The Yankees just signed former Tampa Bay closer Rafael Soriano to a 3 year, $35 million dollar deal.

After a pretty quiet off-season, the Yanks just made some serious noise - for all the wrong reasons.

First off, I'm not sure if I like this move but I feel it was a move the Yanks had to make simply because they had to do something - I guess. 

The AL East just got much better in the off-season.  The Red Sox, and even the Orioles, both made more significant moves than the Yanks thus far.

Soriano is essentially signed as Mariano Rivera's replacement but he won't even have a chance at the closer role until the 3rd and final year of his deal -and that's assuming Rivera only plays for 2 more years.

Soriano has only been a closer for 2 years. Well, really only a year and a half (he was the closer in Atlanta in 2009 for a half a season).  Last year, he had several disagreements with Rays' Skipper Joe Maddon about how he was being used out of the bullpen.  Is a guy that wants to be the full-time closer going to be okay with now being the set-up man?

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So until the time he's handed the "keys to the store", Soriano will be the 8th inning bridge to Mo.  So let me get this straight, the Yankees just spent $35 million on a set-up man?  By contrast, teams were giving 2 year, $10-15 million deals to closers this off-season.

A $35 million dollar, 8th inning set-up man is nice but don't the Yankees need another starting pitcher?  Other than CC Sabathia, who's going to get them to that 8th inning?

Quite frankly, I know Soriano had 45 saves last season but he really doesn't have much of a track record as a guy that can throw a lot of innings or pitch a lot of games. In his 9 year career, he's only had 2 seasons of 70+ games.

Soriano is a middle reliever for all intents and purposes. Oh yeah, he's already 31 years old!

Bottom line - it's way too much money for an 8th inning guy.  And before you say, "The Yanks have plenty of money, who cares?"  Do the names Farnsworth, Marte and Karsay ring a bell? 

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