Questions to which we already know the answers

1. If the Yankees shell about $70 million to sign, say, Joe Nathan or Fernando Rodney to replace Mo, is there any doubt that their former teams would simply go onto their rosters and find new closers who are better and far, far cheaper?

2. If we're lucky, our starting infield could be Tex (33 years old), Cano (31), Jeter (39) and Arod (38). How many games could we possibly expect to see them playing at the same time?

3. Brett Gardner is now 30. Can we seriously expect him to hold together an outfield comprised of Vernon Wells, Ichiro and Alfonso Soriano?

4. If we packaged the very best prospects in our meager farm system, put them all together, closed our eyes and traded them for some star on the outs with his current team, would that player matter? That is, could he propel us to challenge for the AL East... or would we be - like everybody else in baseball - chasing the one-game Wild Card?

5. Will we ever again rebuild from within? Other teams do it. Why can't we?