"But the Yankees grab the headlines every time." – Billy Joel, "Zanzibar," 1977

Thirty-one years later, the New York Yankees are still grabbing the headlines. In two bold moves last week, General Manager Brian Cashman scooped up the biggest free-agent pitchers on the market and left the rest of the baseball world scrambling for whatever talent was still available.

The Yankees locked up some $243 million dollars on a pair of pitchers last week. That's more than the value of most major league franchises. They did it because they could, because they're moving across the street from the "House That Ruth Built' into the "Palace That George Built." They did it because it's tough to sell $2,500 seats when you finished third in the division last season.

Now, the Yankees have to be considered the favorites once again. How's this for a rotation?

1. CC Sabathia

2. A.J. Burnett

3. Chien-Ming Wang

4. Joba Chamberlain

5. Phil Hughes

Not bad. If the Yankees don't want to go with that much youth at the end of the rotation, they can move Chamberlain back to the bullpen and bring Andy Pettitte back for one more year as a fifth starter. That would give them an even better bullpen, and they'll always have the option of moving Chamberlain back into the starter's role in the future.

Red Sox fans don't want to hear it, but a retooled Yankees team is good for baseball here in New England. You can have your don't call us the Devil Rays. Come summertime, it's all about "the rivalry." And you'd better believe it's back in full swing.

Let's face it, the sparring between the Red Sox and Yankees has lost its luster in recent years. In fact, the New York Mets-Philadelphia Phillies rivalry has become much more intense. Last week, World Series MVP Cole Hamels went on the radio and called the Mets "choke artists." When Philly teammates wanted Shane Victorino to tone down his home run celebrations, they put a picture of the Mets' Jose Reyes showing off after a homer.

There was simply no way the next generation of Steinbrenners would let the Mets have a better rivalry than the Yanks. Now, the Boston-Yankees feud can take center stage once again.

Especially if the Sox can land Mark Teixeira.

The Yankees probably won't be courting Teixeira; even their payroll has to have a limit. But New York is probably not done yet.

There are rumors they may swoop in and grab Manny Ramirez, who says he's considering retirement because he's not feeling the love as a free agent.

Now that would make for a good rivalry. Wouldn't you love to see a pinstriped Manny disappear into the Green Monster next summer?

Pitchers and catchers don't report for another two months, but with the Yankees handing out early Christmas gifts it's hard not to look forward to Memorial Day weekend, when New York visits Boston for the first time in 2009.

Tom Caron is the studio host for Red Sox broadcasts on the New England Sports Network. His column appears in the Press Herald on Tuesdays.