Merry Christmas Yankee Fans, While The Nation Turns Its Lonely Eyes To Tex

YES, they spent an incredible amount of money, but the Yankees are now better, younger and more athletic, and next year's free-agent crop is very weak — so Cash(man) made hay while the sun shone, and more power to him. Teixeira will plug a a big hole at first base and fill the three or four spot for years to come. At the same time he prevents a game of musical chairs in the outfield and at DH that would have weakened the defense.

Meanwhile, have you noticed that the Boston Globe (owned by the New York Times) gives more coverage to Yankee rumors and signings than the home town Times? Not only that, but the coverage is usually either schadenfreude central or full of an inferiority complex that you would think two World Series titles in four years might have knocked off their shoulders.

But noooo:

After a stunning turn yesterday, Red Sox fans are waking up this day before Christmas with a new hardball villain. Mark Charles Teixeira is a New York Yankee after agreeing yesterday to a contract that will pay him roughly $180 million over eight years, in the process jilting the Red Sox and reminding them that the Yankees still hold an unconquerable edge over them.

An "unconquerable edge"? As Globe columnist Tony Massarotti wrote:

Please, no whining, crying, kvetching or moaning. The Red Sox had their chance. They have the money. They ultimately lost Mark Teixeira to the Yankees for maybe $1 million-$2 million a year, roughly 1 percent of their 2008 payroll.

Unhappy holidays.

What a kick in the pants.

Whether or not you wanted to see Teixeira in a Red Sox uniform next year, youíre missing the point. The Red Sox wanted him and they wanted him badly.

Yankee pitchers and catchers report in 47 days. The Times hasn't had nearly enough Teixeira coverage.

One Can Only Hope
Saa-ba-TI-a, SA-ba-tia, SA-ba-tia (sung to the tune of the Hallelujah Chorus)