Monday Yankee Links

A few links of interest to Yankee fans:

From John Sickels' website, the updated list of the Yankees' top twenty prospects does a great job illustrating what effects this winter's trading have had on the organization's depth. For comparison, you can check out the original list, which happened before the Sheffield and Johnson trades. Speaking of the Johnson trade, Sickels also posted his player comments for the three prospects the Yankees picked up in that deal.

Bob Nightengale in USA Today has a good bit on Cashman's strategy for the organization--it's the last point on his list, toward the bottom of the column (Hat Tip to Bronx Banter). My BP colleague, Dayn Perry, isn't as impressed with Cashman, ranking him 11th among the 30 current major league GMs. Pete Abraham, who also writes the invaluable LoHud Yankees Blog (yeah, it's past time to update that blogrol...), writes in the Journal News that Cashman's a happier fellow now that he has full power over--and full accountability for--the Yankees' organization (hat tip to Baseball Primer).

New York Post beat writer Michael Morrissey has a book coming out on the pressures of being a Yankee in 2006, and Steve Lombardi, over at Was Watching has an interview with Morrissey about the book.

And, for anyone reading who's a subscriber to MLB Extra Innings--the out-of-market game service--raise your hand. Now lower your hand if you're not a DirecTV subscriber, because MLB has followed the NFL's lead, and is on the verge of signing an exclusive contract for out-of-market games and a 24 hour baseball channel with the satellite service provider. If you're a New Yorker without a view of the southern sky, or if your building won't allow you to set up a satellite dish, well, you're SOL. More on this later in the week.

Finally (and belatedly) our condolences go out to Bronx Banter's Alex Belth, whose father passed away last week.