First the team’s payroll was 209 million last year, assuming they don’t have a problem staying near that, or going over (they are moving into a new park) this is what I think Cashman will do.

From the payroll they are loosing, Abreu (16m+), Pettitte (16m+), Pudge (13m) Mussina (11m), Marte (6m club option), and Giambi (21m, w. a 5m club option) and thats about it majorly

The Team will look like this, not counting bench
C- Posada, (?) Molina
1B- ?
2B- Cano
3B- Rodriguez
SS- Jeter
OF- Damon, Melky, Nady
DH - Matsui

Holes-
Catcher — I really think that Posada is done as a catcher, but hopefully he’ll be able to stay back there. If not i think he’ll be Jeff Bagwell and play first with no arm. They are loyal to him, just gave him a big deal, and aren’t just going to send him to the glue factory.

If I’m the Yanks, i move him to first, and talk to Texas about Laird. Obviously, Texas is in desperate need of pitching, so Kennedy and Melancon would get it done (maybe not, but as cashman i would make a deal around those two work).

This would save the team money, get a good defender back there, with a decent contract.

Center —I think the Yanks need to move Melky to the Bench(-4 VORP). I could see them trying to deal for Nate McLouth, Cody Ross/Josh Willingham, or eat the contract of Aaron Rowand.

In the end, I see them getting on of those two from Florida. Florida will seriously compete this year with all of those pitchers healthy. They will be fine with an OF, of Maybin, Hermida (back as a starter) and Willingham. I’ll say they take Ross because he can play center (+15 in center BJames.com).

That brings them to,
C- Laird
1B- Posada
2B- Cano
SS - Jeter
3B- Arod
OF- Damon, Ross, Nady (its not sexy, but it will have to do).

Pitching wise, I see them resigning Mussina, but not Pettitte.

They’ll look like this, Wang, Mussina, Hughes, Joba, and Kennedy/Pavano. Not pretty.

Not going for Tex allows them to sign CC and not loose too much of the compensation they’ve earned (maybe depending on arbitration). I see him signing for 6 years 136 million. I know he probably doesn’t want to, but the Mets won’t tie up 300 million in two pitchers, the Angles are going to tie up similar money in Tiex, and the Dodgers are in fiscal trouble.

CC Wang Mussina, Joba, Hughes is pretty nice, but I could see them going to another stater like Brad Penny (maybe a bounce back) or John Garland to fix up the back end. I’ll say Garland.

The pen looks like this, Rivera, Brian Bruney, Jose Veras, Edwar Ramirez, and Damaso Marte.

The yankees need another lefty, they’ll sign Will Ohman to be there lefty guy.

I have to think the Yankees just don’t have enough in the way of prospects to land an Adrian Gonzalez type. Someone, somewhere is going to be willing and able to give up more in terms of prospects than NY.

So if I were the Yankees, the two players I would pursue most heavily would be Teixeira and Lowe. Get Teixeira locked up for 7-8 years and Lowe for 3-4. This way, you get longterm help for the lineup, where the Yankees have few prospects who really excite me, and short term hope for the rotation, where the team does actually have some young hope on the way. I’d supplement those moves by looking to snag a versatile outfielder a catcher and maybe some middle infield help too. shoring up the bullpen couldn’t hurt either. but those two big signings would be the foundation of my offseason.

Lets face it. The Yankees are going to spend and spend BIG!!!! They have lots of resources and money coming off the books. If I were the Yankees I would go after the best pitcher available and the best hitter available. I would let Giambi walk, resign Petitte, say farewell to Mussina if he really wants a 3 year contract, and sign Abreu to a 2 year deal maximum (if he wants more years he can go elsewhere).

1) look to trade both Damon and Matsui (and would be willing to eat $3-4M of Matsui’s contract). Both guys are in the last year of their deals that pay them $13M. I would replace them with Manny (who is bound to want some revenge on Boston) (probably a 3yr plus an option at somewhere between $20-25M/yr). The salaries would be almost equivalent.

2) Sign Teixeira at no more than 7yr $175M ($25M/yr). That would be a big upgrade defensively plus add a switch hitter to the lineup.

3) Get Giambi to agree to replace the final year of his deal with a 2yr $30M deal. I don’t think that it’s a good idea to sign this guy longterm. Giambi would become the Yankees regular DH (which would be probably shared a fair bit with Posada). Otherwise sign someone like Ibanez.

4) Sign Sabathia to a 6yr $132M ($22M/yr). Sign whichever of the following who agrees to work for the most favourable deal: Lowe, Mussina, Pettite. That would give the Yankees a rotation of Sabathia, Wang, Joba, Hughes, and decent starter X (which Kenneday could be included into the mix). If Peavy is available, I would strongly pursue him and be willing to trade a lot for him.

5) Let Abreu go. Let Nady take over RF. That would probably allow the Yankees to pursue a better caliber starter on top of Sabathia.

6) Trade for a reliever. Not too thrilled of the free agent market with Fuentes and K-rod. I really don’t like to overpay for closers, so my preference would be not. A possible candidate is Putz, who had a pretty solid 2nd half after a disastrous 1st half.

That’s probably approx $80M in spending. The Yankees could and probably will spend more than that.

1) look to trade both Damon and Matsui (and would be willing to eat $3-4M of Matsui’s contract). Both guys are in the last year of their deals that pay them $13M. I would replace them with Manny (who is bound to want some revenge on Boston) (probably a 3yr plus an option at somewhere between $20-25M/yr). The salaries would be almost equivalent.

2) Sign Teixeira at no more than 7yr $175M ($25M/yr). That would be a big upgrade defensively plus add a switch hitter to the lineup.

3) Get Giambi to agree to replace the final year of his deal with a 2yr $30M deal. I don’t think that it’s a good idea to sign this guy longterm. Giambi would become the Yankees regular DH (which would be probably shared a fair bit with Posada). Otherwise sign someone like Ibanez.

4) Sign Sabathia to a 6yr $132M ($22M/yr). Sign whichever of the following who agrees to work for the most favourable deal: Lowe, Mussina, Pettite. That would give the Yankees a rotation of Sabathia, Wang, Joba, Hughes, and decent starter X (which Kenneday could be included into the mix). If Peavy is available, I would strongly pursue him and be willing to trade a lot for him.

5) Let Abreu go. Let Nady take over RF. That would probably allow the Yankees to pursue a better caliber starter on top of Sabathia.

6) Trade for a reliever. Not too thrilled of the free agent market with Fuentes and K-rod. I really don’t like to overpay for closers, so my preference would be not. A possible candidate is Putz, who had a pretty solid 2nd half after a disastrous 1st half.

That’s probably approx $80M in spending. The Yankees could and probably will spend more than that.

so i apologize if i am repeating anything.

Well…. if the question is how do i win this year, and i have an unlimted budget?

This is completely unrealistic but if i am winning this year without regard to anything else

I am signing Teix for first, Manny to my DH, I am signing CC, Burnett,Sheets and Lowe for my rotation, I give feuntes closer money to be a setup man and closer fill in for Mo. I guess i bring back abreu also?

I contact SD to see what it would take to get peavy.

I offer the mets Cano and Phil Hughes for Carlos Beltran (hey im trying to win in 2009…lol)

I sign Orlando Hudson for 2nd base.

Whats that payroll gonna be 250??? lol

DO you think that would get it done?

I would just stay away from all of the free agents, except Derek Lowe and Rocco Baldelli,both at the right years and price (years mostly). I think Burnett and CC have a lot of risk and $$$ that I just wouldn’t take on right now. Lowe offers a solid #2/3 type for 2 years and Baldelli could help out somehow with a 1-year deal.

If there were a way to get McClouth or Kemp without dealing Cano, Hughes, Melancon, or Montero (psyche) I’d do it, but there isn’t. I just don’t think there is too much to be done this offseason.

Consider Bailey a B,B+ prospect…. i think they consider him a valuable arm who could be a frontline starting pitcher who is very young.

pitching, pitching, pitching….this team needed a late career surge from mike mussina to not have their starting rotation as pure crap…rivera had one of the top seasons of his career, but even joba was inconsistent getting to rivera….

the team needs some major inning eaters, so i’d say CC would be target #1….other than that, they need to STAY AWAY from guys like burnett and sheets…..those guys who seem to break down now and then elsewhere have had a recent history of breaking down badly in NYC….however, that said, if the angels don’t pick up lackey’s option and the yankees don’t strongly pursue him, they’d be crazy….another thought would be to add derek lowe to be an inning eater #3-4 type….

for the pen, instead of spending so much money on veterans, go the route that so many have found success with…break in your young fire-balling arms by giving them roles in the pen….joba worked well in that role, and really struggled when he was bounced around in his role….that said, if you can land wood, krod, or fuentes, they’d be gun arms to have with rivera (who’s also a free agent)

on offense, there’s just no speed left….a-rod is easily the team’s most natural base stealer….abreu is a free agent and it likely wouldn’t hurt to let him walk in favor of finding some speed….the problem is that there’s not much out there for speed available…the other issue the yanks found this year was that they have a lot of good guys on the stat sheet at the end of the year, but not a lot of guys who have a nose for the dramatic (xavier nady was a brilliant pickup, but who knows if they’ll keep him)…..i’d say that it would not be out of the realm of need to grab a manny, adam dunn, vlad, or raul ibanez….if they look at 1b, i wonder if they’d pursue tex or go for the cheaper and nearly equally productive ibanez….

Matsui has full no-trade protection. How do you plan on getting around that?

And I really like the plan to trade for Gerald Laird.

about this on the NY Yankees forum, but I’ll repost this here.

Coming into this season, the rotation should have a good mix of veterans and young players. Bring back Mussina and Pettite for another year, with an option max. Those deals don’t involve shelling out more then $20 million a year for 5-7 years. Make Kennedy, Hughes, Aceves fiight for spots on this team. Don’t go out an make that big free agent deal for a starter. Those deals just simply are too risky, especially for someone like AJ Burnett who is an injury risk, and CC Sabathia who could fold under NY pressure. Stick Chamberlain in the rotation from the opening of spring training. The rotation would go as follows:

1. Wang
2.Mussina
3.Chamberain
4. Pettite
5. Hughes/Kennedy/ Aceves

If and when one of those starters goes down to injury, you have some quality pitchers to go to.

In regards to the lineup, so long Abreu and Giambi. Get rid of Wilson Betemit and his below .300 OBP. Sign Mark Texiera to solidify the defense at first. He is a player in the prime of his career, who can work the count like Abreu, has the pop of Giambi and can be penciled in as the #3 hitter in front of A-Rod. Also go after a backup outfielder who can play defense and is a stolen base threat, perhaps Fernando Tatis. I also believe Rocco Balldeli is a FA this upcoming season, though am unsure. He would be a low risk high reward type player, who can play all OF spots. Add another backup who can hit unlike Betemit. Ransom has pretty good pop in his bat, so the other backup infielder I would try to obtain is someone who can work the count and get clutch hits. Perhaps see if David Eckstein would take a backup role here in NY, if not go after someone like Mark Grudzielanek The lineup would be as folllows:

1B: Mark Texiera
2B: Robinson Cano
3B: Alex Rodriguez
SS: Derek Jeter
CF: Melky Cabrera/Brett Gardner platoon
LF: Johnny Damon
RF: Xavier Nady
DH: Hideki Matsui
C: Jorge Posada

Bench
UTL: Cody Ransom
OF: Rocco Balldeli
C: Jose Molina
INF: David Eckstein

The bullpen should stay as it is. It really has been a strength of the Yankees this season. Rivera, Veras, Ramirez, Coke, Bruney, Sanchez and Robertson

Closer: Mariano Rivera
Setup: Jose Veras
Middle Relief: Brian Bruney
Middle Relief: Edwar Ramirez
Middle Relief: Phil Coke
Long Relief: David Robertson
Long Relief: Humberto Sanchez

If the Tigers do need to trim their payroll, make a push for Mags while taking Dontrelle’s contract as an extra incentive for the Tigers.

I don’t know why you all have Melky penciled into start, I think he is a career back up at best.

What about Gardner I hear the Yanks are high on him.

The Yankees want to win now, as their moving into a new Stadium. As such, it behooves them to move towards veteran players who are more likely to produce. The biggest question for the 2009 New York Yankees is how viable Jorge Posada is at catcher. Posada has already had this surgery before and rebounded successfully, but most people close to the team do not think he’ll ever be able to be a full time starting catcher again. Keeping this in mind, I’d make the following moves :

C - Offer Pudge Arbitration. If he doesn’t resign, push for Varitek, Barajas, and Valentin in that order. See if a player like Kelly Shoppach is available via trade.
1B - Jorge Posada
2B - Robinson Cano
SS - Derek Jeter. Attempt having THAT conversation this winter. It likely won’t work, but at least try to get him to play a day in LF or 1B here an there.
3B - Alex Rodriguez. Quietly, entertain offers for A-Rod. I wouldn’t be shocked if a team (LAD?) would be willing to give an arm and a leg to add him, and a Loney/Broxton/Kershaw package would be very, very useful to the Yankees and would net an improvement in 2009, particularly in terms of the salary freed up. Salary would need to be eaten.
RF - Baldelli. Offer Abreu arby. Hope he declines and be ready to make a major, major push on Rocco Baldelli in any event. Question : Does anybody know if Baldelli can still hold up playing CF? Please also place a call to the San Diego Padres regarding a Mr. Brian Giles. Offer 2/21 to Juan Rivera and see if he bites. If he does, Baldelli to CF. Explore the Maggs idea postulated above.
CF - Melky Cabrera/Gardner. They are holding the fort for Jackson, and it would be imprudent to deal for a CF, unless a very good one year stop gap could be found. I’d move Damon here, but playing CF on a daily basis greatly hampers his effectiveness.
LF/DH- Hideki Matsui if he could handle the grind. Otherwise, Manny Ramirez at 4/75.

Try and trade Johnny Damon and Xavier Nady for prospects, who can then be flipped for a mega stick, hopefully at RF or C. Please note that I’d consider moving Robinson Cano to CF and signing Orlando Hudson, assuming it isn’t too cost prohibitive and Cano shows the chops to play CF. This team needs to get better in the field.

Bench :
UT : Nomar - 1 year deal with an option. Versatility with a starting level bat.
UT : Betemit - Still versatile, still loaded with talent.
C : Jose Molina. Pitchers love him.
OF : Endy Chavez
1B : See if Moises Alou or Frank Thomas can be kept from retiring.

Pitching:
Rotation : C.C. Sabathia (whatever the market holds)- Joba - Wang - Pettitte (if he’ll accept a 1yr/12M deal)/Derek Lowe(3/43M) - Moose (if he’ll accept 2/30M)/Hughes
Bullpen - Rivera-Kerry Wood (2/27M)-Juan Cruz (3/21)-Fuentes (2/23)-Edwar-Kennedy-Coke/Sanchez/Whelan/Cox

You ask yourselves, “But GuyinNY, you still have roughly 20M left over! And the Steinbrenners want to win now! How could you possibly justify this to them?”… My reply? That pitching staff is contingent on this deal NOT happening, but not for lack of effort :
NYY : Austin Romine + Andrew Brackman to the SFG for Tim Lincecum and the ENTIRETY of Barry Zito’s contract. If acquired, Lincecum slots in as the no.2 behind CC Sabathia. Zito moves to the pen after losing out on the no.5 job in ST.
If this deal doesn’t happen, the Yankees having 20M kicking around to go buy whomever they need on a 1 year (Maggs?) or to address their needs at the deadline.

I still have faith in the core of the Yankee offense, and in particular, the successful rehabilitation of the bats of Jorge Posada and Hideki Matsui. Greatly upgrading the defense and pitching will be just the tonic to get the Yankees into the postseason, and this is a team which would thrive in that situation.

that is crazy… i quote the great movie Billy madison

“Mr. GuyinNY, what you’ve just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this forum is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.”

:-)

Sign Tex and Oliver Perez and a few relievers like Juan Cruz and/or Brandon Lyon. Re-sign Marte. Let Giambi, Abreu, Pettitte and Mussina walk. I’d look for deals for Damon and Matsui, but I don’t see much of a market out there. I wouldn’t sell low on Melky or Cano - give em a chance to turn it around.

I’d tinker. I wouldn’t make wholesale changes. Fact is, this team won 88 games last year and shouldn’t be that far from competing for a division next year with some minor changes.

-abreu will not be back
-nady is here to stay and replace abreu and is a lock to play everyday in right
-matsui can no longer play OF
-melky is no longer considered an everyday player and will start ‘09 in AAA, longterm 4th OF/injury fillin
-damon can’t play center
-theres no way they will give CF to gardner
-pettitte will be back
-mussina may retire and they probably don’t bring him back anyway
-posada will be the “everyday” catcher but will be rested much more frequently
-cano “hasn’t been a disappointment” yet word is that hes already being shopped
-they want not 1 but 2 of the premium free agents SPs
-joba starts ’09 in the pen

the fallout:

that leaves you with nady in right, nobody in center (im thinking they sign mark kotsay to hold the spot for a. jackson, less likely options are trading for g. matthews or sign cameron if brewers let him go) and damon in right.

matsui will be the DH but will see a split with posada on days when he doesn’t/can’t catch (which will happen more and more often as the year goes on and he again shows that he can barely even throw back to the pitcher). by next year matsui’s contract is done and posada is the fulltime DH until he retires.

they will go after teixeira at first, probably get him but if not they go after dunn and i could even see pat burrell but i’m going way on a limb for that one.

theres a real chance they trade cano but i don’t see any good matches because they will paint cano as a slick fielding, perennial .340, 20hr, middle of the order guy when he actually isn’t any of that. ny media has pitched a straight trade of cano for mclouth, which obviously won’t happen (why not trade for pujols instead?) frankly the yankees will just want too much for a player who is expensive and just isn’t all that great. so he’ll be back.

obviously jeter and arod on the left side.

i would be shocked if they don’t sign CC, and even more shocked if they don’t get burnett. i’d say burnett is almost a sure thing at this point. that leaves you with CC, burnett, pettitte, wang and #5. could be anyone but i’m betting hes from within the org. based on who has the hot spring (kennedy, giese, mccutchen, rasner, etc.) as for joba i bet he has the same year that he had in ’08, moving to the rotation midway through based on injury (probably burnetts injury)

in the bullpen, you’ll have joba, edwar, veras, lots more of bruney and phil coke, eventually robertson and they probably bring back marte. and obviously mariano.

Gary Matthews Jr? Is he now going ot be the full time starter in the outfield, or is he still going to play the bench. Considering how sporadically he has been playing it wouldn’t cost you an arm and a leg in terms of prospects. Perhaps one good prospect or two mid level ones.

Also, I have read in Pinstripe Alley that Cashman has stated Joba is starting the year in the rotation I like the move and think its smart. History has shown us that giving big money contracts to pitchers hurts you towards the middle and the end of the contract. You really think the Giants aren’t regretting signing Barry Zito to that mega contract? What about that Mike Hampton deal a couple years back? It just doesn’t work out in the end, and the majority of pitchers in the league are not worth a lock of 6-7 years, or even 5. I really hope the Yanks don’t make the mistake and go after CC, Burnett or Shields. Texiera however is another story, and would make perfect sense for the Yankees.

Also, in response to robcast, I haven’t heard any rumors in NY that the Yanks are wating to trade Cano. If the Yankees would bring back Melky and give him another chance, why would you sell Cano when he is at a low point in his value? Bring him back, towards the end of the season he modified his batting stance and turned it around.

mad about his “lack of hustle, effort”

Truth is Cano hit .290+ since may 1st.

If jeter would be willing to do it (and this is never gonna happen so its pure fantasy)

I think Jeet would be a very solid CFer.

And then you could sign either an Orlando Cabrera (who is about league average defensively)

Or you could trade for a Jack Wilson or JJ Hardy who among the better defenders at SS and are solid offensive players. Obviously Hardy is the better hitter.

Hardy and Wilson are about 30-40 plays better at SS then Jeter…

If you sign teix (which i completley argee with ) Hes 30-40 plays better then Giambi at 1st.

If cano even moves back to league average or even back to +17 he would be 15-30 plays better at 2nd.

Your IF defense would improve by 75- 110 plays

thats 3-4 games less outs that pitchers have to get (thats HUGE).

Of course thats not gonna happen.

Also OF defense should be much better.. Abreu was -24 last year Nady was -4 (so thats 20 plays)
CF - Damon was -3 this year, Melky was +6 and Gardner was +6…
LF - Damon was +7, Matsui was -2, Melky barely played bu has shown +13 skills in the past.

So the yankee OF with Nady, Gardner and Melky would be your best defensive OF… However, Damon had 25 win shares this year (tied with arod for team lead) and is a solid defensive LFer. So a Platoon of Melky/Gardner would be fine in CF with Damon in LF and Nady in RF, should be a strong defensive OF.

1) Sign Mark Teixeira for 10 years, $220M

2) Sign CC Sabathia for 7 years, $150M

3) Sign Derek Lowe for 4 years, $60M

4) Sign Ivan Rodriguez for 2 years, $15M

5) Sign Adam Dunn for 6 years, $100M

Live with Melky/Brett in CF for a year and hope Jackson is ready after that.

Results:

LF Damon
SS Jeter
RF Dunn
3B Rodriguez
1B Teixeira
DH Matsui
C Posada
2B Cano
CF Cabrera

P1 Sabathia
P2 Wang
P3 Lowe
P4 Chamberlain
P5 Hughes

RP Rivera
RP Veras
RHP Ramirez
LHP Marte
RHP Kennedy
LHP Coke
RHP Rasner

C Rodriguez
IF Betemit
OF Nady
OF Gardner

FA’s add about $85M/year. Losing Abreu, Giambi, Pavano, Mussina, Pettitte saves about $75M. Some raises to others and you get a payroll increase of about $20M. Easy with the new stadium revenues. You don’t touch the farm.

The defense is fairly decent, with only Jeter and Dunn most likely below average.