If the Yanks sign Hunter to a 1 year deal, trade granderson…sign Pagan to a 2 year deal…let Swisher go…let Ibanez go…re-sign Ichiro to a 1 year deal

their OF would be

DH/LF – Gardner/Hunter
CF – Pagan
RF – Ichiro

All 4 would be able to play all 3 OF positions…combined all 4 would make less than A-Rod or Tex or CC

that would dramatically change the way they do business w/o sacrificing payroll flexibility in the slightest

Plus they probably would get a decent prospect for Granderson, esp if they traded him to a place where he can produce well…

ATL could be a fit if they dont resign Bourn
SF could be a fit they dont resign Pagan
PHI also could be a fit
Texas also could be a fit

and Granderson would essentially be a 1 year rental

if any of the 3 teams falls out of the race and Granderson is producing, they could re-trade him by July

The $13.3 million figure is arbitrary and wouldn’t it seem that players who feel they will be either worth more and/or can get guaranteed multi-year deals would opt out – while others who would jump at the chance to get something close to that amount would then find the team opting out instead?

Will be interesting to see how many agree to that one year deal.