"The Yankees face yet another Cliff Lee problem this offseason.

Had they signed Lee last winter, the Yankees would have an ace-level starter under contract and not feel the need to do anything possible to keep CC Sabathia when he opts out of his contract after the World Series.

But in the worst possible combination, the Yanks failed to land Lee despite making a seven-year, $146 million offer that creates a benchmark that the Sabathia camp will probably demand be matched — at the least.

Those two factors provide the backdrop for the Yankees' biggest issue of the offseason. If they don't retain Sabathia, then who does this win-now team use as its ace in 2012? But to retain Sabathia, the Yanks may have to go to contract lengths that make even them squeamish; especially because of how Sabathia has looked both on the field and in his uniform late this season."