Yanks could be Quiet

Free agency is almost here and the ferocity in which the Yankees attacked last offseason will not be met with the same intensity this year.

Cashman and the Yankees will not be necessarily on the outside looking in, but they won't be the first to run to the ATM and start throwing money at players.

The three biggest free agents this year are John Lackey, Matt Holliday, and Jason Bay. Although Bay turned down a $60 million deal from Boston it still seems likely that he will be back with the Red Sox.

Lackey seems to be on the Met's wish list and I don't see him going back to the Angels. Sure, it's not incomprehensible to think that they would throw money at Lackey but I think Cashman is hopeful that either Phil Hughes or Joba Chamberlain will step up to be the fourth starter in the rotation.

Holliday is the interesting option for the Yankees. If they don't sign Damon or Matsui they would rather find a lefty power bat then go after Holliday. But he does bring a lot of production as an outfielder.

What seems more likely is the Yankees trading for Granderson of the Tigers and using somebody else against lefties, because Granderson has dreadful numbers against south-paws.

I know it sounds like I'm counting the Yankees out of this free agent class but they just won a championship and Cashman really wants to see his minor league system succeed. He hates it when people say the Yankees buy championships. But I will admit now that I can be totally wrong because nobody thought the Yankees would get Teixeira, and they did.