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Q.  Link me up?

A.  Joel Sherman of the New York Post.  He represents it as "an exclusive" that late Thursday night, the Yankees were "on the brink," the Post had learned.

The purity and innocence of the M's fan's love for the game could go from zero to hero in 24 hours...

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Q.  What's that part about moving quickly?

A.  Sherman indicates that Zduriencik suddenly put the pedal to the metal and wanted a deal wrapped up instanter. 

SSI assures you that this has zero to do with the fact that their credibility is twisting in the wind ... after Cliff Lee's casual bombshell that the Mariners never wanted any part of Lee, in any way, shape or form.

No, actually, thanks to Cliff Lee for hitting the 4x FF button on the video in this saga.  He's been nothing but a pleasure from the word Go.  SSI is insanely jealous that somebody else will get to watch him perform.

...............

Would be funny if Cashman moved fast enough to get Lee, um, yanked from the Friday night start against them.  Now that's gamesmanship the Big Apple would celebrate...

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Q.  Jesus Montero ... plus?

A.  According to Sherman, "a package that would include" Montero.

We don't buy into every hotshot -- we were just about to sit down and write an article on Texas 1B Chris Davis, sticking him on a skewer and roasting him over Styx, as we kinda did to Aaron Hicks -- but slap me silly, does SSI buy long on Jesus Montero.

Here is the link to our 3-part POTD on Montero.  As readers quickly confirmed for Dr. D, it's not like we had to sell Montero to the savvy Seattle cyber-crowd.

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Q.  How does he compare to the other guys being talked about - BJ Upton, Smoak, those guys?

A.  Smoak and Montero would be the dream packages, and SSI would take one Jesus Montero before he'd take 50 Justin Smoaks.   Smoak has a great shot to be an impact player, if his power develops -- which I don't know if it will.

Jesus Montero has about the best shot of a HOF-type career that you could ask for of a player his age.  He's only a tick off a Joe Mauer, Jason Heyward-type prospectus, if he's even a tick off it.

...............

Even on the big-league level, I'd be just about as happy as if the M's moved for Adrian Gonzalez or Joey Votto, 'cause Montero looks that good and you are talking sixxxxxxxxxxxxx years.  Take Montero over Prince Fielder like I'd take Ichiro over Luis Polonia.

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Q.  The Yankees would give him up?

A.  Sherman points out that the Yankees signalled the willingness to do so for Roy Halladay.  They've got Teixeira at 1B, of course.  They've got two nice prospects behind Posada even aside from Montero, one of whom is up on their team, another (Romine) waiting in the wings.

Their loss, our gain.  Jesus Montero is the dream scenario, bar none. 

You'll notice that the Yankees have calmly been assuring everybody, all along, that if and when they decided that they wanted Lee, they could get him at will.  They've talked about, quote, "a package around our young catching."

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Q.  Could Capt Jack get bids even higher than this?

A.  Here's where it would be amateurish to go shop a Montero offer back to other teams.  The auction is over when the Yankees say Montero.

The Yankees are well aware that Montero bowls over Justin Smoak, bowls over everybody.  Zduriencik wouldn't, IMHO, go back and take bids.  He'd just wrap it up with NYY.  And should.

It's not about squeezing another dime out of A+B+C.  It's about getting the best ML-ready difference-maker you can, and it's about treating your business partners with respect.  You don't chisel after another team truly calls your bluff.

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Q.  Coefficient of confidence on Joel Sherman?

A.  The way he worded it, it sounded real good to us.  ... but (1) this IS the Post :- )  and (2) you never know when haggling will break down.  Oh, CF = .... 0.60, it says here.

But again, Montero's in the deal or he isn't, and if he is?  Then it's minimal competence on Capt Jack's part to wrap it up.

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We can hope,

Dr D