Forget any dealing with bringing in trouble like Ramirez or Bradley.

Baldelli can’t stay healthy enough to play the outfield and hasn’t for over two years. He has a desease that leaves him weak and useless for long periods and can’t predict when or for how long. So far it’s two years. If he could play, do you think that Hinske would be in the outfield?

If he dogs it and doesn’t produce, you eat the money.

I’m only talking about him being our DH a la Edgar Martinez in the old Seattle lineups. All that guy had to do was show up and rake. I think Manny can do the same, but I have the same apprehensions most of you do yet I don’t see any good alternatives out there. I’m trying to keep our minor league talent in the system.

As for signing CC and AJ, here’s my thoughts.

If you can trade BOTH Damon and Matsui this off season, you are shedding big dollars in addition to Giambi, Pavano et al.

You also want Pettitte at a discount and Moose in the same area money wise. I don’t think you need to go 2 years for either of them.

You could essentially be shedding over 100 million by trading Damon and Matsui and letting the free agents walk.

Give 22 million to CC per year.
Give 17 to AJ per year.
Give 23 to Manny.

That’s 64 million.

Add in 15 for Abreu and that’s 89 million.

What Moose and Pettite will make will most likely bring the payroll back up to where it was this season.

But it’s temporary — Moose and Pettitte could be gone after next season so their money gets freed up and you hope their spots are taken by Joba and Hughes (or some other kid we don’t know about) in the rotation in 2010.

Manny and Abreu’s money leaves after 2010. So does Jeter’s I believe, although we don’t know what will happen with him.

Shealy is a low cost 1b, our CF mix will be low cost as well.

We’re also not locked into any of these guys for 10 years and can be players in free agency and the trade market.

The payroll will be the same, but the talent level will be higher.

not even close.

abraeu will be 35 and manny 37.we need players 25+-30yrs old not seniors.signing sabathia to 5+7 yr deal is risk enough and you wan’t so sign burnett also? both of them will cost 38 million a year,their payroll will be 250 million dollars.

they need to keep arod,jeter,posada,wang,joba,mo and some pen guys and get rid of everybody else.

i would do a 1 yr deal with abraeu,2 yrs tops because he is only 34 yrs old,2 yr/26 million,mussina and pettitte as our 4th and 5th for 2 yrs/22 million but that’s it.

they should trade hughes for a young center fielder who will lock that position up for years even if we have to package a few prospects,trade cano and kennedy for a potential joba like pitcher,throw in a few good prospects to get it done,trade damon,matsui,prospects for 2 corner outfielders and maybe a first baseman.

all of them should be 24-28 yrs old.now you are rebuilt.a new outfield,pitcher,first baseman.the more good young players we sign for example texiera the less players and prospects we trade.

we have to use the kids to get most of the right pieces because they are not available in the fa market,they are older and more expensive.

(His sister is a star NCAA volleyball player. Go Liz!)

Wow! Your plan makes me dizzy.

Seriously, I am both impressed by the time and thought you put into it and flabbergasted that you WOULD put that much time and thought into it.

No one should ever question you love for the Yankees.

Try to sign CC AND Burnett. They both are the priority.

Definitely bring at least 1 of Moose and Pettitte back.

I expect it to be Moose, since Pettitte who is no longer a 16 million starter probably won’t take a 6 million dollar pay cut which is about what he’s worth.

If he takes 10-12 million for year, you bring Andy back then. That’s what Washburn makes and Pettitte is still better than him.

Hope that the rotation you have signed for next season is

CC
Burnett
Wang
Moose
Pettitte

I really think they should not start Joba in the pen and let him pitch innings in the AFL to get his innings up, but I’m worried they are more worried about his shoulder than we know.

If they are Hell bent on starting Joba in the pen, then bringing back Moose and Pettitte as 4-5 makes sense since someone in that rotation will go down and Joba will come in later.

In the lineup, I let Giambi and Pudge walk.

I actively go out and try to trade Damon AND Matsui and be willing to eat dollars to get back minor league talent that could be used here or in other deals a la the Sheff/Unit trades. Ideally, we trade both of them.

If we can deal Damon and Matsui and shed Giambi, I bring back Abreu on a high dollar 2 year deal with a 3rd year option that is incentive driven.

If he wants to stay in NY, he has to take that kind of deal. Say 30 million for 2 with a 15 million option year/5 million buyout type thing.

Nady in LF.

From there, I sign Manny Ramirez to a 2 year 46 million contract with an option for the 3rd year based on performance incentives worth another 23 million/5 million buyout.

If Manny sucks after 2 seasons and can’t meet the incentives, then we just spent 51 million on him for 2 years (including the buyout) and he’s gone. Who cares. It’s not our money. The two years are not a long commitment.

If he’s great and takes the heat off of Arod and rakes, he gets a 3 year mega deal worth almost 70 million.

We cannot go into next season with Arod as our big bopper.

He needs a bigger bopper in the lineup to defer to and take the heat off of him. Manny is clutch. Yes, he’s a headcase, but the guy hits. Boston won 2 titles with him.

I’d sign him primarily to be our DH (splitting time there with Posada) and part time LF on days we give Nady/Abreu a break.

That still leaves CF and 1b open.

At 1b, I go to a team like the Royals who have 2 young 1b in Shealy and the Hawaiian kid they just brought up who they seem to like more.

I try to match up with them with our minor league pitching for Shealy.

Shealy won’t cost Hughes or Ajax. He’s 29, out of options and KC should be willing to deal him. He’s a strong RH bat and can field his position. He’s been waiting for his shot and I like that kind of player. He’s motivated.

I get him (maybe trade Edwar for him?), give him a shot to be our regular and get a solid vet LH backup 1b in the free agent pool from guys like Casey, Hinske or our ever fave Minky who has shown this season he can be a super sub and still be our best defensive option at 1b.

In CF, I’m willing to give Gardner a shot to win the job in the spring vs. Melky OR I take a flier and sign Baldelli and see what he can do here. We let them keep the seat warm for Ajax in case he is ready in the next 2 years.

If Hughes can bring back a big time legit CF, then it’s time to say goodbye to him, but with my plan we’re hanging on to him, Ajax and Cano for now.

I think their values are too low to trade them this off season with the exception of Ajax whose value is probably the same.

My projected lineup would be this:

Jeter SS
Abreu RF
Arod 3b
Manny DH
Nady LF
Cano 2b
Shealy 1b
Baldeill/Gardner/Melky CF
Molina C

If Posada can catch, he moves up in the order. If he can’t catch, we need to carry a 3rd catcher like Moeller and let Posada split time with Shealy at 1b instead and not sign a backup 1b. Can’t be Pudge though. He’ll cost too much and we’re spending our money elsewhere.

So in my plan we open the vault for CC, Manny, Burnett and keep Abreu.

We hope Manny and Arod can duplicate the Manny/Ortiz aura in the 3-4 hole.

We also have a solid we slotted veteran rotation with Joba/Hughes and whoever else ready to come in when someone gets hurt.

The pen is strong with Mo, Joba, Marte and the rest of the guys.

I’d sign off for that team right now. Manny, CC and AJ don’t cost us anything other than cash.

I also think Manny would be motivated to win a WS here and prove something to the Red Sox. If he flakes out, so what. We’ve eaten more money on Pavano and Igawa. If he makes this lineup deadly, we’re in the world series.

Problem with what needs to happen on the last Yankees game is Mo(still dominate) and A-Rod(if no one is on base can hit a homerun) can back up their great talents.Jeter making a incredible jump from short can’t back it up.

Let Jeter do what he’s more famous and the onl thing he can do….say something positive in the posdt game and smile in back of the daily news.