New York City - With visions of another AL East title dancing in his head, Yankees principal owner George Steinbrenner is not about to allow Yankees GM Brian Cashman to stand pat at the trade deadline on July 31.

With the New York media outlets daily offering trade rumors and gossip, and even some, ahem, New York post, going as far as to say that the Yankees won't make any moves, the question isn't WILL they make a move, the question should become WHEN will the Bronx Bombers make a move.

If the Yankees can maintain within three to five games of the Boston Red Sox for the next two weeks, I believe the Yankees will take an outfielder of lesser proportions (see below). However, if they were to drop to five and a half games or MORE behind of the Red Sox, I think Darth SteinVadar will order Cashman to deal AA pitching phenom Phil Hughes or A outfielder extraordinaire Jose Tabata. As of right now, these two guys are unavailable, and you might as well put J. Brent Cox on that list as well. From the Yanks themselves, I'd say both Wang and Cano are off-limits too.However, if the Yanks begin to falter, it will be George ordering Cashman to deal one of the few blue chips for a big name (see list below).

Here are some of the names of OF's associated with the Yankees. These would be considered the "lesser list", the players who play for teams that are a) out of contention; b) the salary of said player needs to be moved for monetary reasons; or c) none of the players would command a top prospect from the list that includes: Hughes, Tabata, Cox, Cano, and Wang. The following list of players would be had for a package of available players, such as Eric Duncan, Melky Cabrera, Bubba Crosby, Andy Philips, Matt White, Scott Proctor, or TJ Beam:

Second Tier Players (w/ current team listed)

Arizona Diamondbacks: Shawn Green, Luiz Gonzalez, Eric Byrnes

Kansas City Royals: Reggie Sanders

Philadelphia Phillies: David Dellucci, Bobby Abreu and Pat Burrell (if the Yankees assumed the entire amount of $$ remaining on either contract for this year and next, neither of these players would require much in return. However if the Yankees asked Philadelphia to kick in some $$ in the trade, Phillies GM Pat Gillick could demand a blue chip. Burrell is owed $27M through '09, Bobby Abreu is owed $24M through '08)

Pittsburgh Pirates: Jeromy Burnitz, Craig Wilson

Chicago Cubs: Jacque Jones

Seattle Mariners: Raul Ibanez

Washington Nationals: Jose Guillen

Cincinatti Reds: Ken Griffey, JR (this one circles the Bronx and North Jersey papers every summer- what the hell, might as well throw him into the mix. If Reds GM Wayne Krivisky is dumb enough to send Austin Kearns to the Nats for two bottom of the barrel relievers, who knows what he is capable of...)

Top Tier Players:

Washinton Nationals: Alfonso Soriano

Milwaukee Brewers: Carlos Lee

Philadelphia Phillies: Aaron Rowand, Bobby Abreu (again, it depends how much money transfers hands on this deal)

Cincinatti Reds: Adam Dunn

Seattle Mariners: Ichiro Suzuki

THE ODDS: ( top three bold predictions, in order)

3. A Second Tier player - 20%- reasoning: I believe the Yankees will stay close to the Red Sox in the division, but I believe Steinbrenner, now getting older and more impatient, will demand Cashman to bring someone with a little more hype than Reggie Sanders to the Bronx in a tight pennant race. There are guys from that list I wouldn't mind seeing, for the right price, (Eric Byrnes, David Deullucci, Bobby Abreu ((again, AT THE RIGHT PRICE)), Jose Guillen), and then there are also players from that list I would not want to see as a Pinstriper, no matter what the price (Shawn Green, Ken Griffey JR, Luis Gonzalez, Reggie Sanders, anyone old and $$)

2. Alfonso Soriano - 35%- reasoning: This was always one guy I was sad to see go, even though it was for, cough. ahem, choke, the "best player in baseball", ahem... cough... wheez. I would love for Cashman to get him back. Yeah, he's a free agent, but he's 30, and the Yankees could lock him up in the offseason (5 years $75M) as an OF, especially with Gary Sheffield's $$ ($13.9M a year) off the books. And, I know he strikes out a lot, but he can hit for power, good arm, steals bases, good clubhouse personality, and the one factor that is a known plus about Soriano- he can play in New York city, something Kevin Brown, Carl Pavano, even Alex Rodriguez still haven't proven yet. Plus, if the Nationals drop any further, the price will begin to come down on him. Possibly, they could part with Melky, Duncan, TJ Beam, Proctor, and White, plus cash $1M, maybe. Remember, just last week the Nats sent a slew of relievers to Cincinatti, so they need some fresh, young, cheap bullpen arms and position players. He would be, in my mind, the ideal guy. Everyone assumed that Steinbrenner was saying Abreu was the guy he really wanted, but all he said was, "yeah, I like Bobby Abreu, everbody does.." So...

1. Bobby Abreu - 45%- reasoning: This one is tough. Allright, to pick up where I left off from above, everyone knows Steinbrenner loves home run hitters, and that's what he wants right now. They have enough "on-base" guys, with a top of the lineup with Damon, Jeter, Giambi- they need a power guy, a good defender, neither of which is Bobby Abreu. Ever since that stupid Home Run Derby last year, his swing mechanics have not been the same. However, I think that if the Angels, Tigers, Dodgers, or Mariners can beat the Yankees to Soriano, then the Yankees will feel the pressure to get Abreu. At that point, the question becomes at what price ? If they offer to assume his whole contract, then it is worth it to get him becaus ethey won't have to add any blue chips to the deal. However, if they bicker about the amount of money is owed, then Gillick will most likely demand Melky or Tabata. I think they could get away offering Duncan and TJ Beam for Abreu, but we'll have to see. The only ?? I have about Abreu is, how will he handle New York City ? NYC is a far cry from Philly...

So, to recap, I want Soriano, but if I have to, I'll take Abreu at a discount. To all Yankee fans out there, let me know what you think.... Of course anyone else is welcome to comment. Let's keep 'em positive, gentlemen. If you are going to accuse someone's trade idea as being ####, then justify it or submit your own.

SPRUCE HEAD, MAINE - If You All watch as much ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPNNEWS, ESPN Deportes ( yo no hablo espanol, either ), FSN, NESN, YES etc. as I do, you start notice things...

Like how there is a commercial for ED medication being shoved down our throats at nearly every first down, half time, end of each inning, and whatever the hell they call a commercial break in NASCAR. Actually, I suppose in NASCAR, they just sponsor the cars and events, right ? "The Merck car edged out the competition to capture the "Pole" in the Viagra 500..."

Jesus...

There is nothing better than seeing a former athlete pushing the stuff either. Raffy Palmeroid was hocking Viagra WHILE HE WAS STILL A PLAYER !!! What was the clubhouse like the day after that commercial aired?  Was there an assortment of rubber "junks" duct taped to his locker, along with a galaxy of different pills scattered all through his uniform pockets?

Anyhow, now that I've probably offended any male reader over 60 ( sorry Dad, I know you're the only one reading this anyway ), it's time to talk a little baseball. Empire, anyone ?

So with Hideki Matsui turning his wrist into a bowl of oatmeal last week, all the New York papers are buzzing with trade speculation like it's 3:30 P.M. on July 31st.  With names like Al Soriano, Torii Hunter, Shannon Stewart, Bobby Abreu, Ken (gulp) Griffey JR, and Miguel Cabrera (in a package with Willis, don't hold your breath on that one, fellow Yankee fans), fans are worked up into a frenzy over "who they'll have to pick"...

Bad news, brother Storm Troopers, it won't be that easy... 

The Yankees, free and able to correct any problem that may arise back in the late 90's and up to approximately Christmas 2004, do not have that luxury any more. If they can trade, say a bucket of balls, the hot dog vendor from the right field bleachers, and $10 M cash for Soriano or Hunter, then they would be set. However, the farm system is depleted, and the few good prospects they have, ( Phil Hughes, Eric Duncan, CJ Henry, Melky)  they claim they are saving for the future, which could very well be July, if Barry Zito or D-Train Willis become available. So do not expect the Yankees to snag a big, David Justice-esque name to fill the LF void, like it was yesteryear. Chances are, they will trade from their pitching depth when Octavio Dotel and Carl " is this where I pick up my check ? " Pavano return from the DL. The Yankees could trade a reliever to a team that has a backup OF they could move for relief. Names being tossed around are Kevin Millar (BAL), Craig Wilson (PIT), and my personal favorite, Eric Byrnes (ARZ).

Byrnes would give Damon a run for his money as the most gifted defensive OF the Yankees would have. He's in his late 20's ( which these days is considered young on the Death Star ), he has a little pop in his bat, ( typically a .275/ 10-15 HR/ 55-75 RBI guy, a perfect 7, 8, or 9 guy for the Yanks ) he's cheap ( D-backs signed him for 1 Y / $2M this past offseason ) and the best part is his nickname is Captain America, for being such a team oriented, gung ####, crash your face into the wall, coldclock and knock out the intruder in your apartment kind of guy ( true story ). He could be the shot in the arm the Yanks need both on the field and in the clubhouse. And he wouldn't require much, maybe a reliever Proctor or Henn ? That would be my bet...

Of course, the rumors will fly about the Griffey's and the Hunter's of the world. Perhaps Soriano, who reportedly is desperate to go back to the Bronx and still keeps an apartment in North Jersey, is another "high maybe" just because the Nationals new owners are so ready to dump him and would take a 3 or 4 pitcher, or a light load of pitching prospects in return. Soriano did say the only team he would willingly play OF for was the Yankees in an interview with Buster Olney a few months back during "Soriano-gate". At this point, it seems to me the owner of the Nationals " is just re-arranging deck chairs on the Titanic ", to quote Stephen Colbert.

As to what the heck is going on down in Florida is anybodys guess. Will Loria give the okay on trading Cabrera and Willis ? Would the Yankees mortgage the farm to acquire these two young superstars ? Heck yeah, in a New York minute ! The question is, is a package of Eric Duncan, Phil Hughes, Melky Cabrera, CJ Henry and say, Scott Proctor and $10M going to be enough ? Even with a healthy Matsui and Sheff, Cabrera could play LF, Damon CF, Matsui RF and DH Sheffield, if they even bring him back next year...

All in all, the stove is warming up for the Yankees... Just hope Cashman can do something to please Steinbrenner, and quick, or else he may be the next guy throwing a football through a tire in some ED commercial....

The Set-Up Man