Davidoff: How to fix the not-so-broken Yankees

The Yankees are better positioned for the future than they were a year ago at this time.

Silly rabbits, postseason results don't indicate anything for next year or beyond. They just mean the Yankees got hot last October - Damaso Marte, anyone? - and didn't this October. They have a young core and a praised farm system.

So the Yankees don't need a brain surgeon or rocket scientist to propel them forward for 2011 and beyond. They can get by even with a fake doctor like myself. So here is Dr. Davidoff's prescription to "fix" the hardly broken Yankees:

1Re-sign Joe Girardi. That will happen in the next few days. Girardi is a very good manager, but Brian Cashman must remind his manager to find his smile, as Billy Crystal's character's wife told him in "City Slickers."

2 Re-sign Derek Jeter. Three years and $60 million. A raise in annual average value, but not from what he made in actual dollars the past five years, and a manageable years count. He must be on board with the notion that a shift down the lineup could be coming.

3 Re-sign Mariano Rivera. Two years and $34 million. As easy as they get.

4 Re-sign Andy Pettitte. He sounds as if he wants to come back. Given his injury problems of this past season, how about lowering the base a touch to, say, $8 million and allowing him to make a few more million bucks through incentives? No? OK, then just give up the $11.75 million he earned in 2010.

5 Sign Cliff Lee. The reasonable alternative is trading for Zack Greinke, but there's no assurance that Greinke would be willing to come to New York. No, the safer bet is Lee, because there are no concerns about whether he can handle being a Yankee and because he would cost only money.

Because Lee already is 32 years old, the Yankees should see if he's open to a five-year deal, as opposed to six. How about five years and $140 million? That essentially would match the $28,000,022 rate at which the Yankees paid Roger Clemens in 2007 - The Rocket made about two-thirds of that - while limiting the damage in years.

6 Trade Joba Chamberlain. Kerry Wood probably will find work elsewhere as a closer, so the Yankees could use Chamberlain's help in setting up Rivera. But Chamberlain continues to set off alarms with his inconsistent performances.

This is a matter of the Yankees giving up on Chamberlain. Sometimes, though, that's what you have to do. Better to sell relatively high. The Yankees could get a decent piece or two back for Chamberlain. The setup corps will feature David Robertson, Boone Logan, Dustin Moseley, any cheap free agents who surface and whatever other young pitchers are ready.

7 Sign Jason Giambi. That's right. The Yankees intend to share their DH role more among Jorge Posada, Jeter, Alex Rodriguez and possibly rookie Jesus Montero. They have room for one more body, and it makes sense to sign a lefty hitter.

Giambi, who turns 40 in January, won't care about money or playing time. He won't even care if the Yankees release him. And he would love to return. It's worth a shot.

Follow these steps, and the Yankees will return to their rightful place as world champions.

Well, unless they have a bad week again.