I predict that headline first appears in the Post by April 30.
With the Mark Teixeira signing, the Yankees' off-season immediately upgraded from a C+ to an A-. Adding such a huge offensive and defensive weapon makes up for a lot of mistakes. And there have been mistakes. Signing A.J. Burnett to a long-term deal, not offering arbitration to Bobby Abreu, butchering the Damaso Marte situation -- all are forgiven with one large $180 million check.
Now, the Yankees have addressed crucial needs in the rotation and the lineup. Miguel Cairo and Jorge Posada won't be playing first base anymore. Yes, the team is once again throwing money at problems, but this time around, they seem to be doing it with more focus and cunning. They haven't traded away the jewels of the farm system, and they're not signing the likes of Jaret Wright (for the most part). CC Sabathia and Teixeira seem as safe as any big-ticket free agents at their respective positions have been in some time.
I'm hopeful that Brian Cashman still has one more illusion up his sleeve (tricks are things whores do for money), and can turn Hideki Matsui, Johnny Damon or Xavier Nady into an innings-gobbling, back-of-the-rotation starter. If not, I'm comfortable with what the Yankees will be starting out with down in Ybor City.
