Wake Up, Folks! Robbie Is The Smart One.

Let's take a hard look at what just went down.

1.  Robbie got about $65 million more than the Yankees were offering.

2.  Robbie looked around Yankeedom, and here is what he saw:
           
     - a team that did not make the playoffs in 2013
     - a team that went out ugly from the playoffs in 2012
     - a team with the oldest roster in either league
     - a team riddled with, and ripe for, sustaining injuries
     - a team that, despite a horrid year, made no changes in coaching, managing, the scouting system,
       the committee of dolts that decides on draft picks
     - a team that has no young players in the farm system who will ever be any good
     - a team that is still hoping that," spending money again," ( though stupidly ) will restore the team of        
       1996
     - a team where most of the new additions have had their best years, and are Yankees because of the
       money and because they want to tell their grandchildren that they once wore pinstripes
     - a team that has no Yankees on it  ( Derek; Robertson; Gardner )

3.  Robbie looked around the infield and saw:

     - Tiexiera who may never play again ( that wrist is tricky ) and, even if he does, has become a .235      
        hitter with only occasional power
     - A-Rod as a non-playing distraction, at best, and no one to play third.
     - Derek who refused to retire with dignity and will be challenged all year by his faded ability to run
        full out, and who will be relieved by a better fielding kid, with greater range, who hits.190.

4.  No replacements of worth. No prospects.  No innovative ideas.

5.  No Mariano.  No closer.

6.  A starting pitching staff depending on Pineda for quality, hoping that CC puts on 50 pounds and
      returns to form, and desperate to sign Kuroda who, at 38 or 39, was their best pitcher.

 7.  Still with Boone Logan as their only lefty out of the bullpen.

Sure, it is likely he has seen his last baseball run ( jog?)  into late October/early November.  But he has his rings. And it is even money that Seattle sees the world series before the Yankees again do.

 He can find plenty of amusement during the off-season and fish, ride horses, or "coast" in the south of France. Who needs to be ducking 98 mile per hour heat in some hostile stadium when it is near Thanksgiving?

Not playing in playoff and championship games will keep his body younger so he can fulfill the 10 years of his contract.  He knows that, by age 38 or so, he'll likely be the Mariner's official greeter for VIP parties in lounges owned by Microsoft, but he has a great smile.

He is smiling now because he is, clearly, the smartest guy on the block.