Free For All for Free Agents

Christmas comes twice a year if you're a free agent. Of course December 25th is the day we all can celebrate. Free agents can start celebrating today. Friday is the first day that free agents can negotiate with teams. C.C. Sabathia is Priority # 1 for the Yankees. The Bombers missed the playoffs for the first time in 14 years and watched as their 2 chief A.L. East rivals played each other for the American League Pennant. That must not have sat well with the boys in Tampa. They have made it clear that starting pitching is what they want. The Yanks already have started their team revamp, acquiring Nick Swisher on Thursday. Swisher, who hit .219 with 24 HR and 69 RBI last year with the White Sox, gives the Yankees some flexibility. They can play him at first to replace Jason Giambi or they can play him at one of the outfield positions and then go after a Mark Teixeira or another first baseman.

But the real focus is bringing Sabathia to the Bronx. Sabathia has already said that he wants to play in the good weather out west. So what does that mean? It means the Yankees will have to ante up that much more to get him in Pinstripes. That has never happened before! Yeah, right. According to ESPN the Yankees have offered him a 6 year deal worth 137.5 million dollars. That's the biggest deal ever offered to a Major League pitcher. It's a good move for the Yankees. Sabathia was 17-10 last year with a 2.70 ERA. You see the impact he had on the Brewers season. Did he pitch every game on 3 days rest? Jeez!! You can never have enough left handed pitching. That being said, I would take back Andy Pettitte for another year. He was 14-14 last year and you probably won't find a better 4th or 5th starter. Also the Yanks can go after A.J. Burnett and Ben Sheets... And they probably will regardless of whether or not they land Sabathia, but I'm sure I'm not alone in thinking that he'll open the New Yankee Stadium.