The Salary Situation

If they go with Lackey (probably at 16-18), that means they’re not bringing back Damon OR Matsui.

I’d go:

Damon 9, 2 yr OR Matsui 5, 2 yr to DH
Pettitte 10 (after incentives), 1 yr
Gaudin 2
Hariston 2.5

Drop Nady and Molina (Cervelli as BUC). If Damon or Matsui don’t accept those deals, let them go.

There really isn’t a reasonable way to keep Matsui. He need to go to a team that has a big hole at DH like Seattle. We need to be able to use the DH around the team, with Damon most of the time. (if he comes back)

I think you overestimate the budget I suspect they are trying to lower the payroll to $190-195, so I suspect they have just $15-20m to play with. But working with your budget…

I am taking Pettite back first and foremost, and see if he’ll agree to a similar incentive laden deal as last year (though maybe with a bit more guaranteed). Offer $7m, go as high as $10, but with a ceiling of $12-13.

I’d bring back Hairston and Chad for $2m apiece. That brings us to roughly $14m.

With what’s left I’d try to shore up the OF with Damon or Cameron. Offer Damon 1 year with options, and Cameron 2. Secretely hope Boras pimps Damon and we can focus on Cameron. If he declines, we pocket the money and wait for a good trade mid-season.

Bring back Damon or Matsui as a DH (1 year 10 mil) sign Byrd to 4 yrs 25 mil for our lf hole. Sign Pettite for 10 mil and gaudan and hairston for 2 mil a piece. Maybe go after an OK 3rd starter like Noah Lowry or Cha Seung Baek. For this year the yanks’ll end up paying about $35 million of new stuff but only 11 mil more than last year (which for the yanks is fine by me.)

Gotta bring back Pettitte. No-brainer, even if he sucks this year, they owe him for how much he stepped up this year and in the playoffs. And it makes sense since he won’t demand huge money or a long contract.

Infield is solid, including at catcher, where Posada/Cervelli/Molina and that other young guy (name escapes me) waiting in the wings.

Bullpen showed they have much potential (Robertson, Marte) next year even with one or both out of Joba or Hughes starting. So can stand pat there for at least this year. I do hope to see less of Coke. He stinks.

I’d dump Hairston, he’s useless as far as I’m concerned. I really don’t think he’d be worth $2 million—-there’s no way he’s worth that money compared to Joe Minor League getting paid nothing. He’s a bench player, not a role player like Gardner or Gaudin—-those guys contributed to the Yankees success this year in a way Hairston couldn’t.

To the person who suggested Cameron—-please, no. He’s a worthless strikeout machine.

And please don’t overpay for Holliday. I’ve got my plate full already trying to acclimate myself to Sabathia, Burnett, and Teixeira. Restocking with new high priced FAs has to be done once in a while, especially when you’ve got the cash like the Yankees do, but it’s alienating to any true fan of a team who likes to develop some kind of relationship with a team’s roster.

So let’s see, we’re looking at C.C., Burnett, Pettitte, Joba, Hughes/Gaudin/Wang/Mitre, and we can survive with that. I wouldn’t mind them taking a gamble on Ben Sheets, I’ve always been a fan of his, and despite his injury issues, they don’t need to rely on him to be an ace like the Brewers did. He’s always had great control, which makes me think he can survive in the AL.

Sign Damon for 2 years if you can. Hate to lose Matsui, he is still a very good hitter, but with all the older guys needing DH time, we need a guy who can play a little LF too. Not sure what to do about RF.

Get Bengie Molina ($2m – $3m / 2yrs) – Posada DHs 75% of time. Pass on Damon and Matsui.

Get Ankil to play LF ($2m / 2 yr) – gun of an arm, decent defensively and I think the short porch rejuvinates him (20 – 25 home run, .250 BA) – provides a cheap left handed threat.

Still got money…

Pettitte for another year $10m including max incentives

Get either Bedard ($3 mil + incentives = max $7 mil) or Myers (similar structure)

I think I only spent $21 mil :)