News of  the Day, chronicling the Yanks since …. late October 2008!

Here is what’s going on:

• At Newsday, Ken Davidoff opines on Ken Rosenthal’s notion that the Yanks should sign Ben Sheets and Juan Cruz:

Should they, though? Say, at the prices that Rosenthal suggests – a one-year, $7-million deal for Sheets with incentives that could push it past $14 million, and a two-year, $10-million package for Cruz?

Definitely not for Cruz, I’d say. Brian Cashman’s best work, since gaining full control of the team in late 2005, has been on the Yankees’ bullpen. They should be good to go with what they have.

For Sheets? You’d have to strongly consider that one. The Yankees passed on Sheets in December because they felt like they already had their “high-risk, high-reward” guy in A.J. Burnett, and because they preferred Andy Pettitte’s durability and familarity with New York. But with Pettitte and the Yankees still at odds, and with Sheets possibly down to a year, that certainly changes the equation.

• John Walsh (The Hardball Times) has an analysis of outfielder’s arms for the 2008 season, and … no great surprise here … the Yankee contingent left a little bit to be desired (Damon awful, Abreu slipped a lot, Cabrera and Nady were decent).
• MLB.com has a status update on the Yanks payroll for 2009.  As of right now it stands at $186 million for 16 players.
• Keith Law is out with his Top 100 prospects for 2009, over at ESPN.  The highest-ranked Yankee?  Austin Jackson, at #46 (down from #24 last year).  Here is part of Law’s write-up on Austin’s City Limits:

Jackson’s star has dimmed over the past year or so, as an expected breakout hasn’t come. He’s shown that he takes a while to adjust to each new level or challenge. He’s still a great athlete, but it’s not translating into baseball skills as quickly as hoped.

Jackson’s tools grade out as more or less average across the board, with nothing standing out as plus except for the possibility that he’ll become an above-average hitter (for average, that is). He had good speed but is, at best, a 55 runner now, although he has good instincts on the bases. He has gap power and can jerk a ball over the fence to left, but doesn’t project as more than a 15-20 homer guy unless he fills out substantially. He’s solid in center field with a good arm, but probably isn’t a Gold Glove candidate.

• Dellin Betances just missed Law’s Top 100 list.
• In a separate piece, Law hands out a list of each organization’s top prospects.  Here’s the Yanks  (btw …. “prospect” is being defined as still eligible for ROTY consideration):

1. Austin Jackson, CF
2. Jesus Montero, C
3. Andrew Brackman, RHP
4. Dellin Betances, RHP
5. Zach McAllister, RHP

• PeteAbe at LoHud reports that the Yanks offices are moving to the new Stadium tomorrow.

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Powered by the knowledge that there will be one less drunken person in a major league ballpark next season (and he’s a mascot, no less!), here’s the news:

• Fox Sports.com’s Ken Rosenthal thinks the Yanks shouldn’t sit on their off-season laurels at this point, and go after Ben Sheets and Juan Cruz:

Both Sheets and Cruz are Type A free agents who were offered salary arbitration, but they would cost the Yankees only fourth- and fifth-round draft picks. The Yankees already have signed three higher-ranking free agents — Mark Teixeira, Sabathia and Burnett.

Sheets, while a physical risk, could be the Yankees’ answer to Brad Penny and John Smoltz, both of whom signed with the Red Sox for relatively low base salaries with the chance to earn significantly more through incentives.

Cruz, on the other hand, makes more sense for the Yankees than he does for any other club. Teams are reluctant to forfeit a first-round pick for a setup reliever. But an aggressive spender such as the Yankees, because of a flaw in the compensation system, gives up a lower-round draft pick with each Type A free agent that it signs.

[My take: You must know by now that I’m a big Ben Sheets fan.  But since he ended last season with some arm issues, I’m going to want to see what he looks like in Spring Training before making a big push for him.  But really, the Yanks still need a back-up (or starting?) catcher more than a #5 starter.]

• MLB.com reports that hitting coach Kevin Long is feeling good about the off-season work done by some of his students.  An excerpt:

Robinson Cano met with Long in November, working out in the Dominican Republic and continuing the adjustments that the hitting coach suggested late in the season. Cano had hit rock bottom in terms of frustration, and only a September surge helped him raise his average to .271.

With Long’s help, Cano has reduced movement at the plate, tweaks that remain constant in the overhauled stance that will be on display next month. But Long said he was blown away by other changes Cano has made, hiring a personal trainer to help reduce his body fat and add muscle for the year ahead.

“The trip to the Dominican went above and beyond what I expected,” Long said. “Really, I just expected to go out there and see where he was from an offensive standpoint and mechanically, and mentally talk to him about his game plan for winter ball.

“To go out there and see what kind of shape he was in was a pleasant surprise, to say the least. He’s worked hard to get himself in shape and get himself looking like a top-notch ballplayer.”

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Powered by this salute to the Presidents (at least through Clinton).

• LoHud’s Pete Abe reports that Melky Cabrera and the Yanks have settled on a contract for ’09, avoiding further arbitration-wrangling.  Pete also has the details on Brian Bruney’s path to a contract.
• Also at LoHud, Pete notes that Xavier Nady nearly doubled his ’08 salary by signing a one-year deal for $6.55 million.

[My take: Yes he had a nice year, and figured to get a bit of a raise, but a $6.5 million salary may reduce his ability to be traded.  Maybe the Pirates want him back?]

• MLB.com covers the Yankee signings.
• Padres’ front office assistant Paul DePodesta has his own blog, and has a post which details the ins and outs of the arbitration process.
• ESPN’s Buster Olney runs down five key injury situations, and (no surprise) … Jorge Posada makes the list.
• Also at ESPN, Rob Neyer responds to Steven Goldman’s analysis of the Yanks’ catching quandary for 2009:

The Yankees’ biggest limit is not their “budget” or the disapproval of owners in Milwaukee and Miami. Their biggest limit is their 25-player roster limit. … But backup catcher? That’s one roster spot that should be completely available. And if you’ve got the Yankees’ “budget,” why not fill every roster spot with a useful player?

What’s more, while Goldman argues the Yankees need a “co-catcher,” there’s also the distinct possibility that they’ll need a catcher, period. If not this year, then next. And next winter the only free-agent catcher worth signing — if he doesn’t re-up with the Indians in the interim — will be Victor Martinez, and it’s not completely clear that he’ll be a catcher for much longer, himself.

[My take: Yes it would be great for the Yanks to have a back-up catcher of some skill on both sides of the equation, but there aren’t that many to be had in the free agent market.  A few weeks ago, I broached the topic of going after Martinez after ’09, and you guys (correctly) pointed out that the Indians would be fools not to invoke their $7 million club option for ’10.  Robinson Cano and Nady for Russell Martin and a pitching prospect, then ink Orlando Hudson for 2 years, anyone?]

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Let us wish our new President the resolve and ability to steer this country through these challenging times ….

Here’s the news:

• Over at the YES Network, Steven Goldman has some concerns over the state of the Yanks’ catching:

At this writing, the one thing that seems certain is that the days when the Yankees could count on Posada for 140 or more games are gone. That presents a problem, a familiar one. The only other catchers on the 40-man roster are Jose Molina and Francisco Cervelli. The Yankees have also invited five non-roster backstops to camp. Kevin Cash is the only member of that quintet who possesses major league experience, though most of that experience is comprised of making outs. The same thing goes for Molina, and is also indicated in any reasonable forecast for Cervelli, who, thanks to that pointless spring training collision, has yet to play in any meaningful way above High-A. Given his offensive shortcomings, which include the complete absence of power (he even slugged a lowly .350 in the Venezuelan Winter League), the Yankees would be wise to ticket him to Double-A and let him play his way upward, proving that his one solid hitting tool, his batting eye, stays with him as he climbs.

• The News notes that Don Zimmer has stated he has recovered from the minor stroke he suffered last month:

“I lost my speech capacity for about a week,” Zimmer said in a brief telephone interview Sunday. “But it’s come back now and I just got done with a whole bunch of tests, including a stress test on Friday, and I’ll get the results on them later this week.

“I’m fine,” he added. “For a while, I had a little trouble getting around, but I’m getting better at that every day, too. I’ve got just about everything back, all of my speech.”

• At LoHud, Pete Abe gives us the rundown on the Yankees appearing in the upcoming WBC, and wonders if Robinson Cano will be well-served by playing in it.
• MLB.com also has an article on the WBC Yankees.
• Derek Carty of The Hardball Times has an evaluation of Robinson Cano’s #s from a fantasy perspective.
• Happy 31st birthday to 2009 NRI John Rodriguez.  Rodriguez actually signed with the Yanks as an amateur free agent in 1996.
• Kevin Maas turns 44 today.  You’ll remember that Maas set a ML record for the fewest games needed to reach ten career HRs when he came up in 1990, and banged out 21 HRs in 79 games that year.  But the pitchers caught up to him the following year, and he was out of baseball by 1996.
• On this date in 1977, the Yankees obtain outfielder Paul Blair from Baltimore for Elliott Maddox and Rich Bladt.

Powered by the moving memorial service for Todd, here’s the news:

• Mike Lupica tries to give us the straight dope on the Stadium financing deal.  He includes some pointed remarks from State Assemblyman Richard Brodsky:

“… Even NYC officials now admit the truth of what we’ve been saying, that taxpayer dollars are tearing down The House That Ruth Built, and replacing it with The House That You Built.”

“Here’s how they do it. The city sends the Yankees a property tax bill like everyone else gets. The Yankees write a check (about $70 million a year) to the city for that amount, just like everyone else. But next, unlike you or I, the city winks and sends that check to the Yankees’ bankers to pay off the $1.4 billion mortgage, plus the $1.4 billion in interest on the new Stadium. You or I can’t get that deal, but the Yankees did.

“And they got a lot more. The got an additional $575 million directly to build parking garages and sewers and other stuff for the new Stadium. They don’t have to pay sales tax and mortgage recording taxes that every other taxpayer pays, and they get interest rate subsidies. That’s an additional taxpayer subsidy of about $350 million.

• The AP reports that CC Sabathia believes he’ll be able to handle the pressures of pitching in New York:

‘If you ask anybody in my family or anybody that knows me, I don’t think there’s any outside pressure that could be put on me that I don’t put on myself,’ Sabathia said Saturday night before being honored with the Warren Spahn Award. ‘I put an enormous amount of pressure on myself to go out there and perform and expect to win every game, expect to pitch well in every game.

‘I think having the guys in New York _ the A-Rods and the Jeters and these great players, and Tex _ I think it will help me be a better player.’

‘To have that bullpen and have just the support of that team, that team is unbelievable,’ Sabathia said. ‘To add me and A.J and put Tex in that lineup, I think it’s going to be an unbelievable team. Hopefully we have a special year.’

‘That’s what I’m looking for. That’s a thing that I’m big on is having great team chemistry, and hopefully we can get that in New York,’ Sabathia said.

• New HOFer Jim Rice vents his frustration over having to compete against the free-spending Yanks during his playing days, as per Newsday:

“During that time, Steinbrenner spent more money than the Red Sox,” Rice said. “He had more free agents. So when you get the best free agents, and you get the superstars from other ballclubs, that’s what made you have a better team. The more money you can spend, the better you should get.” …

Even now, Rice remains annoyed by the Yankees’ habit of throwing money at their problems. Not surprisingly, he lauds Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein for doing things the right way. “If you look at the Red Sox now, you see them bringing guys up in the organization,” he said. “That’s why Theo has been the person he’s been over the last couple of years. He’ll bring young kids up and stay within the organization.

“The Yankees haven’t won in the last eight years. What do they do? They go out and buy high-priced players in the hope to get back the winning percentage they had 10 years ago.”

[My take: Would Rice be so upset if that ball hadn’t gone through Buckner’s legs, and the Sox had won a Series during his career?]

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Here’s the goods:

• What the Yankees want, the Yankees get.  The News reports that the IDA approved the issuance of $370 million in additional tax-exempt funding for the new Stadium.  (The Mets got the $ they wanted also.)
• The Times clarifies the new funding: $259M is tax-exempt bonds, $111M is taxable bonds.
• Richard Sandomir of the Times has the wrap-up on the day’s proceedings at the IDA.
• Tyler Kepner of the Times reports that the Yanks have been in talks with numerous teams regarding Xavier Nady and Nick Swisher:

Swisher, a 28-year-old switch-hitter, is two years younger than Nady and is signed for three more seasons at roughly $21 million. Nady, 30, is a right-handed hitter who is eligible for free agency after the season. He is represented by Scott Boras, who rarely agrees to a long-term deal before a player explores the open market.

Nady had a better season than Swisher last year, batting .305 with 25 home runs and 97 runs batted in — all career highs. Swisher had the worst of his five seasons, hitting just .219 with 24 homers and 69 R.B.I. But Swisher’s on-base percentage, .332, was actually better than Nady’s .320 figure over two months with the Yankees.

In that way, Swisher profiles better as the kind of player the Yankees seek for their lineup. He saw an average of 4.53 pitches per plate appearance last season, leading the major leagues in that category. Nady averaged 3.65 pitches per plate appearance. Among Yankees, only Robinson Canó (3.35 pitches) was worse.

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This one is for you Todd … thanks for the vivid pictures you painted with the keyboard, and thank you for the “real” work you did at the ACLU.  The blogosphere is mourning your passing …. from Curt Schilling to PeteAbe to Tyler Kepner.  Even the guys at Deadspin noted it.

Here’s the news:

• The Times has an editorial in their “Opinion” section on the Stadium funding issue:

Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the development agency should renegotiate this latest round of what has always been an incredibly generous deal for one of the richest teams in the country. At a very minimum, they should insist that the Yankees pick up more of the city’s share of the project, which now amounts to $362 million.

About $326 million of that money will pay for demolishing the old stadium, building new infrastructure and replacing 22 acres of city parkland that was lost to the new stadium.

Yankee officials like to say that they are the ones paying to build this stadium, not the city’s taxpayers. That is only partly true. The public has subsidized the project in many ways — providing generous tax-exempt financing and a variety of other assistance like rent abatements.

Meanwhile, the total $362 million price tag to the city has almost doubled since the project was announced in 2006.

• The wonderful Neil DeMause of Field of Schemes.com has been doing yeoman work on tracking the costs associated with the Yanks and Mets new stadia.  He also covered Day 2 of the Industrial Development Agency’s hearings, for the Village Voice.
• John Harper of the News writes that the end of the NY football season brings the baseball teams to the forefront sooner.  And here’s his thoughts on the Yanks:

In Cashman’s case you can debate the excessive spending but you can’t say he hasn’t signed the right guys, especially in the case of CC Sabathia and Mark Teixeira. He filled glaring needs with elite players in their prime, and in keeping with his goal of recent years, made the Yankees younger in the process.

It doesn’t mean he was right to pass on the trade for Johan Santana last winter, but if his long-term plan was indeed to get a pitcher such as Sabathia while holding onto all of his young pitching, you can understand his thinking. Of course, it would help if Phil Hughes or Ian Kennedy blossomed as Mike Pelfrey did for the Mets last season, and Sabathia needs to deliver the way Santana did.

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Powered by ’80s New Wave music, here’s the news:

• Over at LoHud, Pete Abe wonders “at what point is rotation depth a concern”:

It’s not acceptable for a contending team to go into the season with four good starters and hold a contest for the fifth spot. You need to have a good No. 5 and decent options beyond that. Or do you believe that Sabathia, Burnett, Wang and Chamberlain will all stay healthy for six months?

Sign Andy Pettitte and the problem is solved. We wrote last week that one side had to blink. But so far nobody has. If not Pettitte, then somebody else.

[My take: I know I’m gonna sound like a broken record, but why not take a stab at Ben Sheets?]

• At the Times, Jim Dwyer opines on the Stadium funding fiasco and the political machinations thereof:

Without a doubt, politics is part of the invisible cost benefit analysis of the Yankees and Mets stadium deals — not only for those who now criticize them, like the comptroller, William C. Thompson Jr., who approved them in 2006, but also for those few who champion them, like Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg.

Such political values may not turn up on any public balance sheet, but it would be unwise to ignore them simply because they are invisible.

Suppose you are Mr. Bloomberg, your hopes of becoming president or vice president all but vanished. You have to step down as mayor in 2009 because a law that you unequivocally supported says you only get two terms.

How handy, then, to have powerful allies, like the developer, Jerry I. Speyer and the lobbyist, Howard Rubenstein, to convince other influential people that term limits will deprive the city of an essential leader during an era of financial crisis.

[My take: I think every member of the City Council, the NY State Assembly, and the Mayor’s Office of Management and Budget should be forced to read THIS book, especially Chapter 6 – The Stadium Issue].

• In a separate Times article, is it noted that the Stadium financing issue may be an albatross for Bloomberg’s re-election hopes.

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Powered by the thought that the Mets would have been better off wearing a Nicorette patch on their 2009 uniforms rather than this, here’s the news:

• Harvey Araton of the Times has a nice piece on Willie Randolph’s appreciation of the talents of Rickey Henderson:

“I had the good fortune of playing in three decades, and when you play that long, you’re going to see some unbelievable players,” Randolph said Tuesday. “But for me, pound for pound, for the things that Rickey could do with his legs alone, I’ve never seen anyone change the complexion of a game like him.” …

“If you looked at his legs and whole body, you’d think he was one of those guys who was in the gym all the time, but he wasn’t,” Randolph said. “He was like Bo Jackson or LeBron James — built like a man when he was a kid.”

Hitting behind Henderson, Randolph said, was natural for him, being a patient right-handed hitter with good peripheral vision, the ability to wait on his swing until he saw Henderson take off and hit the ball to the opposite field.

On earlier Yankee teams, he hit behind a rabbit of lesser renown, Mickey Rivers, a character in his own right. “With Mickey, we would communicate because he didn’t know the signs and I had to let him know when the hit-and-run was on,” Randolph said. “With Rickey, nothing, really, other than sometimes in the on-deck circle he’d say about a pitcher, usually a left-hander, ‘I have trouble picking up this guy.’ So I knew he might not run and I could swing earlier in the count.” …

He and Henderson will forever be linked by friendship and their pairing in the Yankees’ batting order. “It was a pleasure hitting behind him, and a privilege to watch him,” Randolph said.

• The Times’ Jack Curry gives us the ever-quotable Henderson on his big day:

When Henderson was asked what his salary would be if he were in his prime in 2009, he boosted himself into Alex Rodriguez’s financial territory.

“I don’t think they could pay me what I’d probably be worth,” Henderson said. “Or I’d probably be one of the highest-paid players out there, as far as what I brought to the game because I brought so many different weapons to the game.”

• Curry also has an article on Tony LaRussa’s appreciation of Rickey:

“For the period of time that I’ve been around, I think the most dangerous player is Rickey,” La Russa said. “In our time, Rickey worried you in more ways than anyone.”

So step aside, Barry Bonds. Sit down, Albert Pujols. They are dominating players, but La Russa stressed how Henderson’s combination of patience, speed, power and instincts made him “the guy that you felt was the most dangerous as far as taking that thing away from you.” That thing was the lead and the game. …

“One thing you’d try to avoid, if you’re trying to get an out, is distractions,” La Russa said. “Rickey just made it impossible not to be distracted by him.” …

“Everybody tried to stop Rickey,” La Russa said. “The feeling was, you stop Rickey and you stop the other club. He never had an easy at-bat, and he still put together a Hall of Fame career. He was amazing.”

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OK … the HOF vote is done … another month till pitchers and catchers … sigh …

Here’s the news:

• MLB.com has plenty of coverage on the HOF voting.  Here’s an article on the election of Henderson and Rice.  A couple of Henderson excerpts:

“I feel great about it,” said the 50-year-old Henderson during a conference call on Monday. “I love the game and I wanted to continue playing. It came to a time that I had to stop. It’s been five years and they chose me to go into the Hall of Fame. So I couldn’t be any more thrilled or pleased.”

“There was only one Rickey Henderson in baseball,” George Steinbrenner, the Yanks chairman, said about the right-handed hitter. “He was the greatest leadoff hitter of all time. I consider him a great friend with tremendous spirit and a true Yankee.”

“His election is well deserved. He was one of the best players that I ever played with and obviously the best leadoff hitter in baseball,” said Dave Winfield, a now fellow Hall of Famer who was Henderson’s teammate with the Yankees. “We had a lot of fun pushing each other to play at higher levels. I’m very glad to see he got in.”

• Here’s an audio clip with Henderson talking about the honor.
• Former Yankee teammates of Henderson were quoted in an MLB.com here:

“Rickey and I have been friends for a long time, and I am ecstatic for him,” (Willie) Randolph said. “I’ve been fortunate and blessed to have played with a great number of phenomenal baseball players, but pound-for-pound, Rickey Henderson is the best player I’ve ever played beside.

“No one was able to impact the course of a game in as many ways as Rickey. This is a great day for him, and I can’t wait to hear his acceptance speech.”

“Rickey was one of the most competitive players I’ve ever seen,” said former Yankee Ken Griffey Sr. “He was relentless. He could beat you with his legs and his bat, and he could beat you from the leadoff position, which was something people hadn’t seen before.

“As a person, Rickey was very funny and generous. I hung out and talked with him a lot, and we used to go to dinner. I enjoyed every minute of those years.”

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Arizona and Philly in the NFC title game …. in Arizona?

Back to baseball:

• Michael Silverman at the Boston Herald reports that the recent Teixeira two-step has left the BoSox with some animosity towards Scott Boras:

The Sox, meanwhile, are, at least for now, done with Boras. One well-placed source said the club will never deal with him again unless it can be guaranteed that talks are being conducted honestly. We would take that threat a little more seriously if Boras’ clientele list were to shrink dramatically, but since that is not realistic, we will take it as a sign of just how badly the club felt it got stung by lies from Boras. They are in a “fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me” mode right now, with the Teixeira talks feeling like the last straw to them.

Before Teixeira, it was the failed negotiations with another Boras client, right-handed high school pitcher Alex Meyer, the Sox’ 20th-round draft pick this past summer, who came close to signing but ultimately turned down what was estimated to be a $2 million signing bonus. Before Meyer, it was some needless and excessive behind-the-scenes drama in the Daisuke Matsuzaka talks in December 2006, the Johnny Damon talks a year earlier and of course the Alex Rodriguez talks after the 2003 season.

Having lost out on Teixeira, the Red Sox feel an urgency about their offense. Their inquiry to the Marlins about Hanley Ramirez’ availability speaks to that. As good as the core of the lineup still is, there is a pressing need to beef up with an elite slugger. Teixeira was that guy, and he was the perfect guy. To complain about the process, or Boras, publicly would smack of sour grapes. The Sox know this. Boras is not going away and the Red Sox’ resources and long-term strategy survived the latest Boras encounter.

Still, Teixeira left the club somewhat shell-shocked, some executives taking it more personally than others. It will take a bit longer for the shock and the hurt to dissipate.

• Jack Curry of the Times reflects on the similarities between Rickey Henderson … and Manny Ramirez:

“Rickey did his own thing,” said (Dennis) Eckersley, who was Henderson’s teammate on the A’s. “I never saw anyone like him. It’s like Manny being Manny. Rickey was Rickey.”

Even though Henderson was more known for his speed and scoring runs and Ramirez is more known for his hitting and driving in runs, they have a lot in common. (Don) Mattingly said that Rickey used to disrupt opponents and Manny does that now, forcing them to plan strategy around one dominant player and to worry about might happen next.

“Rickey was a lot like Manny, just in a different way,” Mattingly said. “He changed the game. Manny can do that, too.”

When Mattingly was Henderson’s teammate on the Yankees, he was amazed with how flawless Henderson’s hitting mechanics were and how knowledgeable Henderson was about the strike zone. Mattingly said that it was difficult to know how good Henderson was without being his teammate.

When Mattingly was Ramirez’s coach last season, he saw some of the traits he used to see in Henderson. Ramirez has the same type of plate discipline, work ethic and confidence. In addition, Mattingly said Henderson and Ramirez are both much more intelligent players than they are perceived to be.

• Curry has another article with a deeper appreciation of Rickey:

Henderson stole more bases (1,406) and scored more runs (2,295) than anyone, he had the second-most walks (2,190), and he notched 3,055 hits, regal statistics that prove he was a tremendous player. Henderson was also the best at talking about himself.

He needed no coaxing to cruise into Rickey-speak, a mixture of a streetwise preacher and an eccentric professor. He would talk about how he felt or how his salary was unfair or who owed him money from card games or about teammates whose names he did not recall. Through all of Henderson’s chatter, Don Mattingly considered him a baseball savant.

“He kind of got his words jumbled sometimes so some people thought that he wasn’t smart,” said Mattingly, Henderson’s teammate on the Yankees. “But he was. Rickey knew exactly what was going on.”

Eckersley called Henderson “a game changer,” a disruptive force with a strike zone as small as a shoe box. Seeing Henderson lope to the plate and crouch into his stance was nightmarish for pitchers. O.K., Henderson’s body language shouted, try to throw me a strike. Once pitchers did, Henderson would use a swing that Mattingly called, “one of the best I’ve ever seen” to connect.

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Powered by Moe Green, here’s the news:

• Let’s start with a good trivia question, courtesy of Jayson Stark … now that the John Smoltz-Chipper Jones tag team has been busted up after 16 years together, which pair of active teammates has played together the longest? (Answer at the end of this post)
• Newsday’s Ken Davidoff gives the reasons the Yanks would prefer to keep Swisher over Nady:

1) Swisher’s versatility. He can play both corner outfield positions and first base as well as centerfield (his weakest position). Nady plays only the corner outfield positions.

2) As a switch hitter, Swisher gives Joe Girardi more flexibility.

3) Swisher is signed through 2011 for $21 million. Nady can become a free agent after this season, and with Scott Boras as his agent, he indeed will file for free agency.

4) Although the Yankees like Nady perfectly well, they think Swisher’s upbeat, fiery personality could be an added asset.

• Over at BP.com, Shawn Hoffman details why a salary cap might actually harm lower-revenue/lower-payroll teams:

Let’s say, in some far-off universe, MLB owners and players actually did agree on a salary cap. With it would come the normal provisions: a salary floor at around 75-85 percent of the cap, and a guaranteed percentage of total industry revenues for the players. Since the players have been taking in about 45 percent of revenues the past few years, we’ll keep it at that figure …

Using 2008 as an example, the thirty teams took in about $6 billion … for an average of $200 million per team. Forty-five percent of that (the players’ share) is $90 million, which we’ll use as the midpoint between our floor and cap. If we want to make the floor 75 percent of the cap …  we can use $77 million and $103 million, respectively.

With a $103 million cap, nine teams would have been affected last year, and a total of about $286 million would have had to be skimmed off the top. Since total salaries have to remain at existing levels, the bottom twenty-one teams would have had to take on this burden, which had previously been placed on the Yankees, Red Sox, et al. On the other end, fourteen teams would have been under the payroll floor, by a total of $251 million. Even discounting the Marlins‘ $22 million payroll, the other thirteen teams would have had to spend an average of $15 million more just to meet the minimum. Some of those teams might be able to afford it; most wouldn’t.

Imagine being Frank Coonelly in this situation. Coonelly, the Pirates‘ team president, has publicly supported a cap. Had our fictional cap/floor arrangement been instituted last year, the Pirates would have needed to increase their Opening Day payroll by $28 million. Not only would the team have taken a big loss, but Neal Huntington’s long-term strategy would have been sabotaged, since the team would have had to sign a number of veterans just to meet the minimum payroll.

Now fast forward to 2009. Let’s say the Pirates’ sales staff runs into major headwinds, with the team struggling and the economy sinking. The team’s top line takes a hit, falling $10 million from 2008. The Mets and Yankees, meanwhile, open their new ballparks, and each team increases its local revenue by $50 million. If the twenty-seven other teams are flat, total industry revenues rise by $90 million (not including any appreciation in national media revenue). Forty-five percent of that, of course, goes to the players. So even as the Pirates’ purchasing power decreases, the payroll floor actually rises.

In other words, without a more egalitarian distribution of income, the system crumbles.

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Finally Friday …. here’s the news:

• Ken Davidoff of Newsday writes that Andy Pettitte may be thinking of heading back to the Astros, given the lack of progress with the Yanks.  He lists three factors:

1. Pettitte believes that the Yankees should display more appreciation for all that he has done for them.

2. While the Yankees are asking that Pettitte take a pay cut, the team clearly is not hurting financially, given its large investments in Teixeira, CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett.

3. Pettitte thinks that his 2008 season wasn’t as bad as the Yankees are making it out to be.

• PeteAbe of LoHud has an opinion on the Yankees’ need for Pettitte, and also offers this late note on the Astros’ rumblings:

Via MLB Trade Rumors, here is what Houston GM Ed Wade said about Pettitte: “We haven’t had any discussion with Andy or his representatives and we don’t see a scenario where he would fit into our payroll scenario at this time.”

• MLB.com notes that Xavier Nady may be the odd man out in the outfield shuffle, while Nick Swisher should be safe.
• The Times’ Tyler Kepner examines the outfield depth, and thinks the Yankees shouldn’t trade any of them:

What about this? Keep them all. As Rob Neyer points out at ESPN.com, the Red Sox now have a spare outfielder who’s a very good player — Rocco Baldelli — so the Yankees might want to keep theirs, too. They will probably need the injury protection at some point, and the depth would allow Manager Joe Girardi to rest Damon regularly to keep his legs fresh.

The Yankees also could keep their depth in case someone gets hurt in spring training and presents them with a hole they don’t have now. The rotation and the bullpen look good enough. There’s no need to rush into anything in January — if at all.

• The News reports that more than 1/4 of the new tax-exempt funding requested by the Yanks is for things like giant video screens and upgraded luxury suites.

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99 days to go till Opening Day at the Stadium … here’s some news to tide you over:

• Mark Teixeira was introduced to the New York media at a press conference yesterday.  Here’s a couple of quotes from the newly-pinstriped slugger:

“The first time I went to Yankee Stadium, I was in awe,” Teixeira said. “The chance to play here my first six years in the big leagues, I always loved coming here. Seeing Mattingly when he was a coach here and going out to Monument Park was very special for me.

“I’m going to get a chance to be the first first baseman the Yankees have in the new stadium. That’s going to be pretty sweet. The fans here in New York will be pumped.”

Discussing the long free-agent process that ultimately landed him in New York, Teixeira gave much of the credit to his wife, Leigh, who helped seal the deal in a Dec. 12 conversation over dinner at a Texas country club.

“I said to Leigh, ‘Everything’s equal. Where would you want to play?'” Teixeira said. “Finally, she broke down and said, ‘I want you to be a Yankee.’ That’s what did it for me.”

• Jon Lane of the YES Network covered the press conference, and gives us a pleasing Tex quote:

Seconds into his formal introduction, Teixeira, looking completely relaxed and at ease, showed off perhaps his greatest attribute. He smiled and told the notoriously tough New York media to fire away, taking questions about accepting responsibility and playing up to expectations that will never be higher.

“I look at myself as a leader,” Teixeira said. “First and foremost, I try to do things the right way on the field and you can carry that over to the locker room and earn the respect of your teammates.”

He explained later to writers he was negotiating with five different teams, the Yankees, Red Sox, Nationals, Angels and Orioles, and how the Yankees were atop the pecking order. At first, his wife Leigh told him she just wanted him to be happy. On December 12, during their weekly Friday night dinner at their country club in Texas, Teixeira asked his wife if all things were equal, where you want me to play. Her answer was New York, the Yankees and everything that comes with it.

“I might have been a little more hesitant if I hadn’t played in so many different cities the last three years,” Teixeira said. “I went to Atlanta, where Braves baseball is huge. That was some pressure. It was the first time in a long time I was nervous to play a baseball game. The same going to Anaheim. They were the kings of the AL West. The media is tougher there and the fans are into it, so I think I’ve gotten a taste of a little bit of everything and I enjoyed being a part of it.”

• The Post has more yummy quotes from Teixeira.
• Bryan Hoch at MLB.com runs down how the Yanks acquired Tex.
• More “much ado about nothing” regarding Andy Pettitte.  Here’s a couple of quotes from the Yankees:

“There’s still dialogue going on,” Yankees co-chairman Hal Steinbrenner said. “They were not happy with our offer; we were not happy with what they wanted. There’s been no agreement.”

Cashman would not confirm a New York Times report that New York has pulled its offer to the 36-year-old Pettitte, but said in reference to his level of interest: “Things are more complicated now.”

• The Post reports that if the offer to Pettitte is still alive, it is most likely lower than the original $10 million figure.
• The City has bowed to public scrutiny and criticism, and is giving up the luxury box it negotiated for itself in dealing with the funding for the new stadium.

[My take: I’m sure members of the Bloomberg administration will have no problem scoring a couple of free passes or luxury box invites regardless of this turn of events.]

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I want Les Nessman to read this post aloud … but I’ll settle for you reading it to yourself:

• ESPN.com has its baseball writers making early predictions for 2009, and some Yankees figure prominently, like CC Sabathia:

As he neared signing with the Yankees, Sabathia got a message from Red Sox GM Theo Epstein telling him how much Epstein respected him for putting aside free agency to try to bring Milwaukee a championship. Some look at what Sabathia has done the past two seasons — from Opening Day to the playoffs: 36 wins, 513 innings pitched, 69 starts — and worry about what that means to his long-term career. The Yankees look at him and see what they most need: the model of reliability.

• Also as part of those predictions, Tim Kurkjian states that the Yanks will be “must-see TV”:

“It will be fun to watch,” one baseball executive said. “All the Yankee lovers will love them even more because they’re really good. The Yankee haters will hate them even more for just buying all the best players. I’d have done the same thing if I were them. We’ll see if it works.”

• In an MLB.com article, Brian Cashman lets us know what he thinks of the starting rotation right now:

“It’s a long season and we’re in the American League East, which is by far the toughest division in the game,” Cashman said. “I think if we can add one more piece to that rotation, it would be beneficial. But it doesn’t absolutely have to go that way.”

• Over at the Times, Tyler Kepner votes for Joba Chamberlain to be in the starting rotation:

… the Yankees already have a lights-out setup man: Brian Bruney. In 31 games from the bullpen last season, Bruney’s earned run average was 1.95, and opponents hit .153. In 30 games from the bullpen last season, Chamberlain’s E.R.A. was 2.31, and opponents hit .211. So, Bruney was actually better. Besides, if the Yankees make the playoffs, Chamberlain will probably have thrown so many innings as a starter that he’ll have to be a reliever in October, anyway. Chamberlain has the stuff to be an elite starter, and Bruney has the stuff to be an elite setup man …

• Kepner also details the on-going saga of Andy Pettitte and the $10 million offer for 2009, which Andy has supposedly rejected:

At 36 and a father of four, Pettitte has taken a year-to-year approach to his career. The Yankees let him take his time in deciding whether to exercise a one-year option after the 2007 season, and he waited until early December, just before the release of the Mitchell report.

Pettitte did not tell the Yankees that he might be included in the report, which said he had used human growth hormone. Pettitte admitted his use and the Yankees supported him publicly. But his performance suffered in the second half of the season, when he usually gets stronger, and he admitted his distracting off-season might have been a factor.

• Mark Teixeira will indeed be introduced to the New York media at a press conference Tuesday.  Newsday reports that Tex won’t be getting uni number 23.
• USA Today assembled an All-Star roster for 2009 with the proviso that the total salary couldn’t be higher than the median team salary in 2008.  There were enough “pre-arbitration” bargains on the roster to allow for the deserved choice of Mariano Rivera as cl0ser.
• Jason Giambi appears to be headed towards a return to the A’s, likely signing a one-year deal later this week.
• The Rays made their first significant free agent move in defending their A.L. crown, signing Pat Burrell to a two year, $16 million deal.

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And here … we … go!

• Kevin Kernan of the Post believes the Yanks should forgo re-signing Andy Pettitte and go after Oliver Perez:

The Yankees are waiting on Andy Pettitte Andy Pettitte , but there is another lefty available at basically Pettitte dollars and that’s Oliver Perez. Signing Perez would cement the Yankees’ rotation for years to come and would give them flexibility with Joba Chamberlain.

“Putting Perez on the Yankees would be a great move,” says one top pitching evaluator. “That would be the perfect environment for him. He would be more focused there. He needs strong leadership around him, and pitching in front of a packed house, he would not be complacent.”

Perez is 5-1 against the Yankees lifetime. He takes those games as a challenge and he attacks. Because he already has six full seasons under his belt and has had his share of ups and downs, people forget Perez is just 27. Opposing hitters batted only .234 last season against him. Walks, of course, have been his downfall. There is no excuse for his ridiculous 105 walks, the most in the majors. In eight of his 34 starts last season, Perez surrendered five or more walks.

That has to change. The previous season, he walked 79.

Perez is represented by Scott Boras, who also represents Mark Teixeira. Cashman has a good working relationship with Boras. The GM would have to take a leap of faith with Perez, but the upside could be tremendous. In Pettitte, the Yankees will get a pitcher they hope has one good season left in his cranky left shoulder.

Opponents batted .290 last season against Pettitte, 56 points higher than they did against Perez, who allowed 66 fewer hits. Perez also had a lower ERA (4.22 to 4.54) and more strikeouts (180 to 158). Perez is 10 years younger, too, which fits Cashman’s plan of making the Yankees younger.

[My take: Perez averaged less than six innings per start, and that 4.22 ERA was compiled in the easier NL (including a 4.50 ERA in pitcher-friendly Shea).  Even with his being a lefty, I fear those walks will turn into many stolen base opportunities if Posada’s wing isn’t 100%.  If the Yanks really want one more FA pitcher, why not offer an incentive-laden two-year deal to Ben Sheets?  Or is the health of his shoulder still too iffy?]

• Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe reports on the seven teams that improved the most so far this off-season, based on opinions from various GMs, scouts and other officials.  Here’s the Yanks write-up:

Money doesn’t buy them a championship, but it’s almost always bought them the postseason. They might have ensured that with the signings of CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, and Mark Teixeira, and I doubt they’re through.

There’s still room to do something about center field by dealing one of their outfielders, Xavier Nady, Johnny Damon, or Melky Cabrera. We doubt it will be Damon, who was instrumental in recruiting Burnett and Teixeira.

Their up-the-middle defense is suspect, so they certainly are not flawless.

• In an opinion column over at the Daily News, Paul Weinstein, a former policy adviser to Bill Clinton and Al Gore, isn’t sold on the Yank’s asking for additional tax-exempt bonds:

It’s not just the literal dollars being spent that hurts; it’s the opportunity cost. New York City will lose $259 million in tax-exempt debt that could be used to fund other important projects – such as building more affordable rental housing or a new Moynihan Station. In 2009, according to the IRS, New York State will receive roughly $1.7 billion in tax-exempt bond authority for joint public and private ventures. If the Yankees’ request is approved, it will use about 15% of that allotment.

Most economists will tell you public support for stadiums and arenas is not efficient. While that is true as a general rule, it is not always right. Public financing of sports arenas can make sense when the venues can be used for multiple purposes (concerts, conventions, as well as sports); a project is the foundation for the rebuilding of a distressed area (see the Verizon Center in Washington); fans from other states get drawn into the city; the team that uses the facility is an integral part of the community (e.g. the Green Bay Packers), and team owners are paying a fair share of the cost of the project.

Because the new Yankee Stadium project met several of the above criteria, city government was right to provide public funding for the initial project. By all measures, it’s going to be a beautiful and economically important addition to the Bronx.

But it is never a good idea to use public funds to cover costs not projected in the initial plan, as in December a number of media outlets reported the Yankees now intend to do. Doing so encourages government officials and sports franchises to hide the true cost of the projects and contractors to overcharge for their work.

Worst of all, that $259 million in extra bonds will not create a significant number of new jobs at a time when New York is facing the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.

[My take: I have no problem with the Yankees offering top salaries to free agent talent.  I have some problem with the cost of seats at the stadium, but if someone is willing to pay that price … and the Yanks reinvest that revenue, that’s OK too.  I do have a problem with the fiscal shenanigans that appear to be going on with the valuation of the land for the new stadium, the City apparently looking the other way while ensuring they got their own suite at the new park, and the Yankees’ going back to the tax-exempt bond well now, especially given the current economic climate.]

• Also at the News, Anthony McCarron reports that Mark Teixeira may get his introductory press conference as early as this Tuesday.
• Andruw Jones is about to become available.  Should the Yankees make a play for him?  Pete Abe at LoHud.com wonders:

Look at this way, when Joe Torre decides an accomplished veteran player isn’t worth having around, that’s saying something.

But Jones turns 32 in April, young enough to think that he has a comeback in him. If he were amenable to a minor-league contract with an invitation to spring training, what would the Yankees have to lose?

The question is whether Jones can do better. Perhaps there is a team out there that will trade something for him or give him a guaranteed deal. I suspect that at least one club (the Nationals, perhaps) will try and pick him up.

I’d want nothing to do with Jones. I’d rather see Melky Cabrera and Brett Gardner compete for the position. The Yankees need to mix some young players into the lineup and they need a good glove in center to compensate for their defensive inadequacies elsewhere.

[My take: Given how far Jones has fallen since the start of 2007, I for one wonder if he’s not another one of those “false birth certificate” cases like Miguel Tejada, and Jones really is more like 34 going on 35.  Please Mr. Cashman, don’t go anywhere near Andruw.]

• Here’s a fun little factoid …. Bucky Dent played on the same high school baseball team as Mark Teixeira’s dad.
• Belated birthday wishes to Ted Lilly (33 yesterday) and Daryl Boston (46).
• Happy 48th birthday to native New Yorker Henry Cotto.  Happy 51st birthday to Ron Kittle (a team of Cotto on the ’86 and ’87 Yanks).
• On this date in 1984, the Yankees sign future Hall of Fame pitcher Phil Niekro to a two-year contract. Niekro, who went 11-10 with a 3.97 ERA for the Atlanta Braves in 1983, will fill a void in the rotation and allow the team to move Dave Righetti to the bullpen.
• On this date in 1993, Reggie Jackson is the lone player elected by the Baseball Writers Association of America to the Hall of Fame. Jackson, whose .262 lifetime batting average is the lowest of any outfielder in the Hall, receives 93.6 percent of the vote.
• On this date in 1999, Yogi Berra receives an apology from George Steinbrenner over Berra’s dismissal as Yankees manager in 1985 after only 16 games. Berra says he will end his self-exile from Yankee Stadium and the organization.

Powered by my hope that MLB Network will at some point show up on Time Warner’s “Digital Starter Pak” tier, here’s the news:

• Bryan Hoch of MLB.com summarizes the Yanks off-season progress to this point, and gives them a gold star:

On a scale of one to 10, the Yankees get an 10 for identifying their top winter priorities and taking care of all three. Sure, the Yankees spent in huge numbers, spreading a combined $423.5 million among three players. But they did so completely within the rules of the game and have found a way to operate the way few clubs can. The Yankees cannot be penalized for writing huge checks just because other teams aren’t willing to enter their arena.

• At the Times, Justin Sablich likes the thought of putting Joba Chamberlain back in the pen:

Chamberlain in the bullpen would most likely make each starting pitcher better by shortening his starts. Fans concerned about Sabathia burning out in September or Burnett breaking down over the long haul could rest a little easier. A Chamberlain bridge would also make life easier for Rivera, who turned 39 in November and may not be able to crank out a two-inning save with as much ease as in the past.

In addition to keeping others healthy, Chamberlain could be healthier by remaining a reliever. There’s no questioning his effectiveness as a starter. His numbers as a starter last season (2.75 ERA and 10.3 K/9) were almost identical to his stats as a reliever (2.31 ERA and 11.1 K/9). But his shoulder injury came about as a starter, and fewer innings could only help him keep his shoulder strong.

• Also at the Times, Jack Curry describes the horrendous trip Don Larsen had to endure to film an interview for the new MLB Network.
• The annual salary arbitration filing period begins Monday, and Barry Bloom of MLB.com gives us an overview of its history and process.
• State Assemblyman Richard Brodsky wants to delay the scheduled January 16 vote on additional bond funding for the Yanks and Mets new ballparks, citing insufficient documentation and public input.
• At SI.com, Jon Heyman includes Bobby Abreu, Jason Giambi and Andy Pettitte in his top 20 remaining free agents.

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All is quiet … on New Year’s Day (even the news):

• Are Mets Lowe-balling Derek?: Reports from the Times are that the Citi Fielders offered FA Derek Lowe a three-year, $36 million deal.
• Which non-Yankees team will blink first and sign the next free agent?: ESPN.com’s Buster Olney reports that free agent spending by teams other than the Bombers has decreased by $244 million from this same point last year.
• Fun fact: CC Sabathia tied for the lead in shutouts in each league in 2008.  More fun facts included in Jayson Stark’s annual compilation of the wild and wacky.
• If you are interested in hearing Frank Deford talk about the same stuff he wrote about the Yankees yesterday (calling them the “Antoinettes”), go to NPR.com.
• Yankees Minor League Transactions during the past week (Baseball America)
• On this date in 2006, Paul Lindblad passed away at the age of 64.  Lindblad, noted for his solid years in the A’s bullpen during the 70s, finished his career as a late-season addition to the Yanks playoff run in 1978.

I wish you all a happy and healthy New Year.  I’ll be back on Saturday.

Last post of 2008 …. let’s go out with a bang!

• Bob Klapisch wonders where the slowly declining Derek Jeter will end up once his current contract expires, especially now that Teixeira’s signing precludes the Captain’s shift to first:

Even while hitting an even .300 last year, Jeter’s power numbers plummeted toward career-lows. He bounced into 24 double plays last year, tops on the Yankees, and tied for fourth in the American League.

It’s possible he is about to enter his decline phase, which is the crux of the Yankees’ dilemma.

Until they signed Teixeira, it was a given that Jeter would get another deal in 2011 and that, as he pushed closer to 40, would shift to another position. First base would’ve been the most logical choice, given his sure hands.

But Teixeira now blocks Jeter’s transition, as does Jorge Posada’s inevitable conversion from catcher to DH. A-Rod has nine more years at third base. The Yankees seem committed to resurrecting Robinson Cano at second. If Jeter goes anywhere, it would have to be center field after Johnny Damon has moved on.

The easiest way out, of course, is if Jeter’s production stalls altogether; if he were to shrink to .265 or lower in his last two seasons, the Yankees could conceivably take the public relations hit and let the captain’s contract expire.

But Jeter isn’t likely to atrophy like that. Even without gap power, the captain will likely range between .275-.300, which will be enough for the Steinbrenner family to rationalize keeping him around.

Don’t forget, Jeter is 465 hits (approximately three seasons) shy of 3,000 for his career. It’s impossible to think the Yankees would let him achieve that historic goal anywhere else.

[My take: I believe I’ve asked this question around here before, but would Jeter volunteer to move to a different position, or would the Yanks have to pry shortstop from his cold, pastadiving hands?  I often wondered if, during the Tino Martinez (aka good-fielding 1B) years, if Jeter would be able to handle second base.  If the Yanks DO decide to deal Cano in the next year or so, would Jeter slide over?”]

• Over at LoHud, Pete Abe does some math, and thinks the Yanks are still short in terms of starting pitchers innings  (targeting a minimum of 950 IP):

Put down CC Sabathia for 225 innings. It’s unreasonable to expect more than that. Put down A.J. Burnett for 190. Given his history, it’s hard to expect more. Figure Wang for 200. Chamberlain will be limited to around 140 or so.

That’s 755. So where are those extra 200 innings coming from? Team officials have said they’re ready to draw the line on spending and that Andy Pettite missed his chance. But the rotation is no place to suddenly get a financial conscience.

In theory, Phil Hughes, Ian Kennedy and Alfredo Aceves could give you those 200 innings. But that assumes the other four starters stay healthy and do what is expected. That’s a big assumption.

The Yankees don’t just need a No. 5 starter. They need a No. 6 and No. 7 starter. Joba will need a break. You don’t want to abuse Sabathia. Burnett is Burnett. Wang is coming off a serious injury.

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Powered by Pandora Internet Radio, here’s the news:

• Add Astros’ owner Drayton McLane to those who see what the Yankees are doing, and then voices an interest in a salary cap:

“We would love to have a salary cap, but the (players’) union has been very resistant to that,” McLane said last week. …

“The Yankees are the Yankees and are always going to be in a
position that is unique to the game from the standpoint of the revenues and what they’re capable of doing,” Astros general manager Ed Wade said. …

“Our revenues jumped going into a new park (in 2000), but nowhere in the league of the Yankees,” McLane said. “They will certainly generate more revenue in their new stadium. We still have tough, tough economic times, and I hope they allot for that.” …

… the club is bracing to be hit hard as corporate sponsors rethink how to spend their advertising dollars in a troubled economy. The Astros lost one of their major sponsors earlier this year when Landmark Chevrolet went bankrupt.

“These are challenging times for banks and car dealerships,” McLane said. “None of us have knowledge of what the economy is going to do, and that’s a concern for everyone.”

• SI.com’s Frank Deford rails against the Yankees spending, and will henceforth refer to them as the “Antoinettes”:

Now, let us give the devil its due. The Bronx Bombers play by the rules. They pay their luxury tax on time, without whining. One of their executives even says that the team’s fans view the Antoinettes as a “sacred trust,” and that part of the attendant liturgy is that the club will pour profits back into inventory —- even if it means bidding against itself.

But still, there is a point, whether the economy is boom or bust, when one team’s extravagance is so gross that it tarnishes the sense of competition. New York’s dominance a half-century ago severely diminished the whole American League. It was the Yankees and the seven dwarfs. The financial spectacle that the Antoinettes have put on display this off-season really does come close to trampling on the spirit of the game. In sport, the prime idea should be to root for our team —- not against the other fellows. The Antoinettes, by their excess, imperil that emotional equation and risk doing damage to the very thing they seek to dominate.

• Also at SI.com, Ben Reiter has a brief analysis that seems to stress that even with the three major additions, the Yanks may not be as good as some people think.
• ReelSportsFan.com offers this video clip of an interview with Andy Pettitte, conducted prior to the signings.

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