The Stove is getting Hot

The "running of the free agents," as Alex Belth so nicely puts it, begins tonight, so things should get innerestin'.

But before those festivities even begin, the Nick Swisher (or, Swish Nicker, as Steve Goldman prefers) deal looks very good for the Yankees. I've been following his career since he first made his appearance in Moneyball (he was the A's first pick in 2002, 16th overall followed by Cole Hamels at 17...ain't baseball grand?). Good patience and power, good defense, flexibility, and youth -- characteristics the Yankees haven't had at first base since before Don Mattingly's back started acting up. Importantly, he gives the Yankees leverage with agent extraordinaire, Scott Boras, who handles Mark Teixeira, the big free agent bat out there this year. They can tell Boras that they have a fine, fine first baseman now -- seems to have worked with this guy -- even as Boras will be desperate to keep the Yankees' checkbook in the mix. Anyone remember the Beltran Yankee discount? With Teixeira at first and Swisher able to play an excellent first and corner outfield positions, the Yankees would have the depth they've lacked since the 1990s run.

But I'm getting ahead of myself.

As for pitching, the word is* that the Yankees are ready to offer CC Ryder Sabathia $140/150 million over five/six years, hoping to blow everyone else out of the water. Other pitchers out there for the taking that have been mentioned as possible Yankee targets are A.J. Burnett and Derek Lowe. While Burnett had a great year in '08, he's prone to injuries and Lowe is both old and a groundball pitcher -- not the ideal guy for a team with marginal defense.

* Unlike those supposedly coming from the Obama transition team, I'm more prone to believe baseball rumors.