One week into winter, the most important question of the Yankiverse remains unanswered

Listen: We can fight about politics, religion and the new Lady Gaga album until our gonads shriek from the strain of emotions, from where I sit, there is absolutely no debate to be had about the 2017 Yankees until one rather simple, non-esoteric question is addressed:

This winter, does Hal "Food Stamps" Steinbrenner intend to spend his hard-inherited money on free agents? Or does "I'm Not Cheap" intend - once and for all - to get the payroll below that magical $189 million luxury tax threshold? (Actually, the threshold could rise in the new players union agreement; but the question still stands: Cheap or Not Cheap.)

I have yet to see this question answered, and yet - frankly - it's the only one that matters to the short and long term future of the team.

If Hal plans to pull out his fanny pack and spend - well - then we're in the chase for an Aroldis Chapman, a Rich Hill and/or maybe even an Edwin Encarnacion. We could fill a bunch of holes, maintain our youth movement and legitimately contend for the 2017 pennant.

If Hal has alligator arms on the check - well - then we're chasing Boone Logan and Chris Parmelee, and playing for 2018 - or ditching the youth thing and trading our farm system for the likes of Chris Sale or Sonny Gray. (I am of the opinion that this would be a terrible idea, but I know some of you disagree. It's all in the details, I guess.)

Listen: We can debate the whos, whats and whys until Lady Gaga's next album. But until we know what Hal wants, we're yelling at shadows. And I hate to think this way, but I have yet to see a solid reason to have faith in Hal Steinbrenner's ability to make the Yankees a winning franchise in the grand tradition of the organization. It's now been eight years. His one success came from a huge spending splurge. Everything since has been a mating dance with mediocrity.

So what's it going to be?