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          New York Yankees

          Spend Hal's Money: Could Darren O'Day be added to Yankees' pen?

          • Andrew Marchand, ESPN Senior WriterNov 25, 2015, 10:00 AM ET
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              Andrew Marchand is a senior writer for ESPNNewYork. He also regularly contributes to SportsCenter, Baseball Tonight, ESPNews, ESPN New York 98.7 FM and ESPN Radio. He joined ESPN in 2007 after nine years at the New York Post. Follow Andrew on Twitter »
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          The New York Yankees might need to improve, but they don’t have many holes. Unless they make a major trade that shakes up their roster, their only obvious opening is at second base. That said, they could be on the starting and relief pitching market and might even surprise some by spending Mark Teixeira's money a year before his $180 million contract comes off the books.

          So, as Wallace Matthews and I do every year in our helpful way, we are advising Hal Steinbrenner and the Yankees’ front office with our feature: “Spend Hal’s Money."

          Today’s candidate: Darren O'Day

          Position: Pitcher

          Throws: R

          2015 numbers: 6-2, 1.52 ERA, 68 games, 65 1/3 innings, $4.25 million

          Opening Day age: 33

          Pros: O'Day is very good, which is why he appears to be very popular this winter. Lefties hit .192 against him, while righties were at a better, but still meager, .210. O'Day is a guy that Joe Girardi would love to bring in on a consistent basis. As the Yankees are presently constituted, O'Day would be a perfect seventh-inning guy to lead into Dellin Betances and Andrew Miller.

          Cons: O'Day is going to cost a lot. He might get something near Miller's four-year, $36 million deal. The Yankees likely would not sign another reliever for that type of money. O'Day is 33, and relievers can be a inconsistent, but most seem to think he has a lot of good days ahead.

          The verdict: There was a time when money wasn't a matter with the Yankees. That time is not now. Since that is the case, it is probably unlikely O'Day will end up in the Bronx. He would be a great fit, even if the Yankees hold on to Miller. O'Day, Justin Wilson, Betances and Miller would be a pretty fearsome foursome at the end of games. So this has a chance of happening, as it makes a lot of baseball sense, but O'Day might be too expensive in the current Yankee environment.