YANKEETORIAL: If Cashman listened to us last year and signed John Lackey, we would have won the World Series

Yesterday, this website -- the "Common Sense" of the Yankiverse -- laid down a simple plan to win the 2011 World Series:

Sign Cliff Lee.

Two years ago, we argued against the red tide of Metlike doubters when we announced that New York needed to sign Mark Teixteira. The mob laughed at us. They called us names. They said we'd already signed CC Sabathia and AJ Burnett, so we should be satisfied. They would have had us dealing for Andy Phillips. We said no: Sign Teixteira.

Last year, we put forth the argument that without John Lester, the Yankees would suffer. Again, we were ridiculed -- especially by so-called "experts" who spoke glowingly of the brilliant acquisition of Javier Vazquez. "Innings-eater," they said. "Comeback player of the year," they said. "Stick to trying to be funny," they said.

Last year, with a light-hitting Redsock team, Lackey went 14-10. He threw 215 innings with an ERA of 4.40. On the last day of the season -- albeit against Yankee scrubinnis -- he threw 7.2 innings and struck out 10, giving up 2 runs.

On the Yankees, only CC Sabathia threw more innings. Only Sabathia and Pettitte had lower ERAs, (with Andy throwing far fewer innings.)

With John Lackey, we would have won the AL East.

If the Yankees had listened to us, John Lackey would have started game 2 in the ALCS, instead of Phil Hughes, who was out of gas.

If the world pondered our Common Sense, we would not have to endured Vazquez, Moseley, Mitre, Gaudin, Aceves and Nova -- not to mention the bullpen follies of Marte, Chan Ho Park, et al.

To win the World Series, all we needed to do was sign John Lackey.

We didn't sign Lackey. We didn't win the Series.

Sign Cliff Lee.  Whatever it takes.

Sign Cliff Lee, and we will win the 2011 World Series.