Edwin Jackson?

So the Yankees apparently met with Scott Boras about Edwin Jackson. Here's hoping it was just a favor to Boras. And here's why: if the Yankees really are budget conscious, they cannot pay inflated market prices for mid-rotation starters. Edwin Jackson is a pretty good pitcher who has been traded around a lot. After being a tip top minor league prospect, he's never gained top of the rotation status anywhere, but teams have always been willing to acquire him because he was relatively CHEAP.

If the Yanks give him 12-15M he will lose his most favorable attribute - his cheapness. Instead, he will be overpaid and hard to move. This is the lesson we all should have learned from the AJ Burnett saga. Giving a pitcher with "great stuff" great money doesn't turn him into a great pitcher. It turns him into a contract that can't be traded till it's almost over. This is not what the Yanks should be signing up for again.

With the absence of available aces or playoff caliber #2's on the free agent market, the Yanks should be holding onto their money until the right opportunity presents itself. Right now, the Yanks will be going into the season with CC, AJ, Nova, Hughes, Garcia and Noesi as projected starters. Not exactly the `71 Orioles rotation, but they have a true ACE in Sabathia and upside in Hughes, Nova and Noesi. And they still have a super destroyer of a bullpen.

Plus, the Yanks are going to have a lot of pitching talent in AAA. Someone like Phelps could help right out of Spring Training. But more excitingly, Betances or Banuelos could be ready come June. Both Betances and Banuelos have top of the rotation stuff right now. What they lacked this past season was top of the rotation fastball control, but they both made it through the season healthy, and one or both of them could really take off this year.

So, the Yanks should keep there eyes and ears open for reasonable rotation help, but pass on Edwin Jackson, and count on Phelps possibly helping to start the season and Betances and Banuelos to help come midseason. If none of that works, they can always see what's available at the trade deadline.

And if they are getting itchy to spend money again, the two Cubans, Cespedes and Soler are still out there, and both seem to have Yankee Bats. The Yanks can always use more Yankee Bats.