Time To Let Rivera And Posada Go, Yankees?

With Mariano Rivera and Jorge Posada planning to shop themselves around, is it time for the New York Yankees to finally break apart the team that Torre built?

No doubt new Yankees manager Joe Girardi would prefer a smoother transition instead of the massive team rebuilding going on now at the ballclub. However, are these players, no matter the experience they have, worth keeping around for long term contracts?

Both Rivera and Posada are still effective, the latter more so than the former. But the Yankees management have offered attractive deals no matter what, and Hank Steinnbrenner is adamant that playing for the uniform would mean just as much. The question now is if these players ultimately decide to decline the new contracts, what alternatives can the Yankees opt for?

It would seem that the Boston Red Sox have been approached regarding Mike Lowell, and there is a good chance that the third baseman might join the Yankees. However, Boston are likely to pull out all the stops to secure Lowell's signature, as surely the next best option of Alex Rodriguez would unsettle the established stability of the Red Sox.

Decisions by all parties will be reached soon in the coming weeks. Until then the Yankees will do well to look at other prospects for the new Girardi empire.