10 Free Agents New York Yankees Must Show Interest in for 2012

The feeding frenzy that is the MLB off-season often brings blockbuster drama and expectations for teams and newly acquired players.  The New York Yankees are usually in the middle of this calamity, always looking to pick up new pieces to an always-tricky puzzle as they reload for a new season.  

This winter will likely be no different, but who should they go after to bolster their line-up?  Should it be a front-line starter, or maybe a top-end reliever to help out a solid bullpen led by Mariano Rivera?  It could be a bat; they can never run out of those.  Or possibly it'll be a player they just don't need, but if acquired could put them over the top.  Here's 10 they will most likely take a good glance at before spring training 2012 rolls around.

Albert Pujols

When contract talks between Albert Pujols and the St. Louis Cardinals were permanently postponed until after the 2011 season, it opened the door for speculation.  He will ask for money never given in the major leagues before, and will the Cardinals give in and pay it?  They are a proud franchise, and he is a proud player, and that could be a recipe for disaster.

On the other side are 29 teams figuring out whether Pujols belongs on their team.  Every single major league franchise must show interest in this player; it would be a crime not to, and the Yankees are included.  

Yes, Mark Teixeira is an excellent player, with switch-hitting, league-leading power and possibly the best glove in baseball at first base.  However, Pujols can't be put in the class of excellent.  He is legendary, putting up numbers never seen before in baseball history.  

There are problems with acquiring this all-time talent.  He is 32 years old, and will require an extended contract worth upward of $300 million.  Many of those dollars will be paid past his prime when the days of 45 home runs were a distant memory.  The Yankees already have one of those contracts at third base with Alex Rodriguez, who still has many good years left in him, but none that include 55 home runs.  Pujols has never been one to slump, but has shown this season that he is indeed not a machine.  

He does, though, lead the league in home runs yet again, even though totals around the league are down.  But to say he is not worth the trouble is ludicrous.  His career numbers at first glance can compare to Ruth or Aaron any day.  He has never batted under .300, never driven in fewer than 100 runs, and never hit fewer than 30 home runs in any season.  

Whoever signs him will have him break 500 and 600 home runs, and 3,000 hits in their uniform.  He will go down as one of the 10 best players to ever live, and it would be a huge mistake not to take a run at him, no matter how good your team is.

C.C. Sabathia

Though Sabathia is already a Yankee, and will most likely remain a Yankee, it is an obvious priority to make sure that happens with no problems.  The big ace has four years, $92 million left on his current deal, but there have been whispers of him possibly opting out of that deal, putting the Yankees in a tricky situation. 

If Sabathia requests more money, the Yankees will have no choice but to pay him.  Frankly, he is worth all the money they give him for the way he has performed in pinstripes so far, leading them to a World Series title in 2009.  

However, signing off on a massive deal if he requests it may hinder their chances to acquire other monster free agents.  Of course, they are the Yankees, so spending is usually not an issue they have to deal with.  Regardless, settling Sabathia's contract is a top priority for the Bombers this offseason.

Jose Reyes

It may be a sin to say Derek Jeter will be replaced someday, but if there is a player that can do it, it has to be Jose Reyes.  Though Jeter is still playing shortstop very well, and doesn't expect to give up the position any time soon, Reyes must be on their radar no matter what.

When healthy, Reyes is simply the biggest game-changer in baseball.  This season alone, the 28-year-old sensation carried the New York Mets to where they are right now.  His blinding speed and excellent hitting poses instant problems for opposing pitchers.  If he gets on base, there's a good chance he will reach second or third base somehow, whether he hits his way there or steals it.  

His only concern is his chronic injury history, something that may shy the Yankees away from his amazing skills.  With him and Brett Gardner at the top of the line-up, there's no telling how much havoc they would cause other teams.  It would be nearly impossible to stop them.  

It would, however, be a very tricky situation involving Jeter, but if he can get on board, it would make the Yankees the best team in the American League without any question.  

Johnny Damon...Again

Outfield free agents would be tough to find to seriously improve the Yankees' starting line-up, but fourth outfielders would be perfect, and Johnny Damon would be the perfect fit.  His first campaign with the Yankees was very successful, capped with a 2009 World Series ring before departing to Detroit.  

What Damon brings to any team is a veteran element of winning mixed with high energy and class.  Damon's clutch play is not hurtful on any team, and backing up the Yankees' current outfield would be a good place for him.  At age 37, he is entering the end of his excellent career, one that includes nearly 2,686 hits, 396 stolen bases, and 506 doubles.  

If he could give New York 100 games of good baseball, it could keep the starting outfield fresh, something they do not have the luxury of doing this season.  The only issue would be his desire to play every day.  But if that could be worked out, Damon could definitely help the Bombers back to the World Series again.

Yadier Molina

It seems like there are catchers everywhere on the Yankees, with the current tandem of Russell Martin and Francisco Cervelli leading the pitching staff to a respectable record this year.  Their bright prospect, Jesus Montero, is someone who may be the catcher of the future, and Jorge Posada, a bench-relegated catcher-turned-DH, will likely be riding into the sunset shortly.

However, to not go after Cardinals' star catcher Yadier Molina would be a travesty.  Yes, Martin is good, and defensively he is exceptional.  And yes, Montero is an up-and-coming talent with a lot of promise.  But Molina is a 29-year-old perennial all-star catcher with a solid bat and a rocket-arm behind the plate.  He has won a World Series in 2006 with the Cardinals, a top-flight organization in itself.  

Signing Molina would allow the Yankees to loosen their grip on Montero, opening up many possibilities with players they may not have had a chance getting without him.  And you know what you're getting with Molina, and will probably get it for many years to come.  Though Montero is young, his use as an asset could prove to be more valuable to the Yankees than as a player, and Molina will allow that to happen.

Mark Buehrle

Some pitchers are phenomenons with electric stuff but are a high risk of injury and even failure.  Mark Buehrle is the furthest pitcher from that possible.  The Chicago White Sox left-hander is a work horse, pitching over 200 innings in every season since 2001.  

The 32-year-old can be looked at as a veteran with no liabilities.  The Yankees will know what they can get out of him: 30-plus starts, a lot of innings, and probably somewhere around 15 wins every season.  Buehrle could quickly cement himself as that number two starter A.J. Burnett has never truly become.  

He has weathered the pressure-cooker storm, leading a drought-ridden franchise to a World Series in 2005, and also dealing a perfect game in his career.  He is a great fit behind C.C. Sabathia, and would solidify a rotation built for October.

Jason Varitek

He is a captain.  He wears the Red Sox uniform.  He has been part of the Red Sox' revival, winning two championships in Boston.  All that aside, Jason Varitek's next uniform should be pinstripes.

At age 40, it's obvious this gritty switch-hitting catcher's years are numbered.  But with the Red Sox unlikely to re-sign him, and his retirement a serious possibility, the New York Yankees could sneak in a small deal with immense results.

For the right price, Varitek may think that New York would be a good place to spend a year backing up the starter.  His veteran presence combined with his excellent ability to handle a pitching staff could pose very useful for the Yankees.  

But it would be the rumbles he would cause in New England that would be the biggest story.  He would be labeled a traitor, a deserter, and a sell-out; a reaction that is unfortunate, but tends to make the player want to stick it to his former club.  If Varitek did that as his last hurrah, it could certainly be a helpful piece the Yankees need to beat the Red Sox and get through to the World Series.

Adam Wainwright

February 24, 2011 may have the St. Louis Cardinals' worst day of the year, when they found out their ace Adam Wainwright was to undergo Tommy John surgery and miss the entire season.  The team has options on the ace for 2012 and 2013, and it will depend on his recovery on whether they pick them up.

However, if they let Wainwright slip from their grip, the Yankees will be at their doorstep to pick him up.  A common question to consider is this: why take a huge chance on a pitcher coming off of a serious injury?  

First, Tommy John surgery is not a high-risk, low-success operation anymore.  It often works very well, and many pitchers return doing just as well or very close to it.  Also, Wainwright is too good not to take a chance on.  He has a career 66-35 record with a 2.97 ERA over six seasons.  If he is available, it would be dishonest to take a legitimate attempt at this excellent front-line starter.

Nick Swisher

One thing the Yankees will have to address in the offseason is their in-house contracts, and Nick Swisher will be one of their greatest tests.  The market for an outfielder is not ripe for the picking, but there will always be room for improvement.  With that said, Swisher must join the team for the 2012 season.

Is he the best right-fielder in baseball?  Probably not.  He is, however, a very good player with attributes for the Yankees' line-up.  He is a switch-hitter with good power and excellent plate discipline, things New York loves to have at the plate.  He has improved from average to good or very good in right field.  He is very good in run-scoring situations, having the highest percentage on the team for getting a runner in from third with fewer than two outs.  Plus, he is loved by everyone, from the players to the fans.  He is a must-sign option for 2012.  

Rich Harden

Of all the players on the free agent market this off-season, Rich Harden will probably have the highest risk factor.  His baseball career has been a roller coaster of exciting dominance and disappointing injury runs that have buried a once-promising life of success in the majors.

Regardless, the Yankees will most likely take a look at this hard-throwing right-hander.  If they can get him for cheap, something he should expect to see across the free agent search for a new team, Harden could be a valuable asset for their pitching staff, especially if he stays healthy.  

Unfortunately, staying off the disabled list is nearly an anomaly for Harden.  He has thrown fewer than 100 innings in more seasons of his career than eclipsing that total.  There is no doubt he is a risk, but he will get a bite this winter, and it could be with New York.