He also threw another name in the hat, Phillies left-hander Cliff Lee.
A source with knowledge of the Yankees' thinking said the Bombers already have their sights set on signing either Halladay or Cliff Lee if both become free agents after next season. Yankees executives, however, fear that Lee might sign a long-term deal with the Phillies before becoming a free agent, leaving Halladay as the lone target for teams looking for an ace.And also had this to say about the Yankees view of free agent John Lackey:
Even though the free-agent market is thin when it comes to starting pitching this winter, some Yankees officials are intrigued by the idea of signing Angels starter John Lackey.I don't mind the idea of signing John Lackey, even if it's too a relatively large contract. He'll give the Yankees a fantastic front four of their starting rotation going into next year, and make them clear favorites to repeat. But if Cashman wants to play this the same way he did with Johan Santana and CC Sabathia and hold off on any major pitching moves this offseason so that he can sign Lee or Halladay, then I'm all for it. It's probably the smarter move anyway.
Others are wary of signing Lackey to a big contract, according to one Yankees executive, citing the righthander's injury issues over the past two seasons. There is also the Angels' apparent willingness to let him walk, which some see as a sign that they know something about the health of his arm that others don't.
