Yankees Rumors: Jeter, Sabathia, Hudson

Let’s talk Yankees.

• Ken Davidoff makes recommendations for the ’09 Yankees.  He would sign Derek Lowe and Andy Pettitte, and offer arbitration to Damaso Marte and Bobby Abreu.
• Jim Baumbach explains a tricky situation coming up: re-signing Derek Jeter.
• Peter Abraham takes a look at various free agents on the minds’ of Yankees fans.
• Tyler Kepner of the New York Times says first priority for the Yankees is to re-sign Brian Cashman.  I imagine they already have a Plan B in place, but recent reports lean toward Cashman returning.
• Kepner says the Indians were aggressive in pursuing a deadline deal involving Phil Hughes and C.C. Sabathia.  Now, Kepner says the Yankees are skeptical they’ll be able to sign Sabathia.  For Plan B, the Yanks seem to prefer pitchers with American League experience.  They’ll probably stand pat on the bullpen, though a decision must be made on Damaso Marte’s option.
• If the Yankees can engineer a Robinson Cano–Matt Kemp swap (unlikely), they could then sign free agents Mark Teixeira and Orlando Hudson.  The right-side infield defense would be drastically improved.
• Bill Madden of the New York Daily News is more pessimistic – he doesn’t see the team’s internal center field options working out, nor does he consider the free agent signings wise.