Sean B. Fitzgerald It doesn’t go something like this, it goes exactly like this.

Sorry mom, the mob has spoken.

Oh those Yankees. Those New York Yankees. They've done it again. We can all say this started last off season, around January maybe. When the Yankees had Phil Hughes, Melky Cabrera, and two "Players to be named later" on the table for Johan Santana. It seemed at the time that that would be plenty for the services of Santana. Hughes was a number one pitching prospect in the majors. Cabrera was a young, above average fielder with plenty of upside. And those two players were going to be named later. It was clearly a pro-Twins trade. In hindsight, not so much. Phil (DON'T CALL HIM PHILIP!) and Melky were flat out worthless last year. Hughes couldn't stay on the plate or off the trainer's table. And Cabrera, in my opinion, isn't too good at the game of baseball. Sure, he could throw out a few runner's at third. But that doesn't make up for 400 ground balls to the second basemen. So, to sum up, the Yankees "Youth Movement" didn't take.

So after Johan Santana was traded to the Mets for Carlos Gomez, a bag of balls, and some Dome Wax, the Yankees faced the 2008 season with no discernible ace. Many people would make the argument for Chien-Ming Wang. But a pitcher who doesn't strike men out, does not have overpowering stuff, and greatest weapon is his ability to induce groundballs, is NOT an ace. Roy Halladay: Ace. Josh Beckett: Ace. Johan Santana: Ace. Chien-Ming Wang: Pitcher?

The 2008 season came and went for the Yankees. No playoffs since the 1993 season. The problem could've been pointed to a numerous amount of things. Bullpen. Offense. Defense. But according to the moves the Yankees made just a few days ago, it was the pitching. Two new pitchers have been added to the Yankees roster for at least the next three years. CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett.

CC Sabathia
I wonder what it took to get CC over to New York. He was adamant about pitching on the West Coast (his home coast) and in the National League. There must have been some incentive for CC to come to the Yankees and sacrifice the comforts of home. Oh right! The money! All that money. What was it? 7 years, $161 million. Boy that sounds like a lot. Seriously, its a lot. But I've come to the point with the Yankees that money literally means nothing to them. It's almost as if they are playing with monopoly money. With the new stadium, the YES network, ticket sales, and merchandise, whatever money they spend on players is offset by their profits. But lets keep in mind that over $80 million is coming off the books from last season. Mussina, Abreu, Farnsworth, Giambi (Oh God Yes), Pettitte (at least the $16 mil), Pavano, and that dreaded Wilson Betemit contract is all gone. So you can't fault the Yankees for spending. I mean, they could conceivably sign Sabathia, Ramirez, and Teixeira and still have a lower payroll than last year. In regards to the signing, it feels fail-safe for the Yankees, at least for one year. He is only 27 years old. Has terrific, overpowering stuff, and can shut down any lineup. It will be nice to have him go every fifth day. But once again, I bring it back to the weight issue. He's so fat. I mean, really fat. Like close to obese fat. And to say he'll be like David Wells, a fat guy who could pitch into his late thirties because he had a rubber arm, is ridiculous. Wells was a one-of-a-kind athlete. A terrific pitcher who was constantly spilling out of his uniform. He would pitch seven scoreless at a one o'clock start and by five he'd be throwing down shots at a bar across the street. I don't think CC is like that. Wells seemed to hold his weight well. CC, so far, has done so. But I don't see it happening until his early to mid thirties. I would love to see it though. Nothing like a fat successful athlete to bring up the hopes for the fat children of this country.

A.J. Burnett
For the longest time, I've been telling my friends that the Yankees can sign anyone they want, except Burnett. He is injury prone, has no heart, and only turns up the dial in money years. Lo and behold, he's a Yankee. And not for a couple years. Probably, the rest of his baseball career. But as soon as I saw the scroll at the bottom of my television, "Yankees sign Burnett to 5 year deal" I was already in the process of convincing myself that this was a good deal. I began to sound like those idiotic talking heads on ESPN: "Well, he's got great stuff", "He really turns it on against the Red Sox", "If he plays to potential...", "At least they didn't have to trade for him". And that's what fans do. The Yankees could trade Derek Jeter to the Orioles for Cesar Izturis and the first thing I would say is, "Hey, Izturis is a gold glove shortstop". In the end, we root for the team, not the players. Thats why I'm a BIG FAN of this Burnett deal. Couldn't BE happier. He's got Cy Young STUFF. But in reality, I'm predicting a 14-10 season with a 3.99 ERA, 190 strikeouts, a stint on the DL. Those are Burnett numbers. And that is what the Yankees paid $16.5 million a year for five years for.

Regardless of the comings and goings of the baseball off season, it just makes me want more.

Spring Training 2009 can't come quick enough.