Decisions, Decisions....

There has been this ever-growing and ever-confounding assumption within the media that the Yankees will immediately target Mark Texiera to play 1B if they fail to sign C.C. Sabathia. This has to be one of the single dumbest things I've seen surface this Hot Stove season. It makes no sense. None. It's asinine.

If you've been a fan of the Yankees your whole life or even if you've just started following the team, the one constant thing you've see them express interest in, pursue, fawn over, drool on, and all but fall over themselves for has been starting pitching. (Especially this century -- Roger Clemens anyone?)

If you looked at the roster today, you'd see the fact that we only have 2 starters, both coming off injury shortened seasons. If you've been even remotely following what the Yankee-decision makers have been saying thus far you'd also know that everyone has expressed a need for starting pitching above all else. So with all of this information freely out there, why in the blue fuck would the team be interested in locking up 1B with another long term deal?

We all love Mark Texiera. What's not to love? The guy's 28, he's a great switch-hitter who can get on base and hit with power, and he carries a gold glove caliber first baseman's mitt. In a perfect world he'd be starting at first and hitting behind (or in front of) A-Rod on a daily basis.

We all know it's not a perfect world. There are many problems that surround Texiera. The worst of which is agent. And while Scott Boras does have a seemingly good working relationship with the Yankees and despite the fact that Brian Cashman met with both the agent and the player yesterday, getting a deal done will not be an easy or smooth transition. The worst situation I can think of would be one in which Anaheim gets Sabathia and replaces Texiera with Adam Dunn leaving the Red Sox and the Yankees to try and outbid one another for Texiera's services.

Boras has had wet dreams about this. The price tag and length on Texiera's contract would skyrocket past absurd.

The most ridiculous thing of that scenario is that neither team really NEEDS Texiera. The Red Sox would love his bat, but are set defensively unless they can somehow find a way to move Mike Lowell (Good luck with that!). And if the Yankees got him they'd essentially be forcing Jorge Posada to catch for the life of his contract and forcing the infield to essentially stay the same for a very long time. This would all be done despite Posada's surgically repaired throwing shoulder and A-Rod's and Jeter's increasing age and decreasing defensive abilities.

It would also be done despite the Nick Swisher signing and the emergence of Juan Miranda's progression in the Arizona Fall League. Miranda hit .295 with a .423 OBP and .551 slugging this season for the Javelinas. For a full, in depth look at Miranda go here. Big ups to the boys at River Ave. Blues. 2nd best Yankee blog I can think of....

I really hate to do this because it's so far away, but if Mark Texiera signs it's going to be for a very long time -- at least 8 years if you ask me. This signing would no doubt affect a guy like Jesus Montero, who some call the future of the Yankees. And while Montero sits behind the dish now as a catcher, most project him, due to his size, power, and hitting ability, to become a corner outfielder or firstbaseman. Why get Texiera when you've got 2-3 years until this kid is ready?

I dunno. Seems to me that if the Yankees don't get C.C. they'll just target another pitcher and stay in on Texiera to push the price higher. Not to sign him. The business nature of baseball pretty much dictates it. I mean the Yankees are trimming enough money to be able to sign both Sabathia and Texiera and still be in the black. Why wouldn't they just be in on both?

The simplest answer is that they're both Type A free agents and would cost draft picks. These are arguably the two best free agents on the market. The problem is that they are not interchangeable talents. Mark Texiera won't help our starting pitching and C.C. Sabathia won't help the Angles score runs. If the Yankees have the capabilities to sign both the fact that they don't, in the first offseason of the past 13 in which they failed to make the playoffs, should be very telling.

What they are telling me is that if C.C. makes up his mind to pitch someplace else the Yankees will move onto Derek Lowe and ask on A.J. Burnett (Also Type A free agents). They will not pursue Mark Texiera first or for first. So stop it.