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by Digger

The New York Yankees continue their aggressive team shakeup. Their latest addition is a whopper. Probably one of their best free agent signings in recent memory.

Mark Teixeira welcome to New York.

Wow! For a little while the Yankees never appeared optimistic of their chances for signing baseball's premier free agent firstbaseman. Rumors suggested the Angels were frontrunners in the Teixeira sweepstakes. Suddenly, the Red Sox seemed interested. I guess that's all the Steinbrenner clan needed to hear. News breaking as I type states Teixeira's deal is for 8 years, $170M+.

Putting the money issue on the back burner for the moment... this is a great signing by New York. Teixeira is only 29 and has improved each season. A top tier offensive & defensive 1B... something the Yankees haven't had since Tino Martinez prime. Added bonus, he's a switch hitter who will provide plenty of lineup protection and production.

Way to go Cashman! I've spent the better part of a year bashing his failure to charge hard after Johan Santana and others last winter. He's already made up for lack of aggressiveness and past mistakes.

CC Sabathia & Mark Teixeira represented the two most sought after free agent players. Let's not forget A.J. Burnett's addition to the Bronx Bombers rotation... and the inevitable re-signing of hometown favorite Andy Pettitte (currently negotiating).

So what's next for the Yankees? LF? RF? C? RP? Trade?

Thinking of Yankees baseball in '09 has taken on an entirely different look. Soon to be forgotten is how miserably the Yankees played in their final season in historic Yankee Stadium. New Yankees Stadium has the potential to be home to one of the finest Yankees' teams ever assembled. A few holes still remain and it's very clear Cashman is leaving nothing to chance heading into spring training.

Enjoy your holiday presents Yankees fans! For those thinking it can't get much better than this... hold onto your seats. More surprises are only moments away! Yank haters must be sick to their stomach's. New Yorker's.... keep smiling!!!