"Brian Cashman couldn't sign Cliff Lee last winter and he didn't trade for Zack Greinke when the price was reasonable. Then Phil Hughes had a season to disremember and A.J. Burnett was statistically bipolar again.

So here he is facing an offseason as desperate for starters as any in recent Yankee memory, and Cashman is heading toward the perfect free-market storm. There's nobody out there, other than C.J. Wilson.

Assuming CC Sabathia opts out of his remaining four years, Cashman is going to have to pay Sabathia his money no matter the cost, no matter the years. The Yanks will have to pay the man holding all the cards, even if it costs them $25 million per year, for five years. Even if it's more than that."