Yankeetorial: Our front office is finally playing hardball

For most of this wretched decade, the Yankees dealt with their enemies in the manner of the current Obama administration: Smile, play nice, and pretend they'll actually negotiate. Of course, they never did..

How many times did teams (Suck on Casey Fossum, Arizona!) deal players to Boston or California for scrap metal, shortly after they demanded huge, over-the-top payments from us? And months later, we'd attempt trade talks again, as if it never happened.

How many times did we sit out bidding wars (the Hunters, the Beltrans, et al) while fat MLB poobahs and toadie sportswriters blamed us for rising salaries? Did they scream about the Small Market Socks getting JD Drew or Dice K? Did they yeowl about the Angels and Mets? No. We were the bad guys, guilty for runaway costs, whether we signed anybody or not.

Well, since Hal and Hank took over, we've played the same game as our rivals... and not too soon. Last winter, we signed the Big 3. Baseball screamed about the money, (forgetting Barry Zito) but what was the diff? We'd get blamed for every contract anyway. They blame us for everything -- steroids, disputed home runs, whatever -- so we might as well win a few games on the way.

Last week, the S&M Socks orchestrated a salary-dump steal, peddling two minor league gerbils for Billy Wagner. (Of course, they're David, facing Goliath, so nobody complains about the $2.7 million they'll pay Wagner for roughly six innings of work.)

Well, yesterday, Cashman put in a claim on one of the minor leaguers, 26-year-old Chris Carter (not the one at left, who played in the 1998 Pro Bowl). It's an office thing. We won't get him. But it forces Boston to hold Carter's roster spot for the next two months, limiting their options to add players.

You know what it is? It's a pain in the ass for them.

Hon joo, Cash! Gyaddamm! right on!

If you don't play hard in the front office, why should your players do it on the field?