The New, Old Yankees

[DOUGHBOYS]

The Yankees aren't the Yankees any more. They died with George Steinbrenner. Just a few seasons ago, with George still around, the Yankees were thought to be in the mix for any free agent. Now, none.
What happened?
Well, it's clear that George's boys, while making even more money than George, from the New Yankee Stadium and richer contracts with television are not going to pour it back into salaries as George did. They are still paying luxury tax due to their 'old man' contracts even after Posada's ran out and Jeter's was cut.

Why any club includes an opt out clause for any player is beyond me. For the player it's a bonanza. They play above average during the early years of their contract which the club is really counting on anyway, then get a boost for the back end of their contract, or the 'old man years'.
Arod and Sabathia have enjoyed contracts of this nature. The clause puts pressure on the contractual team to re-sign the player since the fan base never wants to see a productive player leave.

The thing that remains the same for the Yankees is there General Manager, Brian Cashman. Over the past few years, Cashman and Theo Epstein have been called overrated and underrated. They're neither.
They are like the U.S. and Russia during the 60's. Two super powers that could squish any other smaller franchise if they had a mind to. Cashman and Epstein were playing a different game than other GM's. They had the pick of the litter and everybody else got what was left over.
Those days are over.
Cashman is back to being on a more level playing field with other clubs and Epstein's job description changes from reloader to rebuilder.

It is hard to fathom that Brett Gardner will turn 29 next year. He has been the energy force for the Yankees.
For 2012, the Yankees starting nine consists of one player who will be under the age of 29, Jesus Montero. Two starting pitchers younger than 32 (Nova and Hughes), and Mariano as the closer.
It's been said that to be a Yankee is to be in a fraternity. Now, it is more like an old folks home.

Besides the 'old man' re-signings of Arod and Sabathia, and similarly with Jeter, the only major signing over the last couple of years for the Yankees has been Rafael Soriano.
After next year, Russell Martin, Nick Swisher, and Rivera become free agents. Granderson has an option for 13 million, Cano, 15 million.
Granderson and Cano will be ages 32 and 31 in 2013. Do the Yankees extend them and give them 'old man contracts' to prevent free agent status the following year?
That decision will be the one that defines the new Steinbrenner's.
It'll either be 'business as usual' or a 'new sheriff in town'.
That, is a problem for the future though.
For now, the core of the Yankees will do what even a team with the largest payroll in baseball cannot prevent.
Age.