GM Brian Cashman met with ex-captain Derek Jeter in Tampa Bay, FL. Then, Cashman and crew headed to Benton, Arkansas to pay a visit to the home of free agent ace Cliff Lee.

Cashman also made a point to meet with catcher Jorge Posada so there was no confusion to his role for the 2011 season. To no surprise, Posada will primarily be a DH but still catch around 40-50 games. Posada was told to stick to his regular offseason regime and come to spring training ready to catch.

The only other fact confirmed by the Yankees is that a scheduled meeting with closer Mariano Rivera and his agents was up next.

Everyone wants this drama to have an ending ASAP.

What is most bothersome is the media’s new found shredding of Derek Jeter, which is a major embarrassment.

ESPN is turning into TMZ, featuring stories of icons like Jeter, Favre and Bonds, but the difference is Jeter is a gentleman. Jeter is not hopped on ‘roids or sending pornographic pictures to married women.

Jeter only won a Gold Glove, not because he campaigned hard to win nut. The voting for the Gold Glove Awards consists of all MLB managers and coaches, but they cannot vote for anyone on their respective teams. So, if haters need to blame anyone it’s the 29 non-Yankee managers for giving Jeter the award.

Jeter is a true real role model, works hard, and doesn’t cheat on his wife with hookers or harsh any woman he wants. Jeter is a winner, who is deeply respected by his peers and has still remained a humble captain.

That’s all the facts as of today. Plenty of hearsay and diarrhea of the mouth has and will go one, but until it comes out of Cashman’s mouth it is best to ignore it.

Please note: Robinson Cano won a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger; Mark Teixeira won a Gold Glove. Congratulations to both of them.

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I had a terrible dream last night.

It was opening day, and the Yankees were visiting the American League champion Texas Rangers on ESPN Sunday Night Baseball.

Much to my dismay, Cliff Lee was making the start for the Rangers. I had a front-row seat, with Nolan Ryan to my left and Kristen Lee to my right. Each time Lee struck out a batter, his wife would spit on me, and Ryan would give me a Robin Ventura-style noogie headlock.

After Lee fanned the side on eight pitches (Mark Teixeira gave up after strike two), the Yankees took the field with free-agent lefty Plan B, Erik Bedard, on the mound. Bedard’s shoulder literally exploded during his first warm up toss. It was gross.

As he stumbled toward the dugout like a zombie from The Walking Dead, his replacement, Carl Pavano’s Mustache, was carried in from the bullpen. It immediately strained its buttocks.

At that point, rabid Rangers fans surrounded me, each with razor sharp claws for hands and antlers affixed to their skulls. Hank Steinbrenner put a cigarette out on my forehead, just because he can get like that sometimes.

Ron Washington approached and offered a speedball, the size of which would make Chris Farley blush. Understanding what life had become, and that things probably wouldn’t get better, I went to town on it. I died. I died right there in Ron Washington’s culpable arms.

End of dream.

I think what my subconscious is trying to tell me—besides the fact that I need psychological help—is that my favorite team really needs to sign Cliff Lee.

It wouldn’t surprise me if Brian Cashman was having similar night terrors. He looks at the Yankee rotation he assembled and sees a mountain of liabilities.

Andy Pettitte is 38 and in the midst of the will-he-or-won’t-he stage of his offseason. Phil Hughes won 18 games in 2010 and somehow still emerged a question mark. A.J. Burnett is the most expensive No. 5 starter in the history of the sport.

The only part of the equation that Cashman probably doesn’t worry about is CC Sabathia, who, for the record, a) turns 31 in July b) weighs 300 pounds c) just had knee surgery and d) has thrown 1,015 innings in the past four years.

Don’t get me wrong. I don’t think we’ve reached the point where you worry about Sabathia still being an elite pitcher. I’m just saying the big man could use a security blanket. After all, the playoffs made it exceedingly clear that having that second ace-level starter increases your odds for success immeasurably.

Look no further than the San Francisco Giants, who paired Tim Lincecum with Matt Cain and blew through the postseason to win it all.

The Yankees thought they had their version of Cain when they signed Burnett. They probably still hoped that was the case heading into 2010. But that’s all over now. It’s hard to imagine Burnett ever having a truly important role in a Yankee playoff series going forward.

Cashman already knows snagging Lee will cost north of $120 million. He’s also aware that he has $240 million in salary already promised just to Sabathia and Burnett. I’m sure there’s a part of him that is very wary about adding another monster salary to the rotation.

But part of the process of acquiring Lee is the admission that the Burnett signing was a failure. That takes some pride swallowing for Cash and the organization, especially since Burnett still has three (long) years remaining on his deal.

After Lee, the drop-off in the free-agent market is steep and stomach-turning. Hiroki Kuroda? Jake Westbrook? Um…Javier Vazquez? To stay a true contender, the only logical move is to acquire Lee to play Robin to Sabathia’s Batman.

Everyone wins in that situation: Sabathia wouldn’t feel the need to be perfect every time out, Cashman would regain favor amongst the fans, and Lee would be rich enough to buy a Pope-Mobile to protect his wife in New York. Best of all, the bad men in my head would finally go away.

Seriously, Cash. Make this happen.

Dan Hanzus writes three columns a week on his New York Yankees blog, River & Sunset. He can be reached at dhanzus@gmail.com. Follow Dan on Twitter @danhanzus.

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Courtesy of Yankees ‘n More

According to multiple reports, the New York Yankees (i.e. Brian Cashman) did not make an offer to free-agent pitcher Cliff Lee while meeting today with the free-agent lefty, his wife and agent Darek Braunecker at Lee’s Arkansas home.

That doesn’t mean today only served as a passive meet-and-greet. In fact, the Yankees, it seems, sent Lee a very clear message during their visit with Lee & Co.

According to Mike Silva’s New York Baseball Digest, Cashman told Lee to go through the free-agent process, talk with any team he chooses and then come back to the Yankees, at which point they will top any offer he receives.

Per Silva’s report, the Yankees would like to keep the deal to five years, but might include an option for a sixth year. The team is said to be willing to pay Lee a minimum of $25 million per season on any deal. And the money is just the beginning.

New York, reports Silva, is also believed to be willing to pay Lee’s New York state income tax (offsetting Texas‘ no state income tax advantage), give Lee an opt-out clause in the contract and provide him with a private jet to take he and his family to and from their Arkansas home in style.

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Are the New York Yankees making Cliff Lee an immediate offer?

According to the New York Post, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman is on a plane headed for Arkansas. Maybe he’s going to check out Walmart’s international head quarters. Or maybe he is considering bringing Razorbacks head coach Bobby Petrino back to the world of professional sports.

But most likely he’s going to meet with free agent stud Cliff Lee, who is from and lives in “The Natural State.”

Cashman has plenty of obstacles to overcome in signing Lee, but most prominent is his wife’s apparent disdain for the Big Apple, after she was harassed during the ALCS at Yankee Stadium.

But negotiating a deal appeasing to both sides is also an issue. Lee is 32 years old. He is going to want a long contract, something similar to what the club gave his former teammate CC Sabathia just two years ago. But was three years younger when they signed him in 2009.

Several teams will be looking to sign Lee but the Yankees might be the only ones with the money, although the Rangers could get the “hometown” discount.

Here are 10 more rumors floating around the world of Major League Baseball.

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Courtesy of Yankees ‘n More
Our long national nightmare is over. According to multiple reports, New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman informed Jorge Posada that he will be the team’s designated hitter in 2011—the final season of his contract.

This information should not come as a surprise to anybody who has paid even casual attention to the Yankees these past two years. Defensively, Posada has degenerated and become an horrific catcher. He blocks virtually nothing (be they balls in the dirt or the plate with a throw coming in) and his arm is an absolute rag.

However, Posada can still hit, his bat is needed in the lineup and the idea of risking the loss of his offense an injury suffered while catching makes no sense at all.

Speculation has been that Posada would slide to DH next season, but the first solid word of the move came from the veteran’s wife, via her Twitter account on Tuesday.

“Yes, Jorge will DH next year,” tweeted Laura Posada.

Wednesday morning brought more in the way of details, via this New York Post report.

The Post reports that Posada was informed of the decision during a face-to-face meeting with Cashman in Manhattan this week. Cashman did tell Posada to “prepare to catch” this offseason. It figures that Posada will catch some next year, but the team is obviously headed in a new direction at backstop.

The plan, according to today’s Post report and multiple rumors, is to have Jesus Montero take over as the Yankees‘ starting catcher and start about 100 games behind the dish next season. Behind Montero, there will be a spring training battle between Francisco Cervelli and Austin Romine.

Questions remain about Montero’s defensive ability and his future as a catcher, but the Yankees are ready to start getting answers from the 20 year old on all those issues. And honestly, how bad could Montero be behind the plate? You can’t be a worse defensive catcher than Posada in 2010.

For his part, Posada is said to be OK with the decision. Earlier this week, Posada had said he just wanted the team to be upfront with him regarding his role.

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MLB free agency has officially started and the New York Yankees have a full plate to say the least.

Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera and Andy Pettitte are no longer officially Yankees. Than there is free agent pitching ace Cliff Lee, along with outfielders Carl Crawford and Jayson Werth—who will be the most sought after players on the market.

Cliff Lee has been on the Yankees “Christmas List” for quite some time and no one in the Bronx is denying that Lee is what they want.

Yankees GM Brian Cashman needs to get the iconic players all squared away before even getting to Lee. The Yankees should overpay, because no one can imagine the Yankees sans the Captain and the Closer, especially the huge and loyal fans. A group that Cashman and co. needs to keep happy as clams, making the above inevitable.

Unfortunately, Lee’s wife did not enjoy her time at the Stadium during the ALCS. A handful of stupid Yankees fans decided to taunt the ace’s Mrs., which was not a smart idea considering the circumstances. Any and every Yankees fan knows that we coveted Lee and that he was finally a free agent at the end of 2010 season. This makes it so hard to comprehend what the hell these fans were thinking. Obviously they were not at all.

What if these contract talks with Jeter do become “messy” and take up a lot more time, money and manpower than anticipated?

When will Southpaw Andy Pettitte decide if he is done with baseball or not? Hopefully, it will be sooner than later. The Yankees are going to need Pettitte more than ever, if for some reason Lee does not sign with New York.

So, what are the Yankees other options if the Lee deal doesn’t come about?

Do they move onto Crawford or Werth and forget starting pitching as the top priority?

Doubtful because they Yankees are still pretty stacked offensively in Crawford and Werth’s respected positions. Pitching has a necessary void that needs to be filled, considering CC Sabathia, AJ Burnett and Phil Hughes are going to need some help in the rotation.

Burnett needs to work his butt off before 2011 Spring Training, because having a solid Burnett again could be the difference maker for the team’s success.

Are there any other free agent arms the Yankees have in mind just in case?

Trust in the fact that there is not a pitcher even in the same league as Lee available, but here are three names that would be the next best thing:

Jorge De La Rosa – Doubtful that De La Rosa could resign with the Colorado Rockies but will test the free agent market to see what else is out there. De La Rosa is a solid lefty, finishing the last two seasons with a 4.31 ERA and 306 strikeouts in 306.2 innings of work. De La Rosa frequents the DL way too often, but with the short list of solid starters on the market, he can get a lot more this off-season.

Brandon Webb – Arizona Diamondbacks are not jumping to resign Webb, as he had shoulder surgery that kept him out since beginning of 2009-10 season. Still, Webb a former Cy Young winner before the injury was one of the best righties in the game from 2006-08 and could add nice depth to the back of that rotation. In 2008, Webb finished 22-7 for the season, with a 3.30 ERA, striking out 183 over 226.2 innings pitched. Webb is 31 years old and whether he can get back to two years ago is a risk, but one that could work.

Rafael Soriano – Not a starter, but was easily in the top three closers in baseball the past few seasons. Tampa Bay Rays would love to keep Soriano, but he will join a long list of other players the Rays can’t afford to resign. The Yankees did not pick up Kerry Woods option at $11 million for 2011, but they still could resign Wood at a lower and more reasonable price for his services. Still, if Lee is not going to be in pinstripes than why would the Yankees not throw their money at Soriano and make the bullpen absolutely ruthless and impossible to beat.

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