Yet I still have one MAJOR CONCERN with our roster at this point…which is center field! I am not comfortable going into the year going back and forth with Cabrera and Gardner, nor would I be happy with a “stop gap” named Cameron! I also don’t like the idea of having “all my eggs in one basket” with a player named Austin Jackson! I don’t see why on earth the Yankee’s with everything they have accomplished this year through free agency would possibly not try to trade for a player such as: Cameron Maybin or Colby Rasmus, or someone of the sort? I do realize that either trade(s) would be EXTREMELY DIFFICULT if not impossible perhaps; especially a trade for Maybin!!! Yet the Cardinal organization desperately needs pitching which we have been touted as having a good amount of or a surplus of in the last few years. Granted if I had my druthers I’d trade for Maybin, but the Marlins aren’t the easiest team to deal with or could possibly be described as impossible in that area.
I’d simply like the Yanks to put forth a much better effort to shore up the “absolutely glaring hole” we have in our outfield in center field with a young talented player on the rise that could be patrolling that area for us for the next ten years or so!!! Perhaps I am asking/wishing for too much?

The threshold for that keeps rising. $155 in ‘08, $162MM in ‘09, then $170, $178. Yanks are looking at a bill of well over $20mm again for ‘08. But holding the line going forward would reduce the tax $3mm per year.

And the lux tax money doesn’t go to other teams, but to MLB, so don’t bitch about that.

So saying CC gets $23MM, ot Tex $20, or whatever may not be the case.

Let’s say the Yanks offer CC $140MM for 6 years. But pay signing bonuses of $6MM each in ‘09 and ‘10, salaries of $17MM in each year, $24 in ‘11 – ‘13, $22 in ‘14. The signing bonuses are allocated equally over the 6 years, or add $2MM per year, so the “MLB salary” in ‘09 and ‘10 is $19MM for lux tax purposes, despite the fact that CC got his cash. That excludes any deferrals until after the contract, which reduce the present value and “MLB salary” as well. The Yanks and everyone else will likely have such provisions in their offers, but for the Yanks this becomes a critical issue as every “MLB salary” dollar over the threshold costs an added 40%. For a cash rich team like the Yanks there’s a real incentive to maximize the signing bonus upfront – the player gets present value cash, the Yanks save on near term Lux Tax $’s. Every dollar saved on lux tax pays CC instead of MLB.

So all the number quibbling is pointless until the contract terms are known. And every team is likely to try to keep the ‘09 salary outlay in large multi-year deals lower, in expectation of revenue declines due to the recession. Expect contract creativity.

And large contracts for corner OF’s and DH’s will be hard to move – that’s where the surplus is.

He fixes 1B defensively for 6-7 years (barring injury) provides the bat that will see Arod into his dotage, paces Cano and any other young players they can find. Even with a 10 year deal he is a R/L bat at DH with occasional 1B in the decline years

Cameron i think is a bad deal. I had hopes last year that they Yankees woud trade IPK and Cabrera and play Gardner. The issue may be that by dispensing with Abreu that the Yankees have given up too much offens – therfore I’d spend the money on Teixeira and play Swisher in the OF – hopinh is OBP and HR production is better than avg – underline hope – he is at least versitile

The huge issue is Posada – if he can’t catch the Yankees have no bat at C – which has been a 8 yr strength and a gaping hole in 2008 – Matsui likley can hold down DH – if Posada can’t play C then the have too many DHs who wil be less than average in the field. Everyone hopes Jorge recovers but there is no way to know with that injury and his age.

The other wild card is Wang — he is a big heavy guy – he hurt that foot running!!! — there is no way to know if he is still a stud #2 – or if he breaks down – or if his mechnaics don’t come back. Say it takes 20 starts to settle in and he is league average 2/3 as he goes. Maybe that is a reason to make Sabbathia and Lowe or Sabbathia Plus anyone such a need – Pettit for a year would help.

MONEY — The Yankees will generate all the money they need if they keep the stands filled and the TV contracts hot – they do that with an exciting chmapionship caliber team. There are few players who the Yankee fans can embrace they way the did Mattingly, Jeter, Tino, Posada, Bernie and Mo. If ARod had a chance but he has blown it more than once and now finally – chasing a 50 yr old not very attractive well worn woman –Fans can’t identify with him or his quirks – they will happy to see him break Bonds “record” – fingers crossed — maybe if he has an otherworldly playoff or WS they will come around – but he is gaing, Jeter is aging, Posada may be done — Teixeira could be the nucleus – show up play the game right – dazzle in the field and with the bat — who else in the MAJORS who is available the next three years can do that

Paying a premium price for the right person is worth more than many “deals” on avergae Joe’s