STARTING PITCHING

If Cliff Lee tests the free agent water (which he is expected to do), then he will in all likelihood come to New York. No one – especially Texas – will outbid the Yanks in dollars, even if the Rangers were able to acquire the battle-tested lefty starter in a trade with Seattle after he seemed to be on his way to the east coast. Adding Lee to a rotation that includes CC Sabathia will make a huge difference.

RELIEF PITCHING

Sure, Mariano Rivera had another fantastic season as the game’s top closer, but how much longer can he continue to produce in this fashion? He is in his forties, so sooner or later his age will catch up to him. Kerry Wood was a good transaction for GM Brain Cashman, but he will probably get a better offer on the market to be a closer again. It was a good thing that David Robertson and Boone Logan took a step up, because former set-up man Joba Chamberlain took a big step back.

INFIELD

The biggest question is what will be the outcome of the Derek Jeter situation. It is almost unthinkable for him to be in any other uniform besides the pinstripes but even Joe Montana finished his career wearing odd-looking colors. The captain will have to be reasonable when it comes to his contract extension and his age and production will be a two major factors. Figure on a quick resolution.

OUTFIELD

Both Nick Swisher and Brett Gardner played well enough that Cashman will feel comfortable enough to pass on free agents Carl Crawford and Jason Werth.

CATCHER

Jorge Posada‘s skills, especially defensively, are in a steep decline and Francisco Cervelli is not an everyday starter, so they Yankees need to upgrade at this very important spot. Jesus Montero will get a long look in the spring.

Photo by Bill Menzel

Fast forward to the fourth of November and all of the chatter early on that you can’t buy a championship has quieted. Yes, the Yankees do have many home grown components on the roster but without the addition of the big three free agents there would not have been a 27th World championship won.

After a rash of busts that have gone through Yankee Stadium since the last championship in 2000, the organization was meticulous in doing their home work. They needed to address the starting rotation and did so in astonishing fashion, inking lefthander CC Sabathia and righty A. J. Burnett. With Jason Giambi’s albatross of a contract finally expired, the Yankees had a hole at first base.

At the 11th hour, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman swooped in and signed Mark Teixiera right under Boston’s nose. This completed the trifecta of big name additions and immediately put the Yankees as favorites to win it all.

They not only dominated the regular season by finishing with the best overall record but easily dismissed the Twins and Angels in the playoffs. They then defeated the defending champions in six games. The Phillies were a formidable opponent but it was men versus boys. Even the biggest Yankee hater has to tip his or her hat to them following the 7-3 clincher at the new Yankee Stadium.

It is quite amazing when you sit back and ponder that not only have the Yankees captured 27 titles but also 40 American League pennants since they moved from Baltimore back in 1903. The next two teams on the list are the St. Louis Cardinals with 10 World Series championships and the Athletics franchise (Philadelphia, Kansas City and Oakland) is next with nine.

Even the staunches Yankee hater has to tip his or her hat to them. Come to think of it, a bigger story this year would have been if they didn’t win it all.

NEW YORK YANKEES WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONSHIPS

1923, 1927, 1928, 1932, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1941, 1943, 1947, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1956, 1958, 1961, 1962, 1977, 1978, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2009

Photo by Bill Menzel

Call it jealousy, envy or whatever word you can conjure up to describe why the Yankees are so beloved by their fans (and themselves) but despised by everyone else with a pulse. Not only has the organization spent money like a shipload of drunken sailors on leave during the worst economic situation in 80 years, but even outbid themselves during this free agency free-for-all.

Other organizations have made their feelings well known and have publicly denounced many of the Bronx Bombers’ moves, dating back longer than just this past offseason. Perhaps one of the more colorful ‘nicknames’ came out of a 2002 New York Times interview with Boston Red Sox president Larry Lucchino, who berated the Yankees for outbidding his team for Cuban free agent pitcher Jose Contreras. Lucchino initially did not want to comment on the issue but then stated, “No, I’ll make a comment. The evil empire extends its tentacles even into Latin America.” The name has taken on a life of its own, even being mentioned in the Wikipedia page for ‘Evil Empire’ to reference the Yankees. Not surprisingly, the fan base of the Yankees embraced the nickname and wear it as if it were a badge of honor.

This past winter, southpaw CC Sabathia was the biggest fish on the open market as far as staring pitchers went. After blowing everyone else out of the water with a six-year, $140 million offer, the Yankees added a year and $21 million to the contract, as well as an “opt-out” clause after three years. Why top it out at $161 million instead of an even $160 you may ask? That’s an easy answer, if you subscribe to the Yankee mentality. You see, they had to ensure that Sabathia would average $23 million per year, topping Johan Santana’s paltry $22.9 million average he received from the cross town Mets a year ago.

The Milwaukee Brewers, who traded a bevy of youngsters right before the trading deadline last July to acquire Sabathia from the Cleveland Indians, obviously wanted him back. The small market club offered five years and $100 million and were even contemplating adding a sixth year when the Yankees began courting the near 300-pound hurler.

Brewers general manager Doug Melvin was not too thrilled at the Bombers for upping their offer by 40 percent. “They could have offered him 110,” he said to reporters in November. “There was no reason to go up to 140. It sounds to me like they’re overbidding.

“(The Yankees) have been pretty adamant about bidding on everybody,” continued Melvin. “That doesn’t mean that’s what the market is. That’s just one team’s offer.”

Read between the lines with that last part of Melvin’s statement and you can understand why it always seems like ‘us versus them,’ with ‘them’ being the Yankees and ‘us’ the other 29 teams.

After the Yankees signed Sabathia, they also inked righthander A.J. Burnett and first baseman Mark Teixeira for a shopping spree that cost them $243 million for all three new players.

As if you really needed to be  told, the Yankees also have the top four highest paid players not only in baseball, but in all of sports. Alex Rodriguez, who wasn’t satisfied earning $25.2 million a summer, opted out of that monster deal he originally received from the Texas Rangers and resigned with the Yankees for $275 million over 10 years. Up next is shortstop Derek Jeter with his $189 million/10-year deal he signed in 2001. Newbies Teixeira (8 years at $180 million) and Sabathia follow to give the impression that there is a printing press pumping out $100 bills somewhere in the bowels of that new ballpark.

Speaking of the Bombers’ new digs, a mere $26,325 will buy you a full season seat in the Field Level. For those without a calculator handy, that comes out to $325 per game, of course not counting the gas, tolls, parking lot, hot dog and beer. Add at least another $100 per nine innings for all the extras and who do you think will be sitting in Sections 115 through 125

On second thought, even those guys are feeling the recession these days. Perhaps if things get worse before getting better, the Yankees one day will have to do things the old fashioned way, just like the rest of the country.

The Yankees becoming ‘commoners?’ Don’t bet on it.

Photo by Bill Menzel

The cards are stacked against him so high that it would be a miracle if he ever steps on a baseball diamond again, but that hasn’t deterred the 44-year-old slugger from attempting a comeback. The latest hurdle will be recovering from hip surgery that was performed recently that will sideline Bonds at least until spring training. According to reports, he should be 100 percent by Opening Day.

The outfielder, who hasn’t played since September 26, 2007, has publicly stated that he is not retiring. Between his age, health, upcoming court case and obvious collusion, it would seem that even his staunch refusal to hang it up may not be in his total control. Any team that would dare to sign him would be looked at every which way by commissioner Bud Selig, one of Bonds’ biggest rivals.

Not being able to play in the spring is not going to effect Bonds, who is going to be tied up in the legal system answering to perjury charges in U.S. District Court starting on March 2.

The biggest question is can Bonds still play. His best case scenario would be to sign with an American League team so he can be a designated hitter and not have to play left field. He is close to many milestones and even a full season may not give him enough at-bats to reach them. They include 38 home runs shy of 800; 65 hits to 3,000; four RBI to 2,000; 69 runs scored away from Ricky Henderson’s record and 38 extra-base hits from Hank Aaron.

Bonds, the poster-boy for the media in the witch hunt against performance-enhancing drugs, will most likely see another summer pass by without him. He surely can help someone even at his advanced age and assorted injuries. He obviously has taken care of his body in the gym (if you believe he used steroids or not is not the issue here), which is not always the case with baseball players. Overweight hurlers such as CC Sabathia – who recently signed the richest contract in history for a pitcher – has not seen the inside of a gym on a steady basis his entire life. Is that so much better than Bonds working out and taking advantage of something that – at the time – was not against the rules?

Photo by Jim Leary