Vernon probably wasn't old as he looked.

Weather beaten face, lines that had lines, a tan definitely not acquired at the beach. "Well, there's a little to work with here, but not much. It's going to cost you. You're George's boy, right? Should be good for it."

Hank had money. That wasn't the question.

"You keepin' this ARod?

Hank nodded. "Cost me $275 million. I think so."

"Don't say, don't say. You ever been to town before you got takin' there boy?" The old man laughed the kind of laugh that felt like it was made of concertina wire.

"What about the Giambi?"

The old man just shook his head. "I can't do anything what that. Rotted right through. The Damon over there is busted up. Looks OK from the outside but darn near worthless. And watch this."

The contractor took a level out and placed it face up so Hank Steinbrenner could see the bubble. Then he rolled a ball across the main room. It kept going out the door and down to the street.

"See that, your catcher is just about gone."

"But what about the Posada?"

"Didn't you hear me boy, it's shot. Look, this trap isn't going to pass inspection if you fill it up with a bunch of antique equipment ain't up to code. The Jeter is old but serviceable and I'll bring some gas from down at the truck. Maybe we can get the Cano restarted and find something to do with that Cabrera. Say, somebody told me they offered you an almost new Santana for that Cabrera and the Hughes you got on blocks down to the shed. That true?"

Hank's face reddened. "I'd rather not talk about that. Get on with it."

"Looks good over there in your neighbors driveway." Vernon grinned. George hated it when Vernon grinned.

"And even though you got slickered on the Matsui I guess we can keep that. You need to just chuck the Abreu, though. Might be next week, might be next year, but it ain't pulling any power. Just a waste of your money to keep it going. I'll be needin' to see the pitching."

This was what Hank had been dreading.

"Boy, howdy, look at this crap! A Petitte, a Mussina, and son tell me that ain't no LaTroy Hawkins?"

Hank slid his foot over to flip a rug over the David Wells he just bought. It didn't quite cover the massive Wells. It never did.

"Now that's a fine Chamberlin you got, but you gotta remember they's made to be used. Looks like you been keeping this one in the garage. Take it out and fire it up, they're meant to be pitched. That's a fine Wang you got, and that old Rivera will probably keep running for years. Most of the rest of this stuff you can....wait a minute, I don't believe it. I'd heard about this, that's a..."

Steinbrenner wasn't used to being laughed at, even though he had been getting plenty of practice lately. "It's a @##%$ Pavano. Could you just give me an estimate and let's get on with this?"

Vernon was over in the corner, holding his side with tears rolling down his cheeks. Laughing so hard he could barely breathe his words came out in gaps.

"Just, just a minute, I'll be fine. I'm sure sorry, I didn't mean any disrespect. Wait, is that an Igawa?"

It was on again. Five minutes of Vernon slapping his palm on the table and pointing and laughing. Sure Hank's dad had let Cashman, the old family retainer, make some stupid acquisitions, but the Steinbrenner name meant something before and it would again.

Quietly, and with a resolution nobody had seen since he let old Torre go, Hank got out his checkbook. "Mr. Farley, give me a list of what you'll require. Haul off what you don't need and go to town for the rest."

"Well, I can get my cousin Jake to haul that GIrardi down off the roof. That's a start. I'll be needing a new first baseman. The Texeira is on the market. Pure quality and power to spare."

"Do it."

"We'll fix up the Cano, keep the Jeter. You sure about the ARod?"

"I'm sure."

"Then we'll take the Damon and the Abreu down to the dump, leave the Matsui and Cabrera there but keep an eye on them in case they start breaking down. I'll have a Dunn shipped in from Cincinnati. I know somebody who's got an option on a Guerrero. If he doesn't pick it up we need to jump all over that."

"Agreed."

Vernon shook his head. "Now, the pitching is where we need invest. You got a bad foundation the whole sheebang can cave in you."

"How well I know."

"It's going to cost us, but I'd go for Sabathia AND Sheets. You might as well just give the Mussina and Pettite to Good Will. The Kennedy and Hughes we can get running. And don't forget what I said. That Chamberlin needs to be used. We'll pick up a Lidge just in case the Rivera gives out, a maybe a Fuentes and a Ayala."

"Here's the check. Cashman will give you a lift back to town."

Vernon squinted hard at the zeroes on the check. "You good for this? Cause if you ain't I know where you live."

"Everybody does" Hank sighed. "Everybody does."