On the field, Soriano’s impact will be especially felt during the starts of the Yankees’ fourth and fifth starters. Although not optimal, the Yankees could get away with getting five innings out of their back-end starters and piecing together the 6th and 7th innings with the bullpen before handing the ball off to Soriano in the 8th and Mariano in the 9th.

I’m curious to see if and how often the Yankees plan on giving the ball to Soriano starting in the 7th inning. Will they ask Soriano to pitch two innings often or will he purely be the 8th inning guy? Remember, in 1996 Mariano Rivera was John Wetteland’s setup man and typically pitched the 7th and 8th innings. The Yankees were an incredible 70-3 when they led after six innings during that season and went on to win the World Series.

Cliff Lee didn’t choose the Yankees. And the world isn’t coming to an end.

Websites and newspapers are filled with columns about how the Yankees are in deep, deep trouble after getting spurned by Lee.

Well I’m here to tell you that it’s really not as bad as the media is making it out to be.

These are the Yankees we’re talking about and not only does this team have deep pockets, they currently have a surplus of good young players in their farm system, specifically catchers and pitchers. Also, the money that was alloted to the Cliff-Lee-fund remains in their bank account. This team is loaded right now with money to buy rods and minor leaguers to use as bait. They’ve caught fish before. And they’ll catch fish again.

But within hours of Lee’s decision to sign with Philly, the Yankees have been left for dead by the media.

How about we let Brian Cashman make some moves before we anoint this as a disastrous off-season and leave the Yankees off post-season predictions. An argument can be made that Philly’s signing of Lee hurts the Mets more than it does the Yankees. The Yankees may not be getting the standout left hander, but at least he is out of the American League. The only time the Yankees would have to face Lee in 2011 is if the Yankees and Phillies both made the World Series. And from what I’ve read, nobody will be predicting the Yankees to be a part of the Fall Classic in 2011 without Cliff Lee.

There’s no denying that the Red Sox got better, but until Spring Training, and through the July 31st trade deadline, the Yankees have time to work some trades and acquire other pieces. They still have a bona-fide ace and a high-powered offense. Their bullpen is anchored by the greatest closer of all-time and there’s still time to improve the bullpen. And knowing the Yankees, they will acquire a top-of-the-rotation kind of guy by August 1st.

As for the media, writing about how it wasn’t all about the dollars and cents for Lee is one thing, but writing about how this is devastating to the Yankees is another thing. One columnist even called it worse than the Knicks not signing LeBron James.

Ridiculous.

That columnist, Ian O’Connor, sites the reason for this notion to be the Yankees expected to sign Cliff Lee and the Knicks didn’t expect to sign LeBron James.

What does that matter? Even though the Knicks and their fans knew signing LeBron James wasn’t going to be easy, it still hurt when LeBron chose the Heat. Especially since the franchise gave up two years to get far enough under the cap to be able to sign LeBron and make it lucrative for him to come here by having enough space for an additional max player to join him. Not to mention, the Yankees had won a title a year prior, while it’s been over 30 years since the Knicks won their last title. Then there’s the argument about how Cliff Lee pitches every fifth day and LeBron James plays every single game. LeBron James is one of five guys on the court and plays offense and defense. Lee won’t be hitting for .300 in Philly this year. James is also entering his prime while who knows how much longer the 32-year old Lee can sustain what he has done on the mound the last few years.

The Yankees will be able to live without Cliff Lee. It’s not going to be easy, but they’ll have a shot at winning a title over the next seven years without Lee. They may not be the front-runner in 2011, but they’ll still be a force. I have faith that the Yankees will upgrade their rotation and Sergio Mitre isn’t going to be the fifth starter.

So to all the members of the media that have jumped the gun and are already saying that all has collapsed in the Evil Empire since Cliff Lee spurned the Yankees, take a breathe, remember what team you are talking about, and give them some time to gather themselves and go to work.

Remember, the Red Sox also tried to sign Bernie Williams and Andy Pettitte in years past.

In addition, Heyman tweeted:

Thursday night, Rivera’s agent Fernando Cuza – who was one of the many guests at Red Sox slugger David Ortiz’s celebrity golf tournament kickoff dinner – had said the Yankees and Rivera’s camp were “a little far apart” on getting a new deal done for Rivera, and that “hopefully we’ll be able to work it out.” But within hours, a deal came together, perhaps expedited because Rivera had recently received a three-year deal and more money (believed to be in the neighborhood of $17 million per year) from another team, according to the source. The source added that Rivera wanted to maintain his ties to the only team he has ever played for, and went with less money and fewer years to continue wearing pinstripes.

“He wanted to stay loyal to the Yankees,” the source said.

I’d really like to know which team it was that offered Mariano that deal. Nonetheless, thanks for staying, Mo!

According to a source familiar with the negotiations between the Yankees and future Hall of Fame closer Mariano Rivera, the 41-year-old will sign a two-year deal believed to be worth $30 million by Friday night.

Glad to hear the Yankees’ off-season is starting to get rolling. Also glad to hear that the best closer in baseball history will remain in New York.

After the Yankees’ season ended, general manager Brian Cashman said that getting Girardi on board with a new contract would be the first order of business. After getting Girardi’s contract squared away, the Yankees will get the rest of their coaching staff together and start negotiating new deals for Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera.