In 2007, Pettitte admitted to using Human Growth Hormone to recover from an elbow injury in 2002, during the heart of his prime. His admission, albeit five years after the fact, is to be applauded, considering Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds continue to deny usage when there is solid evidence against.

But how long did Pettitte really take steroids? We may never know, but going from what is known, it is difficult to put him in the Hall of Fame.

His postseason play, rings and steroid usage aside, Pettitte’s numbers warrant a good look from the voters but he is by no means a shoo-in statistically. His 240 wins are nice, but he posted an ERA over four eight times and has a career-mark of 3.88.

Still, he was always a pitcher who could be counted on. When he was on the hill in a big game, no matter if it took place deep into October or in the heart of summer, he tended to deliver. The 6’5″ lefthander, who covered his face with his glove as he looked in for the sign and who started his windup with a deceptive leg-kick, was good.

But great? No.

The era in which he pitched is tainted. The only clean players worthy of being named to the Hall of Fame over the past 20 years are Chipper Jones, Mariano Rivera, Trevor Hoffman, Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez, Ken Griffey Jr., Vladimir Guerrero and, I would argue, Curt Schilling.

That’s a solid list, but it could be a lot longer. Everyone else who would be enshrined based on statistical achievements have either admitted to steroid use or are under suspicion and deny resolving to the syringe.

There is so much surrounding Roger Clemens currently regarding his alleged steroid use that Pettitte’s can’t be overlooked. Just because he admitted using HGH doesn’t mean he should be forgiven.

He looked for an unfair advantage. He didn’t play the game the right way. He says he only took it for two days.

If this is the truth, that’s sad. But, even still, it attaches an asterisk next to accolades not good enough to get him in on their own merit.

Read more New York Yankees news on BleacherReport.com

That same year, Freddy Garcia won 12 games for the Seattle Mariners, while Bartolo Colon won 15 for the Chicago White Sox.

Andruw Jones was also in his prime, smacking 36 homers and driving in 116 runs for the Atlanta Braves.

Eight years later, these four players are New York Yankees.

Jones, on his fourth team in four years, has seen his batting average and playing time sharply decrease after a successful career with the Braves. Prior, who hasn’t appeared in the major leagues since 2006, is trying to work his way back from multiple arm injuries.

Colon, who didn’t pitch in the majors in 2010, and Garcia, who made 28 starts for the White Sox after throwing 129 innings over the previous three seasons, are on their last legs.

All four are trying to extend their careers on a winner, but while they may have something left to give, I can't help but find their signings humorous.

Out of this group, I especially want Prior and Jones to succeed. Given where his baseball journey has taken him, Prior making 30-plus starts and winning 18-plus games would make me happy. Jones hitting 30-plus homers as an everyday player would also bring a smile to my face. But the likelihood of this happening isn’t great. Yet New York may have to rely heavily on them, along with Colon and Garcia.

Jones fills a hole left by Marcus Thames, but signing these three pitchers is a hint that the Yankees believe Andy Pettitte is retiring. The durable left-hander is well behind his usual schedule, so if he was to return, it would most likely be midseason. Without him, they have CC Sabathia, Phil Hughes and A.J. Burnett. This means the back end of their rotation is wide-open.

Prior may return to his old form. Colon may, too. And Garcia might build upon his respectable 2010. But they can’t be counted on. Prior is young in major league experience, but who knows how he will respond coming off a flurry of injuries? Garcia and Colon are veterans of 13 and 11 years respectively.

So what can the Yankees expect, especially considering the American League is powered by offense and Yankees Stadium is hitter-friendly? In 2009, over-the-hill veterans John Smoltz, Paul Byrd and Brad Penny made a substantial number of appearances for the Boston Red Sox. They didn’t pan out, and their signings mirror New York’s.

The reason the Yankees looked in the direction of Prior, Colon and Garcia is because they missed out on their main targets this offseason. Cliff Lee spurned them, they missed Jorge De La Rosa and Jake Westbrook and they didn’t upgrade their offense significantly, with the likes of Jayson Werth and Carl Crawford going elsewhere.

For once, a big splash wasn’t made, though reliever Rafael Soriano should be tremendous setting up closer Mariano Rivera.

Waiting for Pettitte has hurt them. They had hoped he would sign on to return a couple of months ago. Then they could have given the fifth spot of the rotation to either Ivan Nova or Sergio Mitre and turned their attention away from starting pitching. Yet he’s remained at home thinking it over.

Knowing this, New York had to go on under the impression he would remain with his family in Houston altogether, declining their invitation for one more go-around. The crop of pitchers starting pitchers wasn’t deep in the first place, so by this time the pickings on the free-agent market had slimmed greatly. There wasn’t much left on the market besides Prior, Colon and Garcia.

The signings of these three pitchers and Jones are humorous because for once New York has to settle. They have one of the highest payrolls in the game, and despite handing out lucrative contracts every offseason, they always seem to have enough left over to keep doling out more and more cash. Therefore they are unaccustomed to signing this many players to minor league contracts.

Still, what has remained the same this offseason is the age. New York continues to get older. That can’t sit well with their fan base, the thousands upon thousands of demanding New Yorkers who didn’t expect this offseason to be built around signings that would have been extraordinary in 2003.

Read more New York Yankees news on BleacherReport.com

The 31-year-old who previously closed for the Tampa Bay Rays was given $35 million over three years to be Mariano Rivera’s set-up man—money the Yankees always seem to have at their disposal no matter how much they spend.

New York remained busy, adding outfielder Andruw Jones on a one-year pact worth $2 million. He will fill the role left by Marcus Thames, who recently signed a deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers after providing some pop with the Yankees last season as their fourth outfielder.

The last few years of Jones’ career have not gone the way he would have liked. He was one of the two Jones Boys on the Atlanta Braves from 1996-2007—teaming up with Chipper—but his final year with the organization was the start of his downturn.

Coming off a 2006 season in which he clubbed 41 homers, drove in 129 and batted his usual .262, he hit 15 fewer homers, drove in 35 fewer RBI and batted 40 points lower while appearing in only two fewer games. That sudden decline in production made him a platoon player in suitors' eyes.

He was just that for the next three seasons. And not a very good one, either.

Over those seasons spent with the Dodgers, Texas Rangers and Chicago White Sox, Jones hit rock-bottom. With Los Angeles he hit .158 in 72 games. With Texas he batted .214. And with the White Sox he mustered a .230 average.

There was a silver lining in Chicago, though, which helped land him the contract with New York: He hit 19 homers. The Yankees have always looked to add power, and given Yankee Stadium’s hitter-friendly dimensions, there is a chance he can expand upon that total, albeit in a limited role.

He is a low-risk, high-reward signing. If he performs well, good for the Yankees. If he doesn’t, they have the money to find someone else to fill his role. As a fan of Jones, I want him to do well.

He does have 407 homers in his career—51 coming in 2005—and is closing in on 2,000 hits. These statistics complement his five All-Star selections and 10 Gold Gloves. What he did during his prime makes his downfall painful to digest. Chipper was my favorite, but Andruw made the Braves especially enjoyable to watch as a kid.

Five years ago, it appeared Jones would be a serious candidate for the Hall of Fame once he hung up his spikes, despite hitting in the .260s over the course of his prime. But, in hitting a measly .212 over the next four seasons, any chance of being enshrined washed away.

Now, suiting up in pinstripes, he won’t be the player he was long ago, and he probably will not hit .280 as Thames did. But he will bring an excellent glove, an ability to play all three outfield positions and power from the right side of the plate.

His agent, the infamous Scott Boras, has touted him as an everyday player. But I’m sure Jones is just looking to improve the disappointing numbers put up over the past three seasons and help the Yankees contend with the Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays.

Read more New York Yankees news on BleacherReport.com

In contrast, New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman was informed of Lee’s decision by his now immensely flush agent, Darek Braunecker, which says something in itself. It shows Lee really didn’t want to go to the Yankees. If he considered the Yankees a serious contender he would have also thanked them for their interest. Instead, New York offered him their six-year deal last week, upped it to a bold seven years and never heard back.

Their aggressiveness drew nothing more than a figurative shrug from Lee. The pain ran deep. Cashman didn’t say it hurt. In fact, he didn’t immediately issue a response. He didn’t have it in him to do what Daniels did. He told the media he would wait until Tuesday to comment on Lee.

With a sleepless night behind him he came to grips with reality, though his tone was full of disappointment:

“I think that New York was not something he didn’t want to go to. If I had to speculate, he’s worked hard to put himself in position to be a free agent. Texas, Philadelphia, New York, we all had a lot to offer. We were in an environment to compete for him at a very fair, highly competitive level as a fre agent and Philadelpia [sic] secured him. It’s as simple as that. The fact that he is going to Philadelphia proves how much he enjoyed Philly. Could Cliff Lee have made a difference for us? He may have...”

When asked about what’s next for his Yankees, he said, “I do stress Plan B is patience. It’s not like we’re in a rush to do anything.”

New York didn’t go out and get the next best thing, but, contrary to Cashman’s statement, they certainly weren’t patient after missing out on Lee. They intensified talks with catcher Russell Martin, who was also wooed by the Red Sox, and signed him away from their rival. Martin, 27, previously played for the Los Angeles Dodgers and regressed after a promising start to his career. He hit .285 from 2006-2008, averaging 14 homers and 74 RBI per season. But, batting injuries, he batted only .248 this past season. Despite struggling he is a low-risk, high-reward signing given his prior success.

Signing catching depth is great for New York, but what about the pitching staff? They went out on a limb and signed Mark Prior to a minor-league deal. Yes, that Mark Prior, who was originally drafted by New York, won 18 games with the Chicago Cubs in the Steve Bartman year of 2003 and proceeded to fade into obscurity largely due to a flurry of shoulder and elbow injuries.

Having last pitched in the major leagues in 2006 with the San Diego Padres, Prior rehabbed, worked out for teams and, this past season, pitched for the Orange County Flyers of the Independent League, an affiliate of the Rangers organization. There, he made nine relief appearances and struck out 22 batters in 11 innings while allowing just one run.

His performance with the Flyers caught New York’s eye. If he makes it to the big club he will be reunited with Larry Rothschild, his pitching coach with Chicago. It’s hard to believe that Prior is only 30 years old after all he has been through. He is two years younger than Lee. He was once as good as Lee. And, given his increased velocity and improved mechanics, he could pay dividends for the Yankees, whether it is in the rotation or out of the bullpen. I can’t help but hope he succeeds, albeit on Boston’s rival.

New York hopes Martin and Prior pan out, but they would survive if they didn’t. Without Andy Pettitte, however, they would have difficulty staying afloat. He was 11-3 with a 3.28 ERA in 2010 with the team and has always delivered in big games for the Yankees. Due to his effectiveness, reputation and presence, they will beg and plead the 38-year-old left-hander to forgo retirement for another year. They will throw all kinds of money his way, but the possibility of him returning isn’t likely. Evidently, as reported by Newsday’s Ken Davidoff, it appears signing Lee would have been his lone incentive to return:

“Someone who spoke with Andy Pettitte last week said that the lefty told him this: If the Yankees get Lee, then he would come back. If not, then he would stay home. That essentially matches what [the NY Post's] Joel Sherman reported last week.”

If Pettitte did indeed say this and if he does retire, New York is in trouble. They watched Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford go to Boston and Lee take his talents to Philadelphia. Safe to say, Yankee fans would die a little more inside if Pettitte elected to relax in his Houston home, hand in his glove for some golf clubs and bask in his millions. Without him, CC Sabathia would be their only dependable starter. Phil Hughes would slot in behind him, but he was inconsistent after a strong start to 2010, finishing with an ERA over four. A.J. Burnett is a crapshoot, while unproven Sergio Mitre and Ivan Nova round out the starting five. Because of such uncertainty, I expect them to be aggressive on the trade market.

They could go after Zack Greinke, as the Rangers are expected to do, but with the way the offseason has gone for these two teams a mystery team will undoubtedly swoop in and snatch him up too. While they brace for that and continue to scour the trade and free-agent market, Lee is “excited” to be a Phillie again, to join a rotation that already had three aces. Little did Texas and New York know they would add a fourth as late as early Monday evening, but the two American League powers must move on. Though depressed, the Yankees went about their business. Now the Rangers have to do the same.

Read more New York Yankees news on BleacherReport.com

Maddux thought about the offer, was visited by the Yankees brass, and then, when it was believed he would take it, the Atlanta Braves swooped in and nabbed the left-handed pitcher who would go on to be a member of the best rotation in baseball history and win a total of 355 games. They offered him $six million less to remain in the national league where he had previously pitched with the Chicago Cubs.

Shipgel wrote this piece to show that the Yankees don’t always get what they want. But not even he knew that what happened in 1992 would indeed happen again, just with another pitcher, another team and much, much more money.

Lee, 32, agreed to sign late Monday night with the Mystery Team everyone was talking about, the Philadelphia Phillies. New York offered him a seven-year deal worth $154 million. Instead, he took a contract worth approximately $12 million over five years to go back to the national league–where he pitched for Philadelphia in 2009.

This was a stunning decision, albeit admirable, and for this Red Sox fan a joy to see. Within three hours of Philadelphia’s confirmation as the much-ballyhooed mystery team in the Lee sweepstakes, his agent, Darren Braunecker, called the Yankees to inform them they were out of the running while Lee personally phoned Rangers General Manager Jon Daniels to tell him his plans.

New York not getting a personal call from the ace left-hander was priceless, and was a fitting end to their chase.

I wanted Lee to return to Texas. I thought he fit with that young, up-and-coming team. Though it is not known when Philadelphia indeed entered the bidding, returning to the City of Brotherly Love was a very smart choice on his part.

It was an admirable one, too. Not many players in this day and age of baseball leave that much money on the table. With the way he was dragging the negotiations out I thought for sure he would be a money-grabber like the majority of star major-leaguers, and go to the highest bidder—presumably New York. Instead of seeing dollar signs he saw a comfortable situation.

He now joins a rotation that rivals the 1990's Braves. Maddux, signing with Atlanta, joined future Hall of Famers John Smoltz and Tom Glavine on the staff. This trio won 57 games in Maddux’s first season with the team. Lee, signing with Philadelphia, joins Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels—a trio that has combined to win 379 games and, last year, went 40-22 with a sparkling 2.41 ERA. Lee’s addition transforms a solid rotation into a scary one that could be as dominant as the aforementioned Atlanta trio was.

Heading back to the national league, where he faces opposing pitchers instead of designated hitters (which had to factor into his decision), he leaves the Rangers and Yankees searching for answers. Texas has the pieces to now go out and make a trade for Kansas City Royals ace Zack Greinke, who is on the trade market.

New York could do the same, but they are put in a more difficult position in missing out on Lee’s golden left arm. As Shipgel alluded to, they are supposed to sign the top free agents. Money is supposed to talk. In fact, the Rangers indeed offered more. But that’s not what will leave a sour taste in New York’s mouth, a mouth that is currently spewing expletives right and left in dismay.

They watched as Adrian Gonzalez was traded to the Red Sox. Then they watched Carl Crawford sign with the Red Sox. Now, Lee says thanks but no thanks. They get what is coming to them. They didn’t covet Gonzalez. They only wined and dined Crawford as a way to stir up the pot. But it’s the principle of the matter. Their rival makes two monumental moves and they come up empty.

It’s hard to put into words how I felt when I read on Twitter than New York was out of the running. I pictured George Steinbrenner rolling in his grave, his two sons, Hank and Hal, as well as general manager Brian Cashman, dumbfounded.

They, as well as the Rangers brass, are spared from making such a long-term commitment to a 32-year-old. New York’s offer, though similar in years and money to Texas, stands out. It was a desperate, risky attempt to get the player they coveted, to answer Boston, and to show that they can once more get money to talk. In the end, it didn’t work, putting a smile on my face that won’t go away anytime soon.

As a result, somewhere Maddux watched this unfold and must have nodded his head approvingly. If only more players were like them.

Read more New York Yankees news on BleacherReport.com

Lee, 31, is known to be looking for a seven-year contract worth upwards of $20 million annually. The suitors that have proclaimed their interest are ready to break the bank for his services. And, it seems, the bidding war will begin very soon.

According to ESPN’s Buster Olney, “Executives involved in the bidding…believe the negotiations will gather momentum in the week ahead, perhaps to a point where the All-Star left-hander will choose his next employer sometime during the winter meetings that start Dec. 6.”

The Nationals will be aggressive, as they were for the services of Mark Teixeira two years ago, but the assumption around the league is that Lee’s landing spot comes down to New York and Texas, his former team.

The Yankees appear prepared to offer him a contract so lucrative that it would make him the second-highest paid pitcher in baseball, behind their own C.C. Sabathia.

Texas appears ready to match, though taking on a contract of such length and magnitude could assume as much as 30 percent of their annual payroll.

As much as it pains me to say, New York always seems to win-out when a star free-agent they covet hits the market. They beat out the Boston Red Sox for Alex Rodriguez in 2004, which turned out to be a blessing in disguise, wooed Johnny Damon away from Fenway as well, and then thrust even more millions into the faces of both Sabathia and Teixeira to get them in pinstripes.

Money talks.

Baseball, unfortunately, has shown to be more of a business than a game. It’s how much cash is in the bank, not the thrill of the grass that matters.

Where he will land is up in the air, but in the end, as most negotiations do these days, it will come down to who offers the most. He developed a great relationship with Texas, and led the team to the World Series. With him, the Rangers would have a core that could play in the World Series next year and down the road.

He would be on a contender in New York, of course. But though a very solid one-two punch would be formed with Sabathia, another ridiculous contract would be given to a player who isn’t exactly young by baseball’s standards.

Lee isn’t the only aging free-agent the Yankees are looking to lock up. When free-agency began it was deemed a sure thing that Mariano Rivera and Derek Jeter would be returning to New York.

It is still widely believed Rivera, their dominant 40-year-old closer, will be re-signed sooner or later. As for Jeter, it is far from certain that he will remain with the only organization he has known.

The relationship between Jeter’s representatives and the Yankees is surprisingly tense. I thought there would be some minimal disagreement as to the length of a contract given to the 36-year-old, but then the wrinkles would be ironed out and Jeter would return.

I thought negotiations would be that harmless. But it is far more difficult than anyone realized. Tyler Kepner of the New York Times recently called the contract talks “a mess.” Why? He details the nastiness that has brewed between the two parties:

“To recap, from various news media forums: [Hal] Steinbrenner emphasized that he was running a business, and warned that talks could get ugly. Close, Jeter’s agent, responded by saying his client’s value to the franchise “cannot be overstated.” The Yankees emphasized that they would value Jeter as a player, not a brand.

Close, normally quite reticent, then called the Yankees’ tactics baffling. The Yankees’ general manager, Brian Cashman, fired back by saying he was concerned about Jeter’s age and declining performance.”

This war of words is hard to fathom. New York needs Jeter. But, evidently he doesn’t need them. If he did, he would already have re-signed with the team. He is clearly a money-grabber. Why else would he turn down a three-year contract worth $45 million?

He wants more, possibly even double the money. What kind of world are we living in where a player, who hit .270 last season and, despite laughably winning the Gold Glove, lacks range in the field is balking at $15 million per season? Has he no scruples?

New York has reason to take a stand.

How much money is enough? Jeter is coming off a $189 million contract. Now he wants another deal worth nine figures. I guess having your family set for the next 100 generations isn’t enough.

Prior to this offseason’s saga, the media and fans were under the impression that Jeter played to win, and, more importantly, played for the love of the game. That’s all out the window now. If it wasn’t, he would be back with a perennial winner—a team he has won five championships with, to play a game. Clearly, to him, it isn’t much of a game at all.

Read more New York Yankees news on BleacherReport.com

Hernandez led Major League Baseball with a 2.27 ERA, was first in the American League with 249.2 innings pitched, ranked second in the A.L. with 232 strikeouts and had six complete games to his credit. As a result, the Cy Young Award was deservedly given to the 24-year-old Venezuelan right-hander.

The Mariners were the worst team in the American League and had the worst offense in baseball. Only 513 runs were scored, an average of three per game. They only gave him three on average over the course of his 34 starts, and pushed across only seven in his 12 losses. Seven. With that support, how did Hernandez even win 13 games? He just routinely allowed less, many times none at all.

Hernandez was 7-4 against playoff teams and dominated Sabathia’s Yankees in particular, holding their stacked lineup to one run over 26 innings while striking out 31. The Tampa Bay Rays’ David Price was solid as their ace, and so was Sabathia, but Hernandez was in a league of his own. He was simply remarkable in every start against any opponent.

He wasn’t shy in making his case to win the award, and all he did was speak the truth. He said he was the best pitcher in the American League. He was. He said the numbers speak for themselves. They do.

“I didn’t have the wins,” Hernandez said. “But if you look at all the numbers...wow!”

Wow, indeed.

Yankees Make Much-Anticipated Offer to Jeter

When Derek Jeter became a free agent for the first time, it was clear where he would end up: back in the Bronx. But, his notable decline at the plate raised some questions that made his situation worth paying close attention to. How many years would New York offer the 36 year old? How much money would they offer annually? Would he balk if he found the offer to be insulting?

I don’t think three years for $45 million is disrespectful by any means, but I am not a celebrated athlete used to making over $20 million per. Baseball is a business, as they all say. But if Jeter turns down this proposal, something is terribly wrong with the business. I find it hard to believe that the Yankee captain will balk. Yet, with all the egotistical behavior in sports, who knows is not enough money is talking.

Joel Sherman of the New York Post referred to Jeter and the Yankees as “are a married couple that knows the soft spots with which to hurt each other. Yet they know the marriage must go on.” Sounds about right.

Read more New York Yankees news on BleacherReport.com

Jayson Werth isn't worth the Red Sox time.

“Jayson Werth on Boston Red Sox radar” was the ESPN article’s headline. The same reaction was produced when Boston expressed interested in signing J.D. Drew, their current right fielder and oft-injured underachiever.

The Red Sox should have learned two years into the five-year, $70 million contract they gave Drew in 2007 that he was a mistake.

He was a solid player before his arrival, there was no doubting that, but money was thrown at him in so nonchalantly, as if it didn’t enter management’s thought process the dollar figure may have been a bit steep.

But Boston has the money to do that, as the New York Yankees do on a greater scale, and it seems they are willing to open up their wallet once more and create a potentially regrettable size hole in its leather.

Werth is a good player. But, like Drew at the time of his signing, he isn’t great. He’s been thought of by many as the best right-handed hitter in baseball.

That is ludicrous.

The 31-year old had a career year in 2010, socking 46 doubles and 27 homers, while batting .296 with a .388 on-base percentage. Werth, a right-handed hitter, hit .300 against right-handed pitchers. He has a short, compact swing that is built for contact, but he struck out 147 times, so plate-discipline isn’t his strength.

Philadelphia Phillies General Manager Ruben Amaro expressed his desire to bring Werth back, barring an astronomical price-tag. Werth evidently would love to return to Philadelphia, citing how tight-knit the clubhouse is as his reasoning.

He fits in the middle of that lineup. He was an integral part of their success. But though Amaro said his 2010 campaign was stellar, he admitted it wasn’t extraordinary nor worthy of labeling him a franchise player.

Despite his excellent overall production Werth batted a measly .186 with runners in scoring position, down from his mark of .279 the year before.

In 2009, Werth drove in 13 more runs and hit nine more homers. Yet, his drastic improvement in every other category is eerily similar to that of Adrian Beltre in his final year with the Dodgers in 2004.

Beltre, now 31 and now a free agent in his own right, hit 48 home-runs, drove in 121 runs, knocked out 200 hits, and batted .334. The following season, after getting a five-year, $64 million contract out of the Seattle Mariners, the third baseman played in the same amount of games but hit just 18 home runs, drove in 34 less runs, had 46 fewer hits, and his batting average plummeted to .255.

He proceeded to stink the next four years as well. Boston then signed him to a one-year deal. What does he do? He hits .321, crushes 28 homers, and drives in 102 runs.

He has hit over .300 twice in his career. He has hit more than 26 homers twice in his career. He has driven in over 100 runs twice in his career. Those two times? His walk years.

Werth would be switching leagues as Beltre did. Granted, he would be entering hitter-friendly Fenway Park, But though Beltre’s first walk-year was far more ridiculous, there is a definitive similarity between the two. 

164 million dollars in annual salary is due to 16 Phillies this upcoming season, and though they still have enough payroll flexibility to retain Werth at a manageable price, Amaro doesn’t seem to warm to the idea of keeping him in the City of Brotherly Love.

He cited the team’s increasing age—the Phillies average age this past season was 31.9. What was the Boston Red Sox? 29.3, and that number would only increase with Werth in the fold.

He’s a versatile outfielder. He would put up some solid numbers in Boston, and there is the Scott Boras connection—the uber-agent who has represented his fair share of Red Sox through the years.

The same agent who negotiated the deal one J.D. Drew received.

Who should Boston be targeting instead of Werth? Look no further than Carl Crawford.

He doesn’t have the power of Werth, but he’s perhaps the fastest player in baseball, steals bases, is a hitting machine and plays an excellent left field. The 29-year old hit .290 last season with the Tampa Bay Rays, hit 19 homers, drove in 90 runs, and stole 47 bases.

He would give the Red Sox speed they have been lacking and form a dynamic one-two punch atop their lineup alongside Jacoby Ellsbury. Have they contacted him yet? No, but I sure hope they do.

Meanwhile, the New York Yankees are prepared to “overpay” in order to re-sign Derek Jeter, their franchise player and declining shortstop.

He struggled at the plate this past season and in the field, but he’s meant to be in pinstripes. Hal Steinbrenner scared the fan base by saying the Yankees would only bring him back on their terms, but he and others in management are now reportedly ready to fork over $45-60 million over three years. Saying the amount is a overpayment can’t sit well with Jeter, but there is no other team Jeter should be with.

As Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports wrote Friday, “Jeter is still Jeter, the Yankees are still the Yankees and no other team will be a factor.”

Top free-agent starting pitcher Cliff Lee, through agent Darek Braunecker, is in no hurry to sign this offseason.

The Yankees called Braunbecker at 12:01 am—the first minute of free agency. There will be plenty of suitors for the 32-year old and it really could come down to years. Some think he can get seven, which is remarkable, and it is widely believed he is looking for the money current Yankee and good friend CC Sabathia received two years ago, meaning upwards of $160 million.

“When the time is right, when we get the right deal, we will act,” Braunecker said.

Read more New York Yankees news on BleacherReport.com

Former Texas Ranger Alex Rodriguez, who once signed for a quarter of a billion dollars and juiced with the team, was at the plate. Closer Neftali Feliz was on the mound, ready to get the one out that the franchise has always been waiting for.

An adrenaline-filled fastball missed for ball one, but then three strikes were fired from Feliz’s electric right arm. Rodriguez’s bat just rested on his shoulders as the third whizzed by.

Catcher Bengie Molina jumped out of his crouch. Feliz jumped in the air. And then the two met at the mound and hugged. The three outfielders sprinted in. One of them, Josh Hamilton, fought back tears before doing so.

The bullpen emptied out onto the field. The dugout streamed towards the middle of the diamond. Fifty-four thousand fans went ballistic. And, just at that moment, confetti rained down, “American League Champions” shirts were handed out, and ginger ale flowed to honor Hamilton’s sobriety.

It was the first celebration of its kind for Texas. The franchise that had never reached the World Series now has.

The ending was perfect, with Rodriguez only left to stare at the flaming fastball, with the jubilation of celebration, and with what was so unselfishly said by all those players who made this possible.

Starting pitcher Colby Lewis was nearly as perfect as this scene, dominating the New York Yankees over eight innings. The 31-year-old, who has been released four times and played in Japan, commanded every pitch and was far from afraid of the Yankees.

He came inside, he worked both sides of the plate, his location was impeccable, and he maintained the unpredictability and composure necessary to succeed. The Yankees had no answer, and as a result the unflappable journeyman pitched eight remarkable innings to collect his second victory over the Evil Empire in this lopsided series.

New York wasn’t shutout only because of a terrible call made by home-plate umpire Brian Gorman in the fifth inning.

An inside, off-speed pitch clearly ricocheted off the shin of Nick Swisher, as Swisher’s reaction illustrated, but the ball rolled behind Molina and to the backstop, and Gorman allowed Rodriguez to trot home for the tying run.

Lewis handled business from there: The Yankees hacks turned laughable and their plate discipline became atrocious.

On the other side, Texas’ offense teed off on starter Phil Hughes. Vladimir Guerrero, who entered his fifth inning appearance with two RBI in the playoffs and one in the series, looked on as Josh Hamilton was intentionally walked for the fifth time in the series. As he strode towards the batters box, it was clear that he desired to make the Yankees pay.

He did, crushing a curveball into the left-center gap, scoring Mitch Moreland from third and Hamilton from first. New York second baseman Robinson Cano hung his head as center fielder Curtis Granderson threw the ball back in. The Yankees were in a hole, a hole they wouldn’t get out of.

If two runs of support weren’t enough, Nelson Cruz tacked on two more, bad hamstring and all. He demolished the first fastball he saw from woeful David Robertson after five effective curveballs and admired its flight into the seats in left-center. Five to one, if it wasn’t over before, it was after Cruz’s liftoff.

Now New York heads home, and Texas watches the NLCS to see who they will face. This is the first time they will experience something of this magnitude, and they will love every minute of it, knowing their spot in the World Series is secure for the very first time.

I can see it now: 25 players sitting in front of multiple televisions, with coaches and front office personnel looking on, watching intently as the Phillies and Giants fight to become the National League representative.

Who they will face matters nothing to the American League champion Rangers. Why?

When TBS announcer Matt Winer pointed out to Hamilton that Cliff Lee will be available for Game 1, the slugger grinned and replied, “That will be really, really good.”

Their ace will be pitching Game 1 of the World Series instead of Game 7 of the ALCS, a transition made possible by Lewis’ Lee-esque performance—the most memorable outing of his career, fueling the biggest win in Rangers history.

Read more New York Yankees news on BleacherReport.com

Catcher Francisco Cervelli was similarly dismayed, and Burnett was also in disbelief, with a "What have I done?" reaction.

Molina and his teammates in the dugout watched the ball’s flight, a majestic curvature into the left field seats, and after taking the few minutes necessary to run the bases, Molina pumped his chest and yelped a jubilant cry as high fives awaited him in the dugout.

The three-run blast with two outs gave the Rangers a 5-3 lead and capped off a nightmarish half-hour of baseball for New York.

In the fifth inning, everything appeared to be in the Yankees' favor. Burnett had thrown five solid innings, and New York, ahead by one, was threatening with two on and none out. Mark Teixeira was up, their struggling power hitter who has made up for his misgivings at the plate with stellar defense at first.

On a 2-1 pitch from a laboring Tommy Hunter, he grounded a ball to Michael Young at third, who stepped on the bag and fired to first. Teixeira sprinted down the line as the ball closed in on Mitch Moreland’s glove, but then not 10 feet from the bag he reached for his hamstring. He fell into a slide, yelping in pain.

Accompanied by the team doctor and manager Joe Girardi, he hobbled off the field. Yankees Stadium was silent, as they would remain for most of the final four-plus innings.

Though he was safe, and though the Yankees were putting together quite a promising inning with two on and one out, the life was sucked out of the stadium when he went down. A strained hamstring was later the prognosis, and New York is considering adding Eduardo Nuñez to the roster, thereby making Teixeira ineligible to return, not only in this series, but also in the World Series if they advance.

Texas added insult to this injury just by putting runners on against Burnett in the sixth. The crowd groaned; the little confidence they had in Burnett was fading. Vladimir Guerrero led off with a single but was erased on a force-out grounded into by Nelson Cruz. Cruz made amends, changing the game with one play that will most likely be under-appreciated in some recaps.

Ian Kinsler lifted a deep fly ball to center, and what does Cruz do? The 6’4″, 240-pound, deceptively quick right fielder (who was the victim of Jeffrey Maier-esque interference in the second inning) tagged up and headed to second. This forced an odd decision out of Girardi, who elected to intentionally walk Burnett’s nemesis, David Murphy, to pitch to Molina. The move clearly backfired.

Derek Holland, the Rangers' prized 24-year-old left-hander who had relieved Hunter much earlier, proceeded to add to the Yankees' misery by pitching two scoreless innings. Despite his excellence and the depressing atmosphere, New York still had a shot to come back. Their chances, though, were hurt severely by a case of déjà vu for their bullpen.

Last night, the Rangers broke a two-run game wide-open in the ninth by scoring six runs, five of which were charged to David Robertson. On this night, Robertson was the only Yankee reliever not to allow a run.

Before Holland pitched his second straight perfect inning, Josh Hamilton continued his ALCS brilliance. Their best power hitter, who managed to swing weakly in Game 3 and still hit it out to right, put together a much more powerful swing against Boone Logan, a high drive that landed a few rows up in the same vicinity.

It was his third blast of the series, it darkened the Yankees' outlook and it wasn’t even close to being the final run Texas would muster.

Joba Chamberlain, who may not be with the team next year given his performance this season, followed Logan and continued to pitch ineffectively. His outing began by allowing a ringing double by Guerrero, and then he walked Cruz and let the seventh Rangers run score as Michael Young proceeded to single. The boo birds were out. Some fans had already left. Others were now joining them in the streets of New York.

Texas just wouldn’t quit. After escaping a tough bases-loaded, one-out situation in the bottom of the eighth, their bats made the Yankees pay for not coming through as they did in the same inning of Game 1.

Hamilton was once again in the middle of it, smacking his fourth homer of the series, this time off Sergio Mitre and this time into the bullpen in right—his fourth homer in as many games. Then, after Guerrero socked his third hit, Cruz crushed a lifeless fastball into the second deck in left. It was now 10-3. The couple thousand fans who were left could go home now.

The Yankees players may join them soon enough. In losing, New York fell behind 3-1 in this series; they need to win their next three to move on. But just like a miracle is needed for Teixeira to return, the Bronx Bombers need a miracle if they want to prolong this one-sided battle—and just as Teixeira’s immediate future is in doubt, so are New York’s chances of accomplishing their yearly expectation.

Read more New York Yankees news on BleacherReport.com