Igawa, Yankees complete $20 million, 5-year deal, AP, December 27, 2006

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Holidays a special time for Proctor, Yankees.com, December 23, 2006

All Scott Proctor wants for Christmas is to not get traded.

And once and for all, he settles the age-old question: ‘Who is more popular - Jeter or Santa?’: “No offense to Derek, but I’ve got to go with Santa Claus.”

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Strawberry: Jeter must embrace A-Rod, MLB.com, December 20, 2006

For the second time this offseason, Daryl Strawberry does his part to repair matters in Yankee Land. Apparently he didn’t read Jeter’s quotes the other week. Or maybe Strawberry just doesn’t believe him. Whatever the case, the Yanks should consider rehiring Straw as a psychological consultant:

“I hope Jeter would embrace him this year, in Spring Training, and bring him into the full circle as a part of the Yankee family. If Jeter does it, I think everybody else will respond. I hope that works out for him, because once upon a time, they were best of friends and some things happened, which is life.”

One big, happy family. Right up until the next big error, right?

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Jeter, Santa catch movie, NY Daily News, December 19, 2006

Just think Derek, only a few more years and she’ll be old enough to date!

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Report: Yankees sign Japanese LHP Igawa, AP, December 19, 2006

After their winning bid of $26 million, the signing of Kei Igawa (five years, $20 million) was a formality. But wasn’t there a cheaper way to find a #4 starter?

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• From the makers of O.J’s cancelled book comes “7: The Mickey Mantle Novel”. Mantle seduces Marilyn Monroe in prose “replete with pornographic passages and foul jokes.” But it’s not all character assassination here. In one telling passage, Mantle states, “”I don’t believe in having sex with women against their will the way Billy (Martin) sometimes did.”

• Following in their Footsteps: They are arguably the most juiced team in baseball. Now another Yankee minor leaguer has been suspended. This time it is pitching prospect Hector Noesi.

• Curious Timing: The Yanks say goodbye to Aaron Guiel, suddenly freeing up Andy Pettitte’s old number (46).

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The Yanks will say otherwise. But this unanimously praised move is all about nostalgia and correcting the supposed wrongs of the past. By adding yet another aging, oft-injured veteran to its staff, the Yanks have set themselves up for a possible pitching train wreck. Just a week ago, the guy wanted to retire. Do you think a healthy pitcher would want to do that?

Pettitte was 14-13 with a 4.20 ERA last season. Of course, that was an aberration, they say. Just put on the pinstripes, Andy. Is he past his prime? No one (save the Astros, maybe) seems to think so. But no one thought that about Randy Johnson either.

Every pitching staff has question marks, they say. He makes the team better. Sure he does. But for how long? And how much better? Are we talking about a World Series title here?

And if he brings buddy Rocket back with him? Return to above headline….

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No Waiving Goodbye For Alex, Jason, NY Post, December 6, 2006

Driving Force, NY Post, December 6, 2006

Three revelations from the NY Post:

1. According to a team source, the Yanks supposedly ‘put out feelers’ to see if Jason Giambi would be willing to revoke his no-trade clause. The answer was ‘no’.

2. According to the same source, the Yanks went through the exact same process with A-Rod.

If the team was truly committed to making the sweeping changes they hinted at after their playoff loss, this would certainly be the way to do it. Why they can’t tell at least one of these superstars that he is no longer wanted (paving the way for a potentially messy, but inevitable trade) is a mystery to us.

3. Jason Giambi is starring as a cab driver in the new ESPN miniseries, “The Bronx Is Burning”.

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Team Player, NY Post, December 4, 2006

Yankee cheerleader, Kevin Kernan, outdoes himself with his latest fluff piece, trying too hard to rebuild the damaged reputation of The Captain. Jeter tells The Post:

“You support your teammates, and I have, and I’ve said to the media: ‘Everyone here supports Alex.’ Those were my exact words. It seems like somebody made a story and now everybody is running with it.”

Unfortunately, the ‘made-up story’ came from his own (unnamed) teammates, referring to the ‘chilly’ relationship between the two. Everyone surrounding the Yankees seems to agree to at least that much. Everyone but Captain Jeter, who apparently abides by his own definition of ’support’.

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Bomber shell - $150 tix, NY Daily News, December 2, 2006

The Yankees release their 2007 schedule and announce that they are raising ticket prices on their most expensive seats. That’s right. If you’re fortunate enough, you too can check out the Yankees and Devil Rays on April 2nd for $150 a ticket.

But what about the local working-class residents of The Bronx who might want to check out a game? Yankees chief operating officer, Lonn Trost, weighs in:

“Those people are gone. They can’t even afford the concessions now.”

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