"Nothing gets the rumor mill swirling quite like due diligence.

That's what the latest buzz about the Yankees and Ubaldo Jimenez amounts to. Brian Cashman is speaking regularly with 29 other general managers, while his scouts are flooding big-league ballparks to look at any and every player who may become available in the next 11 days - and the next six months, for that matter.

Put it all together with last week's poor performances by Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia and you have the makings of a good ol' fashioned trade rumor frenzy.

"Just making my phone calls," Cashman said. "I don't think I'll trade for anyone better than Colon or (Phil) Hughes on the starting side or anyone better than (Rafael) Soriano on the relieving side."

Even if Cashman had something cooking, it's unlikely that he would show his cards until he was ready to play them, but a look across the baseball landscape backs up his assertion that his best options are already wearing pinstripes.

The Yankees have some issues in their rotation, especially when you look at last week's outings by Colon and Garcia, but to think that both veterans have gone from first-half saviors to completely washed up is extreme, especially after Colon's solid outing last night in the 3-2 loss to the Rays."