Yankees Look Toward Free Agency, Plan to Sign All Available

NEW YORK -- After winning their first World Series since 2000 and setting the baseball world back in its rightful order, the Yankees and GM Brian Cashman are looking to next year. Free agency opened a few days ago, and the Yankees have work to do.

One hundred and seventy-one players filed for free agency this year, and the Yankees hope to fill out their roster -- the Major League 25-man roster along with the Yankees' minor and Dominican League affiliates' -- by signing them all.

Three members of the World Series Champions are among that list, including True Yankee Andy Pettitte, World Series Champion and MVP of the Free World from East to West Hideki Matsui, and Johnny Damon, who is such a great Yankee that he hit 17 of his 24 home runs last year at home, where the ghosts of Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and Scott Brosius propelled his pop flies into the right-field porch.

"I'll talk to our guys first, and sign them, and after I have my conversations with our guys then I'll be full-blown into the marketplace," said Yankees general manager Brian Cashman, as he attended Monday night's premiere of this year's World Series film, titled The World As It Should Be: Champions Again. "I'm trying to be very careful and respectful to our players first and try to make sure they're aware of where they are in the process, and that they will be paid more money here than they could get anywhere else, even if they end up sitting in AAA all year."

Cashman has finished his scouting meetings and is discussing his limitless budget with the Steinbrenner family. While not mentioning anyone specifically, manager Joe Girardi gave hints that he'd like to sign every available player, just to make sure no other teams could improve this off-season. He implied that top free-agent pitcher John Lackey would be someone he'd pursue, to join fellow pitchers C. C. Sabathia and A. J. Burnett, but noted that "it really didn't matter" as they were planning to also sign Randy Wolf, Erik Bedard, Rich Harden, Justin Duchscherer, John Garland, Braden Looper, and Joel Pineiro.

In a shocking turn of events, Omar Vizquel is believed to be signing the first deal of the free agency period to play shortstop for the Chicago White Sox. The rationale for this development becomes clearer given the news that Derek Jeter felt threatened by the 43-year-old and the report that the Yankees' captain complained about Vizquel to Girardi in private.