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Yankees Notes: Free Agents, Youkilis, Cano

As usual, there's no shortage of headlines out of the Bronx, what with Mariano Rivera's pending retirement announcement and a batch of Yankee items earlier today from the New York Post's Ken Davidoff.  Here's some more Yankees-related news...

• The Yankees won't be able to find and buy premium talent in free agency as easily as they have in the past, FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal writes, as so many teams have been able to sign their top players and keep them from hitting the open market.  While New York's minor league system isn't bad, Rosenthal notes that the Yankees lack MLB-ready young replacements for their aging stars and they also lack the prospect depth to trade for the likes of Giancarlo Stanton.
• Kevin Youkilis is happy to play at either first base or third base following Mark Teixeira’s injury, Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News reports (on Twitter).  Youkilis' versatility will provide the Yankees with some flexibility in pursuing either type of corner infielder.
• Grantland's Rany Jazayerli recaps the Yankees' modern history of success and believes the team is poised to struggle in 2013.
• Robinson Cano will be "the most important position player in baseball" in the wake of the injuries in the Yankee lineup, Mike Axisa of River Ave Blues opines.  "No other team that fancies itself a contender will rely as heavily on one player as the Yankees will rely on Cano early this season," Axisa writes.  This reality can only help Cano and Scott Boras in their contract negotiations with the team.

MLBTR's Ben Nicholson-Smith contributed to this post

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