The question facing the Yankees this winter is simple: What could they get for Clint Frazier and J.A. Happ?

Generally, I don't do possible trades. When I was 12, I could sit at my school desk all day, composing trades like bad poetry, with the Yankees always somehow turning Dooley Womack and Hector Lopez into Hank Aaron. Somewhere around 20, I discovered Playboy and Penthouse, and - well - I had better things to fantasize than deals involving Roger Repoz. Still, though, to this day, I still fall for trade rumors. As click-bait goes, they're a notch behind Taylor Swift. 

But since the signing of Gerrit Cole, I have achieved four mountaintop conclusions:

1. Hal Steinbrenner won't sign another big name this winter. He's done pulling out his fanny pack, and it's pointless to speculate on potential free agents. Brian Cashman specializes on finding obscure, low-cost replacements, and that's all we should expect, in terms of spending. 

2. The Yankees have a few minor holes to fill. They could use an elite fielding SS, a solid lefty hitter and another bullpen arm. (With respect to Jell-O, "There's always room for bullpen.") After that, unless a starting pitcher falls our way for some ridiculous reason, I wouldn't expect anything to happen. 

3. They seem intent on dealing J.A. Happ to cut payroll. What they receive will depend on how much money they will pay down on his $17 million contract. My guess is they'd prefer to trade Happ and his entire contract, even if it means getting almost nothing in return.

4. For various reasons - take your pick - they also seem fated to trade Clint Frazier. Maybe it's his attitude. Maybe it's his glove. For sure, it's his predicament: They simply have no easy place to stash him. For the record, I hope they keep Frazier. But here's the reality: Without injuries to other outfielders, he could end up starting the 2020 season at Scranton, and I'm not sure he would go. 

Considering those points, a logical plan is bundle Happ & Frazier and see what the hell we can get. My guess is that Cashman has done this and didn't like the offers. He could add another prospect, or maybe replace Frazier with Miguel Andujar, but then we're getting into blockbuster territory, and I'm not sure Cashman wants to trade the house. The Yanks won 103 games last year, and I doubt Cashman wants a tear-down, especially if he trades away a potential great 3B, only to then learn that Gio Urshela was a single-season mirage. 

So, Happ & Fraze... what could they bring? A decent bullpen arm, you'd think. Maybe Josh Hader? My guess is that Milwaukee is holding out for Andujar. If so, screw them. There have to be others out there. And maybe a lefty bopper, too, in case Mike Ford turns out to be Roger Repoz. I would think the Yankees should feel that they do not have to do anything. And for whatever it's worth, I still hope Frazier gets a shot.