The Yankees just wouldn’t trade any of their kids last season which cost them a big chance to get Johan Santana. The Yankees need to fortify the starting rotation now and with that in mind they should consider trading Melky Cabrera, Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy to the Padres for Jake Peavy. Peavy might be the best right handed starting pitcher on the planet and he’s young enough to be productive for a long, long time. It’s time for the Yankees to step up and trade the kids if the top free agent starting pitchers decide to pitch elsewhere in 2009.

The Yankees have been told that 39-year old righty starting pitcher Mike Mussina is hanging up his cleats. Mussina started 34 games for the Yankees last season and he was 20-9 with a 3.37 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP. Mussina was incredible last season which was his first ever with 20 wins! Mussina pitched 8 years with the Yankees appearing in 249 games (248 starts) in which he was 123-72 with a 3.88 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP. Mussina is a Hall of Fame Pitcher in my book despite not winning 300 games. His career finishes with Mussina pitching in 537 games (536 starts) in which he was 270-153 with a 3.68 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP. Losing Mussina should make the Yankees even more aggressive in free agency in the hunt for starting pitching help.

The Yankees have sold 27-year old righty starting pitcher Darrell Rasner to a Japanese team for a million bucks. That’s just what the Yankees need right now……more spending money! Rasner pitched in 24 games (20 starts) with the Yankees last season and he was 5-10 with a 5.40 ERA and a 1.54 WHIP. In three years with the Yankees, Rasner has pitched in 36 games (29 starts) in which he was 9-14 with a 5.06 ERA and a 1.48 WHIP. This is no loss for the Yankees as they would have been in big trouble in 2009 if they had to start Rasner in ANY games.

With the Yankees moving into their new palace this season look for them to spare no expense in putting a All-Star team on the diamond. With the Yankees needing a 1B or DH look for them to throw a ton of cash at Mark Teixeira and Manny Ramirez. If they lose out on those two guys they will have fallback options like Adam Dunn, Raul Ibanez, Pat Burrell and Milton Bradley. The Yankees need at least two starting pitchers in free agency. They are already willing to make C.C. Sabathia the highest paid pitcher in major league history. It will be interesting to see if he takes the bait. Ben Sheets, Derek Lowe, A.J. Burnett, Ryan Dempster and Mike Mussina will be the righties that interest the Yanks. They will also probably be willing to bring back Andy Pettitte but only at their price. It will be fun to watch the Yankees spend on free agency without a care in the world this winter.

The Yankees have acquired 27-year old switch-hitting 1B/OF Nick Swisher and 22-year old righty reliever Kaneoka Texeira from the White Sox for Wilson Betemit, Jeff Marquez and Jhonny Nunez. Swisher is coming off a horrible season for the White Sox but he’s still a talented player. He played in 153 games for the White Sox last season and he was 109 for 497 (.219 avg, .742 OPS) with 84 runs scored, 24 homers and 69 RBIs. The White Sox were probably jumping for joy that they could ditch the overrated Swisher. Swisher has now played in 611 games in his major league career and he is 515 for 2,114 (.244 avg, .805 OPS) with 353 runs scored, 104 homers and 324 RBIs. Swisher allegedly has a good eye as he has walked 342 times in his major league career but that also comes with 539 whiffs. If the Yankees can get Swisher more aggressive with the bat he might put up some big time power numbers in 2009. 22-year old righty reliever Kaneoka Texeira really pitched well in the minors for the White Sox last season. He worked in 51 games (0 starts) in A+AA ball last season and he was 6-3 with 21 saves, a 1.33 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP.

27-year old switch hitting infielder Wilson Betemit was nothing more than a utility man in his time with the Yankees. He played in 87 games for the Yankees last season and he was 50 for 189 (.265 avg, .718 OPS) with 24 runs scored, 6 homers and 25 RBIs. He doesn’t have much plate discipline however as he only walked 6 times last season while whiffing 56 times. In two years with the Yanks, Betemit played in 124 games in which he was 69 for 273 (.253 avg) with 35 runs scored, 10 homers and 49 RBIs. 24-year old righty starting pitcher Jeff Marquez was the #7 rated Yankees’ prospect heading into the 2008 season according to Baseball America. He pitched in 19 games (18 starts) in Rookie+AA+AAA ball last season and he was 8-8 with a 4.47 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP. 22-year old righty Jhonny Nunez came over from the Nationals last season in the Alberto Gonzalez trade. Nunez was the #25 rated prospect in the Nationals’ system heading into 2008 according to Baseball America. Nunez pitched in 39 games (17 starts) in A+AA ball last season and he was 3-8 with a 4.10 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP. Nunez does have a very strong arm as evidenced by the fact that he whiffed 124 batters in only 116.1 innings last season.

The Yankees win this trade as Swisher could be helpful in 2009 and they didn’t give up too much to get him.

The Yankees have re-signed 33-year old lefty reliever Damaso Marte to a 3-year, $12 million dollar contract. Marte did not pitch too well for the Yankees after coming over from Pittsburgh but the team still likes him a lot. Marte pitched in 25 games (0 starts) for the Yanks last season and he was 1-3 with a 5.40 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP. He did however whiff 24 batters in 18.1 innings with the Yanks showing what he could do. Marte has now pitched in 519 games (0 starts) in his major league career and he is 22-24 with 36 saves, a 3.29 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP. Marte has whiffed 508 batters in 472.2 innings in his major league career which shows that he’s maintained his nasty stuff for quite a while now. This was a good move for the Yankees.

The Yankees have declined Jason Giambi’s $22 million dollar option on the 2009 season. He played in 145 games last season for the Yankees and he was 113 for 458 (.247 avg, .875 OPS) with 68 runs scored, 32 homers and 96 RBIs. The Yankees tried to void Giambi’s contract a few seasons ago when he admitted to using steroids so they jumped at the chance to let him go now. Giambi played 7 seasons for the Yankees covering 897 games in which he was 764 for 2,934 (.260 avg) with 515 runs scored, 209 homers and 604 RBIs. Giambi will have to sign with another team at a substantial discount as he’s 37 now and he’ll have to stay clean.

The Yankees have declined Carl Pavano’s option for the 2009 season valued at $13 million bucks and it was a very, very easy decision. Pavano pitched in 7 games (all starts) with the Yanks last season and he was 4-2 with a 5.77 ERA and a 1.49 WHIP. Pavano pretty much robbed the Yankees in his time with the team as he only pitched in 26 games (all starts) in four seasons with the team and he was 9-8 with a 5.00 ERA and a 1.46 WHIP. It’s pretty amazing that Pavano’s signing didn’t cost Brian Cashman his job.

The Yankees have signed 27-year old righty Sergio Mitre to a minor league deal with a club option for the 2010 season. Mitre is still recovering from Tommy John Surgery that he had last season and he likely won’t be ready until July or August of the 2009 season. Mitre has pitched in 78 games (52 starts) in his major league career and he is 10-23 with a 5.36 ERA and a 1.55 WHIP. I’m not so sure what the Yankees see in Mitre as he hasn’t pitched well even when he has been healthy.