Would trading for Cliff Lee before the All-Star break have been overkill by the defending World Series champs and MLB leading Yankees?

Not in hindsight.

Yes, the Yankees’ starting rotation has been a major strength during the first half of the season and trading for Cliff Lee would have bolstered an already excellent staff, but now that Pettitte is going to miss more than a month with a Grade 1 left groin strain, adding Lee would have behooved the Yankees. If only the Rangers didn’t come in and snatch Lee away, the Yankees would have already been set with five starters, minus Pettitte.

This is another case of the old saying come true that you can never have enough pitching.

The loss of Pettitte leaves a big void in the middle of the Yankees’ starting staff and the team will most likely try to insert a starter from within the organization first before testing the trade market.

If they do go out on the trade market, names like Roy Oswalt and Dan Haren will be mentioned as possibilities.

I’d like to see the Yankees give Sergio Mitre, although he has been injured himself, the opportunity to showcase what he has as a starter. As a starter last season he did what was asked of him when called upon. But if the Yankees do decide that trading for an arm is the best way to go, of all the likely options, I like Haren the best. His bloated 4.60 ERA will dip if he comes to the Bronx and he’d be a reliable option every fifth day.

Figuratively, of course.

But still, today is June 17. The Tampa Bay Rays and Yankees are tied atop the division with identical 41-24 records. The Red Sox sit in third place at 39-28. No other team in all of baseball has more than 38 wins.

Let that sit in for a second.

Settled?

Yeah, so the third place team in the AL East would be leading any other division in baseball. And we can’t forget about the Toronto Blue Jays, who are in fourth at 36-31 and have absolutely mashed the ball so far this year. Seriously, the only thing coming from Toronto this year to produce more hits than the Blue Jays is Drake, unfortunately or fortunately, depending on your feelings on Drake. Certainly, those teams have the luxury of being in a division with the Baltimore Orioles, who are the not so proud owners of a league-worst 18-48 record.

I’d imagine things will change. I don’t necessarily think one of those teams will fade, but I don’t expect them to end the year with the three best records in baseball. It’s quite possible the top two teams will be one and team in the American League, and maybe even all of baseball. But not all three.

Early on, it looked like the Rays were going to run away with the division, maybe even literally as they’ve got some crazily fast dudes down there, and the Red Sox were going to pitch and defend their way into a disappointing end to a once optimistic season. Now, the Rays have slowed down and David Ortiz remembered he’s David Ortiz. Sure, some other stuff probably happened, but that’s the gist of it. In the middle, the Yankees have had some positives and negatives, but remained mostly consistent.

They aren’t getting too much production from their 3 and 4 hitters, as we’re quite aware of Mark Teixeira’s struggles, and Alex Rodriguez has been just sort of floating along this year. He returned to the lineup last night after missing the past four games with tendonitis in his right hip, although he was the DH and didn’t play the field. He went 1-3 with an RBI double and a walk in the 6-3 loss to the Phillies. On the year, he’s batting .291 with eight home runs and 44 RBIs, which are fine numbers, but not what he’s produced in the past. Of course, that can be partly overlooked because of the ridiculous year Robinson Cano is having so far. Just click here. Look at all those Cano faces. I wish each category got a different picture for absolutely no reason.

But can we really expect Cano to keep hitting .370 all year? Or for 38-year-old Andy Pettitte to continue pitching so effectively all season. And how will Phil Hughes, who has yet to pitch more 86 innings in the majors in a single season, hold up all year?

But every team has questions, of course. The Rays can have similar concerns about David Price that the Yankees might have about Hughes. And can the Red Sox expect Adrian Beltre to keep leading their offense? (He only signed a one-year deal, meaning he can be a free agent after this season, so I say sure!)

Anyway, we’ve got more than half a season to go. All three top teams figure to fight for the division title and presumably the Wild Card. One team has a real shot at winning upwards of 90 games and missing the playoffs. So the third place American League East team probably won’t finish the season with a better record than any non-AL East team, which is disappointing. But that’s okay.

We should be in for an intense three-way race for two spots — maybe four-way if the Blue Jays can hang around, which would be great — so just try and enjoy it.

Unless you’re an Orioles fan. In which case, sorry about that. The Ravens should be pretty good this year, though, right?

For a team that has lost five of its last seven games, going on the road to face an opponent in first place might not be such a welcome road trip. But for the Yankees, three games in Minnesota might be just what they need to break out of their recent funk.

The Yankees (26-18, 2nd in AL East) took two of three from the Twins (26-18, 1st in AL Central) at Yankee Stadium two weeks ago, and went 10-0 against them last year, including a sweep in the ALDS. The last time to two teams tied in a season series was 2006, when they went 3-3 against each other. To find the last time the Twins won a season series outright against the Yankees you’d have to go back to 2001, when Minnesota took four of six.

The Twins come into the series also on a bit of slide, dropping four of their last six. The Yankees will get their first look at the new Target Field, where the Twins are 14-7 in the stadium’s inaugural season.  The Yankees are 13-12 away outside of the always pleasant Bronx so far this year.

Pitching Matchups:

Tuesday, 8:10: A.J. Burnett (4-2, 3.86 ERA – 2-1 with a 3.57 ERA in seven career starts against Minnesota) vs. Scott Baker (4-4, 4.88 ERA – 2-2 with a 5.14 ERA in four career starts against New York)

Wednesday, 7:10: Andy Pettitte (5-1, 2.68 ERA – 10-5 with a 3.53 ERA in 20 career starts against Minnesota)  vs. Francisco Liriano (4-3, 3.25 ERA – 0-2 with a 3.32 ERA in three career starts against New York)

Thursday, 8:10: Javier Vazquez (3-4, 6.60 ERA – 6-6 with a 5.11 ERA in 16 career starts against Minnesota) vs. Nick Blackburn (5-1, 4.50 ERA – 1-1 with a 5.33 ERA in five career starts against New York)

Streaking Yankees:

Robinson Cano: The most consistent offensive threat so far this year for the Yankees comes into the series with a seven-game hitting streak, over which he has gone 12-32, good enough for a .375 average. Conversely, during that streak Cano has no homeruns, and has only hit one in May, which came back on May 2 against the White Sox.

Alex Rodriguez: After a bit of a slow start, Rodriguez has his average up to .291 on the year, and has collected two hits in 11 of his last 17 games. During that stretch he has four homers and 15 RBIs.

Fully Clothed Yankees:

Mark Teixeira: The first baseman has just four hits in his last 29 at-bats. During that stretch he has eight strikeouts. On a more hopeful note for Teixeira, and Yankees fans, he had two hits and at least one RBI in all three games last series against Minnesota. He’s also leading the AL in fan votes for the All-Star game, so he’s got that going for him, which is nice.

Brett Gardner: The speedy centerfielder has gone hitless in New York’s last three games, and hasn’t swiped a bag in his last eight games.

Streaking Twins:

Justin Morneau: The former MVP has reached base in his last 12 games, 11 of which he’s gotten at least one hit in. During that time, he’s 22-45, or .489. He’s batting .417 in May, with six homers and 17 RBI.

Orlando Hudson: Minnesota’s second baseman has a three-game multi-hit streak going, tallying eight hits in his last three games.

Fully Clothed Twins:

Nick Punto: The infielder has just three hits in his last 29 at-bats and hasn’t scored a run since May 5.

Jim Thome: The occasionally DH has just one hit in his last 12 at-bats, and hasn’t hit a homer since May 2 after hitting four in April.

You Might Remember… Nick Blackburn, who was hit in the face by a linedrive Bobby Abreu hit on June 1, 2008 in the fifth inning of Minnesota’s 5-1 win. Here’s a not-so-fun fact from that game: the losing pitcher for the Yankees that day was Darrell Rasner. Anyway, Blackburn ended up not even missing a start, so way to go for him.

Every team has them.  Players who, over the course of time, become legends.  They are revered by fans because they are at the epicenter of their franchise’s most cherished moments, usually a championship.  The Jets have Joe Namath and 1969. The Mets have Darryl Strawberry, Dwight Gooden and the rest of that remarkable ’86 team.  More recently, the New York Rangers have 1994 & the now immortal Mark Messier.

But for Yankee fans, these players, and their eras of dominance, are a spoil of immense riches.  Unlike other franchises, it seems the Yankees have a dynasty for every generation since Ban Johnson moved the franchise to New York from Baltimore in 1903.  Our Grandparents had Joe Dimaggio. Our Parents speak about Mickey Mantle as if he was a God.  And let’s be honest, he was.  And now, it is our generation’s turn to witness greatness.  If you’re like me, heading toward your mid 30s, these current Yankee teams of the last 14 years embody the prowess and glory of the legendary teams that have come before them.

What began in 1996, and has been carried through 2009, is nothing short of Baseball Majesty.  The names roll off of your tongue as if they already belong among those who are enshrined behind them in Monument Park.  Jeter, Posada, Pettitte, Rivera.  Their names are royalty.  And as time marches on, with each passing game, their status as legend becomes further entrenched in the most hallowed annals of Yankee Lore.

Already known for their postseason successes and World Series Victories, their status as Yankee Legend began to take physical shape in the twilight of Old Yankee Stadium’s waning days.  On a Mid-September night in 2008, Derek Jeter passed Lou Gehrig for most hits ever at Yankee Stadium, a record that will now stand for all time.

And that was only the beginning.  In late June of 2009, across The Triboro Bridge in Flushing Meadows, Mariano Rivera earned his 500th save, joining Trevor Hoffman as the only two players to reach that plateau.  Then, in September of 2009, Derek Jeter passed Lou Gehrig once more.  This time as the Yankees all time hits leader.

Known more for his quiet reserve, Andy Pettitte has worked his way into some elite company too.  His 194 wins are good for third on the Yankees all time list.  And, when his career is over he will be only the third Yankee to win 200 games.

Pettitte’s long time battery mate might be the least celebrated of the “Core Four”.  But Jorge Posada is among some of the greatest Yankees when it comes to bawdy offensive numbers.  Posada currently ranks eighth on the Yankees all time Home Run list, 4 shy of Graig Nettles.  Though he may be passed by Alex Rodriguez shortly after he passes Nettles.  Still, the names ahead of him are more than noteworthy, including the eternal Yogi Berra.

I say all of this to impress upon you to not take for granted what you are seeing.  Baseball is a long season, and in the daily grind of the game, it’s easy to overlook just how significant these players are.  So cherish each at-bat, each peer over the glove, every cutter.  Because one day, when your children talk about how great player “X” is.  It’ll be your responsibility to tell them about the Legend of The Core Fore and the Dynasty that they presided over.  And to add an exclamation point to your tutelage; you can take them to Monument Park to see the plaques.

-Mike Tursi

*Note* Obviously Bernie Williams & Alex Rodriguez deserve to be mentioned here.  But I wanted to pay homage to the select fraternity that has 1) Been here from the beginning and 2) Is still active, Bernie Williams history already has bookends.

The Yankees and Andy Pettitte have come to an agreement on a one-year deal worth $11.75 million. The 2010 season will most likely be Pettitte’s last.

Pettitte was the Yankees number three starter last season behind CC Sabathia and AJ Burnett. He will most likely anchor the same spot in the rotation barring a major pitching acquisition by the team.

Pettitte went 14-8 with a 4.16 ERA during the 2009 regular season. He went 4-0 with a 3.52 ERA in the postseason.

Monday, December 7 Hot Stove Reports

Yankees – Andy Pettitte has decided he will pitch in 2010. The Yankees and Pettitte look to come to terms on a one-year deal.

Mets – Rumors today have Pat Burrell being traded to the Mets in a three-way trade from the Ray that includes the Cubs. Several sources say this is inaccurate. David Lennon of Newsday disputes the report. He tweeted, “Oh, and forget Burrell to Mets - period. Source just said team not interested in him. Not in 3-way, not in any way.”

Yankees – Joel Sherman of the New York Post has tweeted, “Yankees trade Bruney to Nationals”. Yankees get a player to be named later in the deal.

Mets – Joel Sherman of the New York Post reported the Mets have interest in Royals pitcher Gil Meche.

Yankees – Marc Carig of the Star Ledger tweeted the Yankees have had “initial talks” with Mark Derosa.

Mets – The Mets have denied reports of acquiring pitcher Edwin Jackson from the Tigers. 

Yankees – The Yankees have been linked to discussions for Tigers center fielder Curtis Granderson, but the asking price is supposedly Phil Hughes and Austin Jackson. Way too high of an asking price for the Yankees. They could add another player or two and acquire Roy Halladay if they wanted to trade those chips.

The Mets were linked to an incredible amount of players today but nothing came of it. Rumors are rumors and in this age of technology rumors can spread quickly by anyone. Trusted sources aren’t always easy to come by.

The Yankees have said their first priority this offseason would be dealing with their own free agents. Put a check mark next to Pettitte’s name. Pettitte says he will pitch in 2010 according to several sources. After 2009, the lefty was debating retirement or coming back for one more year. 

2010 will most likely be Pettitte’s last season. Now that he has made the decision to play, the Yankees and Pettitte have to come to terms on a one-year deal. 

Pettitte was the starting pitcher in each postseason series clinching game.

Here are some rumors going around about the Yankees as of November 12, 2009.

The New York Post reports Scott Boras, agent of Johnny Damon, is making a case that his client deserves a contract similar to Jeter. Boras is looking to get Damon a deal for three or four years while the Yankees would like to bring him back for one or two years tops. Read the article

If Boras sticks to his guns then Damon’s days in pinstripes are over. Cashman isn’t going to dish out big bucks to Damon until he’s 40 years old. The Yankees have prospect Austin Jackson waiting in the wings and he should better ready in the next year or two. The Yankees can find a cheaper, younger alternative for left field.

Joel Sherman of the New York Post has also reported that the Tigers will be taking offers for Curtis Granderson and believes the Yankees will be interested. Read the article

I’m probably in the minority but I’m not so sure I like this. Granderson started hitting for power in ’09 and his average plummeted. In ’09 he hit 30 home runs and batted .249 with a .327 OBP. His OBP was over .360 in ’07 and ’08 and he hit 23 and 22 home runs those seasons. He hit .302 in ’07 and .280 in ’08. If he stole more bases I think it would be a no-brainer (20 SB in ’09, 12 SB in ’08, 25 SB in ’07).

Brian Cashman on Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes: “I look at them as starters that can relieve.” Read the article

This could change if the Yankees add a starting pitcher or two.

SI reports that Andy Pettitte is leaning on coming back to the Yankees for one more year.

Pettitte has supposedly told some Yankees he wants to play one more year.

The Yankees, looking for another starting pitcher, have been linked to having interest in free agent John Lackey, the Blue Jays’ Roy Halladay and SI thinks Derek Lowe of the Braves.

Some teams are concerned with Lackey’s durability. If the Blue Jays put Halladay out there, expect the Yankees to be bidders along with the Red Sox, Mets, and some other teams. I’d rather see the Yankees go with a young pitcher, like Hughes, Kennedy or maybe Brackman, rather than trade for Derek Lowe.