The New York Yankees have already committed $243.5 million to C.C. Sabathia and A.J. Burnett this offseason. That is roughly the gross domestic product (the market value of all final goods and services from a nation in a given year) of Tonga, a small nation in the South Pacific. This raises a couple of questions:

• Will entire Yankees rotation switch to initials in 2009? (C.C., A.J., etc)
• Could NY’s off season spend reach a half a billion dollars when it’s all said and done? (the recent bid for Mark Teixeira’s services was $160 million.)
• Are the Bombers immune to the recession?
• Haven’t we seen this before from the pinstripes?
• What happened to the Yankees farm system?
• Who is the favorite to win it all in 2009?
• If the Yanks miss the playoffs for a second consecutive season 2009, what will the fall out be then?

While the Evil Empire reaches into their deep pockets to fill out their roster, the Red Sox quietly move about their business this off season. The focus has been on the “retro roadies“, ticket sales, Christmas at Fenway, and solidifying their international marketing initiative. The Red Sox seem like they are more concerned with figuring out ways to continue to make money in this challenging economy, rather than spend it.

Of course that all could change if/when a Red Sox press conference is scheduled to announce the signing of one Mark Teixeira to one of the most lucrative contracts in baseball history.

Go figure.

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