I realize that people have been scratching their heads over the Yankees' $26 million bid for the rights to Kei Igawa, but the move makes total sense to me.

Who knows how good Igawa will be? I doubt the Yankees are expecting more than for him to be a No. 4 or 5 starter. He is no Matsuzaka, this much we know.

The Yankees bid $32 million for Matsuzaka, fully believing that their bid would be competitive. The Red Sox crushed it with a $51.1 million bid of their own. This time, the Yankees weren't going to be outbid for another guy they wanted.

But at $26 million, plus the $15-20 million he is expected to sign for, the Yankees will pay out about $45 million for him over four years. Had they decided to give Ted Lilly or Gil Meche the same money (they, too, would have been No. 4 or 5 starters), the Yankees would have been subjected to an additional $16 million in luxury tax. With Igawa, they are only on the hook for whatever his contract is in terms of luxury tax, so the cost is much less.

Would you feel any better with Lilly or Meche? Maybe. But who knows, maybe this kid turns out to be pretty good. Gaku Tashiro, my colleague from Sankei Sports newspaper in Japan, compared Igawa to a "skinny David Wells," a comparison I found quite amusing.

I think the Yankees will probably get one more starter this winter, though they don't really need to. They're confident that Scott Proctor could start if necessary, and with Jeff Karstens, Darrell Rasner, Phil Hughes, Humberto Sanchez and Tyler Clippard at Triple-A, they can always hold the fort if Randy Johnson's back or Carl Pavano's entire body aren't ready by Opening Day.

Give Igawa a chance. He could be the next Hideki Matsui, or he could be the next Hideki Irabu. Only time will tell.

The Hall of Fame ballot was released this week, sparking the immediate controversy around Mark McGwire's candidacy.

Here's what we know: Cal Ripken and Tony Gwynn will get into the Hall this year without a problem. McGwire and his 583 home runs will probably not.

The question is, why not?

McGwire was a 12-time All-Star, the 1987 AL Rookie of the Year, a Gold Glove winner in 1990 and his 70-homer season in 1998 helped bring baseball back after the 1994 strike. Whether he used performance-enhancing drugs or not -- and I think he probably did -- shouldn't impact his inclusion in the Hall of Fame.

That's right. Read it again. It should have nothing to do with this subject.

During McGwire's career, there were no rules against using any of these drugs. To think that he was the only one to do so would be ignorant. So there are two choices: disregard the entire era, or just accept that players were using drugs and judge them against their peers.

I would choose to do the latter.

McGwire made a fool of himself in front of Congress last year, but it shouldn't cost him his shot at the Hall. For the 16 years he played, he was the game's greatest slugger. He was part of World Series championship teams, part of the sport's rebirth. To me, Ripken's streak and the McGwire-Sosa home run race were responsible for making baseball popular again.

Rafael Palmeiro tested positive for steroids at a time that the drugs were illegal in the game. McGwire never tested positive, because there was no testing. Innocent until proven guilty, right?

I'm not naive enough to think he wasn't doing some bad things. Would McGwire have hit as many homers if there had been testing during his career? Who knows? He hit 49 homers as a rookie, and nobody seems to believe there was much of a drug problem in 1987. Who's to say he wouldn't have hit 500 homers in an era of testing? You don't know. That's the point.

I don't have a Hall of Fame vote, but if I did, here's what my ballot would look like this year: Ripken, Gwynn, McGwire, Rich Gossage, Bert Blyleven, Jack Morris, Jim Rice

My prediction: Ripken and Gwynn are elected on their first ballot, while Gossage finally gets his due and joins Dennis Eckersley, Rollie Fingers and Bruce Sutter in Cooperstown.

I just wanted to wish everybody out there a happy thanksgiving.

Enjoy your families, enjoy the turkey and all the trimmings (or whatever you serve at your house), and have fun rooting against the Cowboys. There's nothing better!

The hot topic of the day was Derek Jeter's second-place finish behind Justin Morneau in the American League MVP race.

As an MLB.com writer, I don't get to vote for postseason awards. That job goes to the BBWAA members, each of whom write for newspapers. That said, here would have been my ballot:

1) Derek Jeter
2) Justin Morneau
3) David Ortiz
4) Johan Santana
5) Frank Thomas
6) Jermaine Dye
7) Justin Verlander
8) Joe Mauer
9) Travis Hafner
10) Johnny Damon

I thought Jeter's season was spectacular, especially when you consider that the Yankees were without Gary Sheffield and Hideki Matsui for four months, Robinson Cano missed six weeks, while Alex Rodriguez and Jason Giambi endured some horrific slumps.

Jeter's .381 average with runners in scoring position was the stat that jumped out at me. Every year, people talk about the "intangibles" that Jeter brings to the table, making comments like, "You have to see him on a daily basis to appreciate him."

Not this year. This year, Jeter's numbers on the field spoke for themselves. He should have won. For those who believe that Jeter's handling of the A-Rod situation played a part in the vote, I have to disagree. I give the voters more credit than that.

(Well, 27 of the 28, anyway. Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times, who voted Jeter sixth, voted like a man who just didn't pay attention. After listening to his interview on WFAN Tuesday, clearly he didn't, as he listed Jeter behind Morneau, Dye, Santana, Thomas and Ortiz. If you haven't heard it, you can listen to it here. Fortunately for Cowley, his vote didn't cause the final result, so he escaped being involved in a potentially huge controversy.)

However, that's not to say that Morneau was undeserving. He had a phenomenal season and helped the Twins overcome incredible odds to win the AL Central. But with Santana and Mauer on his team, it's hard for me to think he was the most valuable player in the league when one could argue he wasn't the most valuable on his own team.

Jeter might not have an MVP award to go with the rest of his impressive resume, but I'm sure he's not worried. He's got four titles and will eventually be enshrined in the Hall of Fame. I'm sure he'll survive this.

For the past eight months or so, you have all heard my ranting and raving on this blog. Monday and Tuesday, you'll have a chance to hear me on MLB Radio and see me on BaseballChannel.TV.

I will be co-hosting the Hot Stove Show with Seth Everett on Monday from 4-6 p.m. ET, then again on Tuesday from 3-5 p.m. ET.

With the Alfonso Soriano news, the usual hot-stove rumor mill and several other stories to follow, we'll have a lot to talk about.

You can click here to tune in. Feel free to call into the show or to send e-mails and/or IMs while we're on the air. And, of course, I'm sure you will all keep a running comments section on my performance. Be kind, though ... I'm still relatively new at this!

The Yankees were expected to make a serious bid for the rights to Daisuke Matsuzaka, the pitcher from Japan who is generally regarded as the best hurler in this year's market.

And that's exactly what Brian Cashman did.

Just because the Red Sox won the rights with an outrageous bid of $51.1 million doesn't mean that the Yankees didn't make a legitimate run at this guy. The Yankees bid about $32 million, which was more than most people thought it would take for a team to win the sweepstakes.

Boston apparently felt that this was a guy they simply had to have, so they blew everybody out of the water. Now, it will cost them between $90-100 million over the next four years, averaging out to more than $20 million a year for Matsuzaka.

The question is, will it be worth it?

This guy may wind up being the next great pitcher in baseball, but to gamble that kind of scratch on someone who hasn't thrown a single pitch in the Majors is an enormous risk. Cashman is trying to cut some payroll and develop the farm system, so committing almost $100 million to Matsuzaka wasn't in his plans. He would have spent about $75 million had the Yankees' bid been the top one, but that's a considerable difference.

With Chien-Ming Wang, Randy Johnson, Mike Mussina and Carl Pavano lined up for next year, the Yankees will likely sign one or two more guys this winter. I don't think it will be either of the big names, Barry Zito or Jason Schmidt, but instead someone along the lines of Gil Meche, Ted Lilly or Jeff Suppan.

That's because Phil Hughes is on his way within the next year, and guys like Darrell Rasner, Jeff Karstens, Humberto Sanchez or Tyler Clippard could be options at some point, too. Why give Zito five years and $75 million when you have talent in your system that you believe will get the job done in the near future?

I don't blame the Yankees for anything they did with regards to Matsuzaka. They had every reason to believe that a bid of $32 million would put them in the hunt, but the Red Sox blew them out of the water. Think about it -- if the Yanks had bid $50 million, they still wouldn't have gotten him.

Who knows, he may be the next Hideki Irabu. Let's see him throw an inning in the Majors before we hand him the Cy Young.

The Gary Sheffield era came to an end on Friday in New York, as the Yankees shipped him off to Detroit for three pitching prospects.

Good riddance.

Don't get me wrong ... I thoroughly enjoyed covering Sheff for the past three years, but it was clear that this was turning into an ugly situation between Sheffield and the Yankees. When he popped off to some reporters on Wednesday, he already knew he was on his way to Motown, which makes his motives a little suspect.

Whatever, it's over. Good luck in Detroit, Sheff. We'll look forward to seeing you the first time the Yankees visit Lakeland in Spring Training. I'm guessing you'll have something to say.

My buddy Jonathan Mayo from our Minor League site believes that the Yankees did very well for themselves in this trade. Humberto Sanchez is supposedly the real deal, but considering the Tigers' current pitching depth at the big-league level, they could afford to deal him away.

If Sanchez -- who is from the Bronx -- turns out to be a legit Major League starter in the next couple of years, you could be looking at a 1-2-3 of Hughes-Wang-Sanchez for many years in New York. Should be interesting to watch them develop, especially since Hughes and Sanchez will be pitching in the same rotation in Scranton this spring.

As for the other two pitchers, Kevin Whelan and Anthony Claggett, they are supposed to be good, hard-throwing relievers who could make a big impact in the next few years. As Brian Cashman said on Friday, prospects can also be considered suspect, but you never know.

The Yankees did well for themselves. Considering that they could have just let Sheffield walk instead of picking up his option and dealing him, they added three young arms to their system. Nice job.

I have a feeling they may try the same thing with Jaret Wright. Instead of buying out the final year of his deal, why not try to trade him somewhere, picking up $4 million of his $7 million salary? A team would certainly take Wright at $3 million, and the Yanks have to pay $4 million either way. Would be a smart move if they don't plan on keeping him.

Some other interesting developments from Torre's Safe at Home Foundation dinner on Friday at Chelsea Piers:

* Andy Pettitte hasn't decided whether to pitch in 2007 or retire, though he said that if he had to make a decision today, he would probably retire. If he pitches, I think he'll be back in Houston.

* Bernie Williams also hasn't decided what to do in 2007, though I think his decision will be largely based on whether the Yankees want him back. If they do, he'll come back. If they don't, I think he'll hang up his spikes and concentrate on his music career.

* I'm not sure I buy this report about the Red Sox and Matsuzaka. First, all it said was that Boston "may" have placed the highest bid. Well, duh. So "may" have the Yankees, Mets, Rangers, Nationals or Toledo Mud Hens. This basically said nothing substantial, so I'm going to wait until MLB announces the winning bidder before I believe anything. There's just too much at stake for the parties involved to believe this info will be leaked like everything else usually is.

Many of you good folks who read this blog loyally have also been readers of Sam Borden's Daily News blog, which has provided another view on the Yankees and the circus that surrounds the ballclub 365 days a year.

Unfortunately, you won't have the chance to hear Sam's take on the Bombers any longer, as he has taken a job with the Florida Times-Union in Jacksonville as a general sports columnist.

Sam has been one of my closest friends in the industry over the past couple of years, and is now one of my closest friends, period. Traveling around the country can be difficult, especially when you have a family back at home, but it has been a little easier with my good buddy around to dine with, fly with, and share the frustrations of this crazy job. We'd even go out for the occasional beverage (such as in this photo, which shows, Sam, myself and Ian Browne enjoying ourselves at the Stuff Magazine party at the 2004 All-Star Game).

As competitive as this beat is (and trust me, it's probably the most competitive beat in all of sports), it was always nice to know that at the end of the day, I had a couple of people I could go to dinner with and leave the stress of the day behind us. Sam was one of those people, and he will be missed.

That said, I can't wait to see what insights he has on the Jaguars' QB controversy, the University of Florida's BCS future and the 2007 NASCAR season. Whether you care about Florida sports or not, I'd suggest checking his columns out once he starts his new gig in December. I'm sure they'll be entertaining, regardless of the topic.

I'm guessing that, at some point, we'll see Sam back in New York, though who knows when that will be. Best of luck, buddy. You'll do great.

As a baseball writer, I have to watch games with an objective eye, putting any potential rooting interest aside. As a Redskins fan, I watch their games with the passion of a die-hard fan.

That's why what I witnessed at Fed Ex Field on Sunday ranks as perhaps the most exciting thing I have ever seen in a Redskins game.

The fact that I was there in person made it that much better.

No, it wasn't a Super Bowl win. Those days aren't necessarily about a single moment (unless you're a Pats or Giants fan), but rather a memorable day that will stay with you forever. Super Bowl XXVI was one of the most fun days of my life, watching Mark Rypien and Co. torch the Bills for the team's third Super Bowl title.

But the final 31 seconds of Sunday's game against the Cowboys -- the hated Cowboys -- were as exciting, as much of a roller coaster, as you could ever see.

For those who missed it, here's what happened:

With 31 seconds left in the game and the score tied at 19, Redskins kicker Nick Novak misses a 49-yard field goal attempt wide right. Four plays later, Tony Romo moves the Cowboys from their own 39 yard line to the Redskins' 17, setting up a 35-yard attempt for Mike Vanderjagt with six seconds left in regulation.

Game over, right?

Not quite. Troy Vincent, who the Redskins signed about a week ago to help their banged-up secondary, blocks the kick, giving Washington hope. Sean Taylor, who is one of the most talented players in the league -- but usually commits some bone-headed penalty to cost his team at a crucial time -- picks up the ball and runs around the field before winding up at the Dallas 45.

End of regulation. Headed to OT, right?

Not quite. Dallas gets called for a face mask penalty on Taylor's run, and since the game can't end on a defensive penalty, the Redskins get one more play from the Dallas 30, despite the fact that the clock read 0:00.

Novak redeems himself with a 47-yard field goal, a kick that started out wide right and hooked back inside the upright. Skins win. Fans go crazy.

Sitting in my section, the reaction was a combination of disbelief, elation and madness. Two minutes earlier, it looked like a sure thing that the Cowboys would win, drop the Skins to 2-6 and get the Jason Campbell Era underway next week in Philly.

Instead, Washington is 3-5. That's still not a good record, but a quick glance at the NFC standings shows that the Redskins are just one game behind the team in the No. 6 spot in the conference. There are eight games left. A lot can happen.

This is one of the great things about football. A win like this -- a regular-season win halfway through the year -- can truly change a team's season. Can you imagine a baseball team winning a game at the end of June and carrying that momentum for the next three months? No.

But in the NFL, that's exactly what can happen. Of course, the Redskins have to follow that up with a win over the Eagles next week. Regardless of what happens, I will always remember the final 31 seconds of Sunday's game as 31 of the most exciting seconds of football I have ever seen.

The bidding for Daisuke Matsuzaka has officially started, as big-league teams have until Wednesday to turn in their sealed bids to Major League Baseball. My gut feeling is that the Yankees will win the bidding, as the opportunity to acquire a 26-year-old potential ace with nasty stuff doesn't come along every day.

I haven't seen much of Matsuzaka other than in the World Baseball Classic, but people I have spoken with believe he will have no trouble adjusting to the Majors. I think this is a great move for the Yankees, who can match him up with Chien-Ming Wang and eventually Philip Hughes to form a very impressive young trio.

The Gary Sheffield saga will move forward this weekend as well, since his option must be picked up by Sunday. It will be, and then he'll be traded at some point ... though I think the Yankees would be better served to wait it out. Teams in need of a slugger are going to make a big run for Alfonso Soriano and Carlos Lee, and the teams that don't land those two will likely be willing to pay more for Sheffield, especially for one year at $13 mil.

Should make for an interesting winter.