The Way-ay-ting Is The Hardest Part

Ho hum ho hum. Not much news happening out there in Yankeeland. All has been pretty quiet since the Yankees offered CC his big fat offer. No major developments. Not hot juicy rumors. Nothing. The suspense is killing me. I want to know where CC is headed. I don't think we'll have to wait too much longer. I really think something will be done by the end of the winter meetings. That always seems to be the time when big deals get brokered and announced. I'm still thinking that CC is going elsewhere. I can't help but think he would have signed already if he wanted to come here. Surprisingly though, there haven't been any other offers that have been mentioned. I find that kind of odd. Are the other teams not really that interested in CC? His agent has to know what kind of interest there is, right? You'd think if there were no interest, we already would have seen CC's mug plastered on TV with a Yankees cap superimposed on his dome. But that hasn't happened? So what the heck is going on? What's everybody waiting for? I'm dying over here. Give me something.

My friend Jeff (aka Larry Wayne Jones) was telling me at our weekly meeting of the minds, which is lunch at Fuddruckers, that the Braves were going to pony up the 5th year for A.J. Burnett. According to MLBTradeRumors, that's the word on the street. If it's true, I think Burnett signs that contract with the quickness. I think any team would be silly to give A.J. a 5 year deal. I just wouldn't commit to that much time and money for a guy with A.J.'s track record. I also think he's overhyped. I was never really big on the idea of him pitching in pinstripes. He may be thought of as the "2nd best" free agent pitcher out there, but I don't think the risk is worth the reward. I will not be disappointed at all if he doesn't play for the Yankees.

I really think the Yanks are going to come up on the short end of the stick when it comes to landing the any of top free agent pitchers. If they end up striking out on CC, Burnett, and Lowe (another guy I can live without), I don't see how they don't go all out for Mark Teixeira and/or Manny Ramirez. They're going to have to outslug a lot of teams if they're pitching isn't up to snuff. I know signing Manny would give the Yankees another OF/DH type, which they don't really need, but Brian Cashman could get creative with the roster. I can see him moving Damon to CF for the year and letting Gardner and/or Melky stew in the minors, or be the 4th OF. I can see him trading Damon and plugging Manny into LF. I can see him dealing Matsui and making Manny the DH. Cashman would have many options and Manny would make the Yankees offense exponentially better. Manny is arguably the best right handed hitter to have ever stepped onto a baseball field. Imagine putting him behind A-Rod? Ouch. And there are going to be a lot of openings in the OF come 2010. Manny might not be bad to have around. I only advocate going after him if the market runs dry on top pitchers. Same with Teixeira. Pitching should be, and rightfully is, the top priority this offseason.

I really think as soon as one of the top free agents sign, be it a pitcher or position player, a chain reaction is going to occur where they all sign one after another. The winter meetings kick off this Monday in Vegas and where better to have that all go down. I have the feeling a lot is going to happen in Vegas, and it's not going to stay there.

It should be an exciting, and hopefully eventful, week.

Peace, love, and Pinstripes,

J-Boogie