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Editor's Note: The Yankees are becoming active in building their 2007 roster, and hundreds of YESNetwork.com users e-mailed their questions on the topic to Michael Kay this week. He answered the Top 12 below. If you'd like to send a question for a future Q&A with Michael or any of the other YES Network broadcasters, click here.

What is going on with the "mighty" Yankees this offseason? They are letting every free agent sign with other ball clubs as Brian Cashman sits with his hands in his pockets. Call me a spoiled Yankee fan, but this is a little unorthodox. By the time the Yankees and Cashman want to go out and make an impact they are going to wind up with the likes of another Carl Pavano. I mean, I didn't go to general manager school and all, but, the Yankees obviously need pitching, and both Barry Zito and Jason Schmidt are available. Let's do it the old Yankee way and pay to get at least one of them. If we don't we know Boston or another contender will. We are going to end up with bottom-of-the-barrel pitching! This is unacceptable, especially for a paying, loyal, Yankee fan.

By the way, Jim Kaat will be greatly missed on Yankee games for the upcoming season.

Gabe Deleon — Albany, N.Y.

Well, since you have given me permission to do so, I will: you are a spoiled Yankee fan. What player have they let go that you think will take them to the next level? The pitchers you speak of are still on the market, and one of them, Schmidt, has told all the East Coast teams he has no intention of playing so far from his home on the West Coast. As for Zito, he is grossly overpriced for a guy who is a No. 2 starter at best.

I am amazed at how the Yankees can never win. If they go on the market and spend money, they get roasted by fans and media alike. If they are prudent with their financial decisions, then people complain that they are sitting on their hands.

With all the noise the Red Sox have made with the posting bid for Matsuzaka, even if they sign him do you really believe they are better than the Yankees? I don't think there is any team in the baseball that is better than the Yankees, even if the Yankees do not make one single move, which will not be the case. They were the best team in baseball this past season and got knocked off by a team in the playoffs that was not nearly as good. It happens. But to go out and spend wildly in an obscenely overpriced market would stupid.

As for Jim being missed, you are absolutely right. He was the best in the business and still had many great years in front of him if he decided to stay on.

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What were the Yankees thinking spending $26 million on Kei Igawa? The guy is no better than a No. 5 starter by all the scouts' accounts, and they already have a viable No. 5 option in Jeff Karstens, and Darrell Rasner.

Peter Guzman — New York

I thought the bid was too high, but the Yankees are figuring they could sign Igawa for five years at $25 million, which would make the total outlay average out to $10 million a season with half of it not taxable as the bid. They figure they would have to pay Ted Lilly or Gil Meche the same and probably think that Igawa is better, and know he's younger than those two. As for Karstens and Rasner, they obviously feel Igawa is better than either. I don't know because I have never seen Igawa pitch.

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Michael,
I understand the Yanks thinking in posting for Igawa ($26 million, NOT under the luxury tax), and if they do sign him his cost will probably be less than Ted Lilly in total dollars including the luxury tax, but aren't the Yanks taking a great leap of faith in someone with NO track record in the bigs, ESPECIALLY the American league? (Granted, better on a lefty than a righty in Yankee Stadium.)

Philip Trechak — East Brunswick, N.J.

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Dear Michael,
It won't be long before you'll have to start calling games on YES in Japanese!  If the news if correct and the Yankees won the rights to Kei Igawa, then we have secured a young lefty with promise. What will he do for the Yankees' rotation when and if "The Big Unit" returns healthy enough to start every fifth day and IF Carl Pavano lasts more than two weeks before the next bump in his road?  Igawa has very good numbers, especially with his strikeouts to innings pitched, but my favorite number is his age: 27.

Mark Colone — Belmont, N.C.

Dear Mark,
If you assume Wang and Mussina are set, if Johnson is healthy and Pavano is healthy, then Igawa slides into the fifth spot in the rotation. I think the best thing about this is he is left handed and young and might be able to give them 200 innings and about 12 wins. And if I have to call the games in Japanese, I am in trouble considering I have enough problems in English.

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Hi, Michael,
With the Red Sox going after Japanese pitcher Matsuzaka and the Yankees going for Igawa, which team do you think will get a better fit for their club and fans, and why?

Wayne Simpson — Brick Township, N.J.

Hi Wayne,
Just from scouting reports and people I talk to, Matsuzaka is a better pitcher than Igawa and the Red Sox desperately need to better their team after not making the playoffs last year. But also, consider their posting fees are considered outrageous by baseball executives, so they'd better have gotten the superior performer. And one other thing, Wayne: I feel weird giving strong statements on guys I really have no clue on. Anyone who pontificates on these guys and have never seen them more than limited clips on TV is being somewhat ridiculous. I just don't know and I don't want to try and fake anybody out with any definitive statements.

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Michael,
Hope you're enjoying the offseason so far. I know a lot of Yankee fans are panicking that Brian Cashman has been quiet with the moves the Yankees have made other than trading Wright and Sheffield and the Red Sox seem to have a ton of moves in place. Do you feel if he pitches next year Andy Pettitte is the best option to finish off and upgrade the rotation? I feel this would then make them the favorites to add Roger Clemens in June if Pavano or the team as a whole struggles or someone gets hurt and they may have a stud in waiting comparable to a Papelbon or Verlander in Phil Hughes that would provide them the power pitcher they need for the stretch drive. What are your thoughts?

Brendan — Detroit

Brendan,
The Red Sox had to make more moves because they did not make the playoffs. They have a lot of ground to make up. As I said earlier, I think the Yankees are the best team in baseball even if they don't make another move. As for Pettitte, it would be great if he returns but I don't think that would make the Yankees the favorite to get Clemens. The Yankees will never allow him to regularly leave the team when he is not pitching and I really think if he does not re-sign with the Astros he is going to end up with the Red Sox, who have made it clear they would accomodate him in any way they can.

In regard to Hughes, if you see him next year it will probably be in July. They Yankees will simply not rush this guy.

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Hi Michael,
I was having a conversation with my wife about the upcoming season, and she had an idea that I thought made sense. She said, "I wonder if anyone has thought about Matsui at first?" A rhetorical question that made immediate sense to me. This would allow Melky to start and roam left field where he has proven — at least to me — that he should be an everyday player. Matsui is the ultimate team player and I believe he would at least consider the move since it could help the team. What do you think?

Steve — Los Angeles

Hi Steve,
I think if the Sheffield experiment taught us anything it's that you can't turn anyone into a first baseman. I believe Melky will roam as a fourth outfielder spelling the three veterans, and the Yankees will either get a right-handed hitting first baseman or give Andy Phllips another shot.

Yankees fans had to realize once the team pulled the trigger on the Abreu deal that Cabrera would eventually be a young sub or valuable trade bait. Don't be surprised if he is included in a deal either during the offseason or toward the trade deadline, when teams will start to unload some of the ridiculous contracts they are committing to right now.

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Michael,
Has Andy Phillips been considered to be the starting first baseman in 2007?  Some argue that he is not a great hitter, but I personally think that if he plays every day he will improve. Plus we have so many great hitters on the team to begin with! He plays Gold Glove level defense and he deserves a chance. You don't need an all star at every position and you never know, he might turn into one! What do you think?

Shani Z. — Great Neck, N.Y.

Shani,
I think there is a chance he could get another shot but I think "Gold Glove level defense" might be going a bit too far. Is he better than Giambi? Absolutely. Gold Glove? Not really. I agree with your point that it's nice to have grinders or role type players and it's not necessary to have a big star at every spot in the lineup.

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Hi Michael,
I know that you usually only answer baseball-related questions but in the past you have recommended some great books.  With the holiday season right around the corner is there anything that you have enjoyed reading that would be good for Santa to bring me?

Thanks and Happy Holidays.

Heather Sutton — Rochester, N.Y.

Hi Heather,
Bob Woodward's "State of Denial: Bush at War Part III" is very interesting, and John Grisham's "Innocent Man" is also very good. In addition, "The Blind Side," by Michael Lewis, who wrote "Moneyball," is excellent, as is "The Echoing Green" by Josh Prager." Have a great holiday.

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Why, as a fan, should I really care about how much money the players make?  How much money the team spends on its players is only relevant in terms of ticket, hot dog and beer prices. (Don't get me wrong, those three things are near and dear to my heart.) It seems that too many people act like a player's performance is tied to his income, like that's their only motivating factor — at least I hope it isn't. Is it wrong to expect our favorite players to hustle if they make league minimum or an unimaginably huge contract? Shouldn't a player's contribution to the team and how deep into October we get to watch baseball really be the most important thing?

Chris — Springfield, Mass.

That should be the most important thing, but we as a society are fascinated by money and in a very odd way I think it has only helped the popularity of the sport because it gives fans even more things to talk about during the offseason. But fans should care about the rising salaries, because someway, somehow, it gets passed along to the fans.

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Hi Michael Kay,
Do you agree with the outcome of the Most Valuable Player award this year? I really think that with his performance and numbers this year, and especially what he did for the Yankees, Derek Jeter should have been MVP without a doubt. Possibly Mauer would have been second or considered for the award more than Morneau.  What is your opinion?

Linda Postek — Erie, Pa. 

Hi Linda Postek,
I think Derek Jeter was the league's most valuable player but I am certainly not outraged at the choice of Justin Morneau. Morneau had a tremendous season and I think that Jeter is the type of player you have to see every day to realize how incredible and valuable he really is. Twenty-six of the 28 writers who cast the votes do not see him close to that many times.

One thing I strongly disagreed with was when people said Jeter lost because of an anti-New York bias. Ridiculous. If that was the case, then how did Alex Rodríguez win last year over the immensely popular David Ortiz? If there was any bias it was that maybe some of the writers are jealous of Derek Jeter the person and the life he leads.

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Hi Michael,
I was wondering what your thoughts were on Humberto Sánchez, the minor league pitcher that we aquired from the Tigers in the Sheffield trade. I believe that he's in his mid-20s and he's supposed to be really good. Do you think that the Yankees will try him out for the starting rotation in spring training? He, along with Wang, Igawa, and possibly Hughes could help form a good young rotation to last many years.

James Kaften — Chappaqua, N.Y.

Hi James,
I just know what I've heard; that he throws very hard. Everything I've heard is that he probably projects as a reliever and not a starter.