In a surprise move. the Yanks have swooped in and signed Mark Teixiera:

The New York Yankees swooped in Tuesday and nabbed prized free agent Mark Teixeira, reaching agreement with the first baseman on an eight-year contract worth $180 million, two sources involved in the negotiations tell ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney.

The Yankees had made an offer to Teixeira weeks ago, but then withdrew it. Their intention all along was to make a deal if it fell within parameters acceptable to the organization. They made their formal offer Tuesday.

The contract will pay Teixeira an average of $22.5 million per season.

 I have to admit that I didn't think the Yanks would pick up Teixiera because the Angels said he was a top priority after they traded Casey Kotchman for him.

When they pulled their offer, I figured it was a negotiating ploy because Boras is, well, Boras. I felt Boston pulled a similar move when John Henry announced that the Red Sox were backing off too.

But  In the blink of an eye today  Cashman struck. Although he isn't worth 180 million in my mind, Mark solidifies the 1B position for many years and takes over the # 3 hole in the lineup that was vacated by Abreu. His stats with the Angels were very impressive:

54 games played:

193 AB's

.358 BA

.449 OBP

14 2B's

13 HR's

43 RBI's

I had wanted them to trade for Mark back when he was on Texas two seasons ago because they could have acquired him  for a couple of their super hyped minor leaguers and he was young enough to warrant giving up premium talent, but they passed back then. Not today. I still think they are another bat short. Will Cashman dip in the well of free agency one more time to acquire you know who?

Travis G hears rumors that the Yanks will be trading someone. I'm no fan of Matsui, but who would be the #5 hitter if he goes? Who would bat lead off if Damon goes? They need to have a "protector" behind A-Rod to make this team work even with all the signings so far.

What a wild Holiday season it has been...

We all know about Milton's volatile personality and he's a little injury prone, but is an incredible talent both offensively and defensively and is still young at 31. I think the Yanks should take a look at him because I doubt he'll be able to demand a lengthy contract with his history and might be worth the risk if he is signed to a short term deal. If Cashman can structure the contract with club options with incentives it might help calm the guy down. (He is seeking a long term deal in Texas.) The Yankees are sorely lacking in the offense department and he'd be a big time bat that would replace Abreu easliy, but he won't be worring about the right field fence when he goes back on a ball and does have a great arm.

Milton's stats: .436 OBP, 80BB's, 22 HR's, 77 RBI's, .321 BA in 127 games and until his injury was having an MVP type season.

If you look at the free agent class of outfielders, it is very weak this year and unless they pull off a major trade I don't see how they can upgrade the power numbers at center or right. They can live with Damon in left, but Austin Jackson isn't ready yet, Melky is Melky and while I love Gardner's speed, he doesn't hit well enough yet to risk him as an opening day player.

I know I'm dreaming here, but I would love for the Yanks to try to take a shot at Ichiro if Seattle would consider moving him. They could include Matsui in the deal to satisfy their huge Japanese following too although his bad knee is not helping his value at all. Ichiro could play center or right with the best of them and would slip right into the # 3 hole.

There are so many trouble spots for this team that we will have a lot to talk about in the coming months that's for sure...

Friday---Yankees lose 10-5...Starting pitcher (IPK) lasts 2 IP.

Saturday---Yankees lose 11-4...Bullpen gives up 8 R's in bottom of the 8th.

Sunday---Yankees lose 4-3...Yanks leave runner on third with less than one out numerous times. That's a kind way of saying that they choked with runners in scoring position as usual.

Three loses in three different ways. It doesn't get much worse.

How many lives do the Yanks have left? I didn't see Pettitte melting down so far in the second half and with Joba's status up in the air the pundits all agree. The Yanks are TOAST.

I wish I made a list of all the Talking Heads that wrote the Yanks off last year when they were down ten games in the wild card hunt and now they feel really  confident this year after back to back losses to Texas in the sweltering heat.

I admit, I'm feeling very nervous about their chances this time around, but then I look up at the wild card standings and guess what? The Yanks are three games out in the loss column. THREE games out. Do you hear the chattering class ever mention the wild card? I was looking for something to break this string of bad play---even the X-Man's incredible start hasn't translated into victories.

But I do have hope now. Chris Russo is formally on the Yankee elimination watch parade that he's been doing the last few years. Thank you, oh lord. I was waiting for him to finally do his anti/Yankee thing and after these two bad losses he finally couldn't contain himself. All he had to do was wait until September and he probably would have been safe, but, no. He couldn't hold back the seething hatred he has of the Yanks. They needed a lift somewhere to offset the funk they are in and I think they found it.

There is hope in Yankee-land after all.

I just wanted to say that. I went to one in the late 60's and saw Joe D. That was a big deal back then.

Bobby Murcer will be missed.

Congratulations to the new HOFer: The Goose!

Mariano can't keep giving up runs in tie games. He's had an incredible year so far, but walking the first batter is certain death for any reliever. He threw four straight balls to Mark T leading off, Vlad went the other way for a hit and a drawn in infield single led to the winning run. I was hoping that Veras would come out in the 9th.

Wasted was a great performance by the guy we like to rag on---Sidney Ponson.  He went seven strong innings--only getting in trouble one time and escaping a bases loaded one out hole.

Wasted was a dynamite 8th inning by Marte. He showed us why he baffles right handed hitters. His slider wraps around the outside corner for a strike and is unhittable.

Wasted was some great defense led by the Melkyman

When Abreu makes a decent catch it seems like it should make ESPN's web gems or something.

Santana was awesome as well. Flashing a 96 mph heater, he used his off speed pitches to put the Yanks away all game long and went eight scoreless innings. He has matured a great deal since being sent down to the minors last year.

Giambi can't hit a high strike anymore. He's really hurting the lineup now. They still do not have a legitimate number 5 hitter.Their situational hitting is a nightmare too. They don't move runners over in tight games.

Why is Betemit starting again? XMan is just starting to swing a hot bat and I don't think he needed a day off. Playing the lefty/righty combination is fine if you actually have a good platoon option. Wilson is not.

KRod was dealing and caught ARod looking for strike three on a 3-2 change-up as he racked up his 45th save. It couldn't have been easier.

I was hoping for a split this series, but now not getting swept is the priority. The Yanks have wasted too many good starts and it's hurting them badly. The Malocchio is stll alive.

That's what I heard Chris Carlin report on WFAN. The Yanks need a starter badly. He's terrible, (5-10, 4.93 ERA)  but I guess better than Ponson if Washburn falls through. Would you rather bring up IPK?

Tyler Kepner checks it out.

If the Yankees trade for starter Jarrod Washburn, it will be the kind of deal they are most comfortable making. They will not sacrifice a major prospect, and their only risk will be financial.

The trade they completed Saturday was different, and unlike any they have made in recent years. To acquire outfielder Xavier Nady and reliever Dámaso Marte from the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Yankees traded solid prospects.

They kept the jewels of their system: reliever Mark Melancon and outfielder Austin Jackson, each at Class AA Trenton.

As of Saturday night, Cashman had not discussed trade parameters with the Mariners. But that could change if the Yankees want Washburn in time to start Sunday night. For now, he is scheduled to start for the Mariners in Toronto on Sunday afternoon.

I'm not a big fan of Washburn's since he left LA, although he has been pitching much better lately after a win today, Jarrod had a .293 ERA in June and has a 3.16 so far in July.

Some fun:

Let's sweeten the pot. We'll take Jarrod's contract off their hand and then we get Ichiro for Abreu, Igawa and Gardner.

You'll notice that Kevin Youkilis wasn't hit by Joba with a pitch last year after two whizzed up high and neither was he hit last night, but if you listened to the Red Sox after the game you would have thought he was carted off the field. Look, throwing up high is not a good thing, but whenever the Sox hit the Yanks like Jeter and Soriano---they end up in the hospital or coming out of the game like ARod did today, but Youk, he just screams a lot.

Beckett looked like he was going to charge the mound last night from the Boston dugout, but he just cursed a lot. Joba was not throwing at him in a 1-0 game in the seventh, but it is weird that it happened. Joba said he was just trying to get a strike. Well, he did because the ball hit Youkman's bat as Joba out pitched Beckett for a 1-0 win.

Raise your hand if you thought ARod was going to get plunked.

Today was just a good thumping. Cano is on fire and hit a ball in the Boston black to tie the score as the Yanks came back from an early 2-0 hole and scored seven straight runs to put the game away.

X-Man got his first start to break the ice and Marte came in and struck out Ortiz with some sort of nasty 89 mph cutter in the seventh. In came Edwar and he ate up Manny to keep his no hit streak alive and that was the ball game.

I was watching NESN's post game last night and they were whining about Joba and the ump as well. Jim Rice said that Lowell got screwed because when he's battling Mariano the ump should only call a strike if it's right down the middle. Right. The Yanks have their in booth homers too, but these guys were ridiculous.

Coco Crisp was asked how good Joba was and he said that at least they got his pitch count up. Huh? 105 pitches in seven innings isn't working the count, but that's Coco. Remember when he got pummeled by the entire Ray's team after he charged the mound?

Damon gave us a scare, but he only cramped up and is fine. I'm sure ARod won't be able to lift his arm tonight, but Youk---he's just a little hot under the collar.

Wahoo! What a great deal by Cashman:

The Yankees agreed Friday evening to a deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates that would give New York left-handed pitcher Damaso Marte and right fielder Xavier Nady.

The Pirates will receive right-handed pitcher Ross Ohlendorf, right-handed pitcher George Kontos, left-handed pitcher Phil Coke and right fielder Jose Tabata in return. The trade is tentative pending physicals.

The Yanks got the right handed bat/outfielder and lefty reliever they needed so badly.

UPDATE by anaconda:

Obviously, this trade really helps the Yanks in the short term with Xavier Nady likely to take over in LF.  Nady is eligible for arbitration after this season, so the odds are good that we're looking at the Yanks' right-fielder next season and they will let Abreu walk.

I'm not the biggest fan of Nady because his numbers this season are far better than his career averages.  I'm afraid he's not even close to the .330 BA, 20 home run pace that he's displayed this season.  But let's hope he tears it up the rest of the season and they can figure out what to do with him during the offseason.

Damaso Marte clearly gives the Yanks a true left-handed set-up guy they really haven't had since Mike Stanton.  Marte will probably split time with Kyle Farnsworth in the 8th inning.  He also has a team option for 2009 that the Yanks will certainly pick up.

Jose Tabata has a ton of raw talent, but has undoubtedly had a rough season with his struggles at the plate and his behavior/attitude and injury problems.  Losing him sucks, but he likely wasn't going to help the big club until 2011, if at all.

I've always been a big fan of Ross Ohlendorf and I'm not thrilled about seeing him go.  I wouldn't be surprised at all to see him emerge as a force in the Pirates bullpen over the next couple of years.

Phil Coke was having a terrific season for the Trenton Thunder, but it's unlikely he would have become much more than a reliever or a fifth starter for the big club.  Coke is also a lefty and is 26 years old still pitching in Double-A, so it's unlikely that he is a diamond in the rough that the Yanks have simply overlooked the last few years.

All in all, this is a good trade for the Yanks.  Again, I'm not sold on Nady being the long-term answer for this team, but he will certainly help them this season.

But adding Marte to the bullpen mix gives them a big weapon from the left side that they haven't had in several years.