[Triumph36]

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kbz your argument here stinks. i think the real question is, is a-rod's decline offset by the rise of young talent the yankees will be able to retain in future seasons by not having to trade for a miguel cabrera or similar player? and i think the answer to that almost certainly is yes. you're not considering alternatives - you're merely saying 'well 6 years down the road 1b average hitter etc. etc.', without considering the ramifications of giving up top prospects.

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the trouble is actually that YOU are only considering next year, and not the long term health of the franchise. it's not necessarily the best strategy to go full out in an attempt to win the WS every year - you need to consider the affect that dead money and dead roster spots eventually have on your ability to build a team.

the choices aren't a) bring back Arod or b) trade Joba and Hughes for Cabrera. you could sign Mike Lowell, who is a decent .300 eqa guy and + defender, for 4 years at 50% of Arod money. he won't be as good as Arod, but you also don't need to make a commitment well into someones decline years. or, you don't need to sign a big $ FA at all. you can decide that its in your best long terms interest to go with neither Arod nor Cabrera nor Lowell, and just bring back an average guys like Betemit to be your 3b. this won't win you more games next year, but it does leave you a whole lot more flexible for next year/s.

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flexible? who's coming on the market as good as a-rod? albert pujols coming UFA soon? miguel cabrera? grady sizemore?

the free agent market this off-season sucks. if the yankees don't get rodriguez, they will have nothing. signing lowell, who is due for a decline next year, and might bill mueller his way out of the league, doesn't seem any less dumb than signing alex rodriguez - it just puts his awful years right when all the other yankees FA mistakes or overpayments of the last few years are also expiring and becoming awful (damon, matsui, giambi).

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the trouble, as Nate says, is that fans are probably not willing to tolerate a rebuilding year, even though this may be the best long term decision. there is a big money team with depth & youth in your own division, and the Indians will be very bit as good as next year as well. even with with Arod back the Yankees are the 3rd best team in the AL.

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what? c'mon. i suppose that depends on pettitte and lowell, but with a full season of hughes and joba chamberlain, as well as the replacement of kyle farnsworth with edwar ramirez, cabrera and cano's improvement, the yankees figure to be better next season.