Yankeetorial: Soriano is hurting, but we must not start hunting

Rafael Soriano's elbow has turned redder than a Kardashian's clitoris, and he's heading into the rumble magnets today for what grizzled Yankee fans recognize as that inevitable voyage between Tanyon Scylla and Colter Carybdis:

1. He's out -- joining Pedro Feliciano, Phil Hughes, Eric Chavez, Osama bin Laden and the riverfront population of Memphis.

or

2. He's going to stick around, gut it out, and totally suck: Think Donald Trump and (to you little-memory naysayers, damn you... Jorge Posada.) 

This marvelous news punctuates Soriano's fourth straight scoreless outing -- his most remarkable achievement as a Yankee (after signing the contract.) If Soriano now goes the way of Pavano/Feliciano -- should we ever again sign a guys whose name ends in "ano?" -- at least we cannot hang the fiasco on Cashman, who climbed the outside of a building last winter in hopes of escaping the deal.

Listen:

If Sori vanishes, there will be a rumble and clamor across the Yankiverse for Cash to trade for a replacement. God help us. Last year, we dealt that replacement -- Mark Melancon -- for eight weeks of Babyfat Lance Berkman, two of which involved the DL. Berkman's total contribution to the Yankees was a few walks and a homerun in a series we'd prefer to forget.

Please, please, please... Save us from such trades.

If we need a bat, we have Jorge Vazquez, Jesus Montero and that Maxwell guy, who is leading the International League in HRs. If we need infielders, we have Ramiro Pena - an entire bench in one human being. If we need pitchers, promote somebody. We cannot continue to trade good young prospects for washed up players whose sole contribution is their reputation.

The Yankees spend more than anybody else in baseball, yet we still don't use our financial clout to the max. All we need to do is develop young players and supplement with free agents. Let's stop getting our pockets picked every July. Stay the course.