Opinion

In the early fall of 2001, New York was rocked by the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center.  In one hour and forty three minutes, the tallest buildings in Manhattan had gone from glistening beacons of American achievement to a mass grave for three thousand innocent people. 

Hours after New York Yankees Manager Joe Girardi helped lead the Bombers to their elusive 27th World Series championship in team history Wednesday night, he stopped his car to help a female motorist who had crashed her vehicle into a wall on the Cross County Parkway in Eastchester.

Juan Pierre is baseball’s best fourth outfielder.

The problem is that Juan Pierre plays like—and is being paid like—a starting outfielder.

Pierre, 32, has two more years and $18.5 million remaining on the five-year, $44 million pact he signed with Los Angeles prior to the 2007 season.

As promised, I will begin to count down the top 30 Yankee prospects with in-depth profiles of each guy.

I came up with an aggregate list based on our separate rankings over at Pending Pinstripes, and will use that to count down. To start, here are two guys I would've liked to include, but failed to make the aggregate cut:

Like a good perfume smells better on Penelope Cruz, championships, perhaps, are best celebrated at baseball’s cathedral.

Whether you love them or hate them, you’re a capitalist or a socialist; the Yankees should be respected by every American because they are synonymous with winning and excellence.

By no means are the Yankees a model of perfection, however, but do you think you get to the top in America and stay there by shining everyone’s shoes?

With JJ Hardy finally dealt, it's time for Brewers GM Doug Melvin to focus on fixing the starting rotation. We've already looked at Erik Bedard and Mark Mulder as possible answers, and now let's take a look at a former Brewer who is willing to come home again: Doug Davis.

On Saturday evening, Chicago Tribune writer Paul Sullivan reported that the Chicago Cubs could soon part ways with both pitcher Rich Harden and outfielder Reed Johnson. Jim Hendry, the Cubs General Manager, would love to re-sign both players but both are risky.

If the Cubs decide to re-sign Harden, they would probably offer a one year deal. The one year deal is probably the most years that Harden would get from several teams, because of his injury risk. Johnson would have to take a pay cut to stay in the Windy City. 

You (probably) can hold out for more than the $15 million a year Boston is reportedly offering you, Jason Bay.

Based on his hitting, Jason Bay would be a "five win" (above replacement, or WAR) player. At $4 million a WAR, (the going free agent rate), Bay should be worth something like $20 million a year, at least for the first two years. (Maybe with third and fourth year cuts to $18 and $15 million to reflect his aging.)

Almost four years ago, the Seattle Mariners signed left hander Jarrod Washburn to a four-year, $37.5 million contract. For the first three years, he posted 31-43 record with ERA never under 4.32, WHIP always over 1.35.

Every Mariner fans thought Washburn signing was another horrible mistake made by former GM Bill Bavasi.

Keeping up with the Joneses becomes an even tougher task when your hated next-door neighbor cruised through the defending world champs on their way to a World Series victory.

Such a task is the one laid at the feet of Theo Epstein, Terry Francona and the Boston Red Sox this offseason. The acquisition of Jeremy Hermida from Florida is the beginning of what should be a handful of minor changes made to the Red Sox roster in order for Boston to take the division, and the pennant, back from the Yankees.

1. The infield quagmire needs to be resolved.