Mess.

One of many over-the-top observations regarding the 2012 Yankees.  This by renowned Yankee-hater Peter Abraham:

"We are coming up on the two-month anniversary of the Red Sox trading Josh Beckett, Carl Crawford, Adrian Gonzalez, and Nick Punto to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Only now, thanks to the Yankees, can the true value of that trade be fully realized."

Because the Tigers swept the Yankees in the ALCS ... James Loney is suddenly a good baseball player?


"Derek Jeter will have surgery on his fractured left ankle on Saturday in North Carolina, then face 4-5 months of rehabilitation. The Yankees hope he will be back for Opening Day, but admit they have no idea to what degree the surgery will affect his ability to play shortstop.

Jeter, who turns 39 in June, worked hard in recent years to improve his range. Now he faces the hurdle of playing with a surgically repaired ankle. Jeter has $17 million on his contract for 2013 and an $8 million player option for 2014.

Then we have the latest drama surrounding 37-year-old Alex Rodriguez. He has looked helpless in the postseason and the Yankees aren't interested in giving him a chance to work it out. Rodriguez has been pinch hit for three times in the postseason and benched three times.

The most expensive player in baseball has become almost useless to them -- and he has five years and $114 million remaining on his contract. On Wednesday, before the postponed fourth game of the American League Championship Series, the Yankees talked about A-Rod like he was some scrub call-up from the minors."

When do you get to the part about the Red Sox?


"The Red Sox avoided this kind of mess when they unloaded Beckett, Crawford, and Gonzalez on the Dodgers."

The Red Sox are in a last-place mess.

Mess, therefore, not avoided.


"Instead of watching the 32-year-old Beckett throw 91-mph fastballs the next two seasons and become increasingly recalcitrant, they can go get somebody younger, better and more team oriented."

Imaginary Beckett Replacement will probably win the Cy Young Award in Unknown Year.


"Instead of counting how many surgeries Crawford has over the length of his seven-year deal, they can invest that money in a player entering his prime."

Imaginary Crawford Replacement who will be the First Player Ever to avoid injuries and also the First Player Ever to live up to his long-term free agent contract.  He will probably win the MVP in Unknown Year.


"And while Gonzalez was a hefty tariff to pay for unloading Beckett and Crawford, his diminishing power and problems hitting at Fenway Park are troubling signs.

Now, thanks to the Dodgers, the Red Sox have incredible roster and payroll flexibility.

Unless they pull off their own miracle trade, the Yankees are stuck with an aging and expensive roster."

Yeah, but ...

1) Roster flexibility does not necessarily equal a good roster.

2) The best players on the Yankees this postseason were all old.

3) The Yankees make so much money, they're not particularly hampered by these expenses.  So the Yankees have plenty of roster and payroll flexibility.

4) The Red Sox have 26 games to make up just to match the Yankees' record.



"The Red Sox were a wretched team and finished in last place, a whopping 26 games behind the first-place Yankees. But the Sox might actually have the advantage moving forward.

Seeing Jeter go down and watching the Yankees wrestle with Rodriguez only confirmed that idea."

"Might actually" is about as vague as it gets. 

"Might actually not."