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There was a time when Ichiro Suzuki was one of the best five players in baseball, someone who was a delight to watch at the plate, on the bases and in the outfield. There aren't many singles hitters who force you to watch every move they make, but Ichiro was that kind of must-see player.

While Ichiro isn't a top-five type player anymore, he can still be a very effective player for the Yankees as they refine their roster and push toward the post-season. By acquiring Ichiro from the Mariners for right-handers D.J. Mitchell and Danny Farquhar, the Yankees didn't surrender any premier prospects and improved their outfield. In addition, the Yankees will only pay Ichiro $2.25 million for the rest of the season. They believe Ichiro is still worth watching and, of course,

As the Yankees played sluggishly in April and most of May, Brian Cashman waited. Baseball is a long season. Since Cashman is in his 15^th season as the general manager, he could easily recite seasons in which very good Yankee teams sputtered or performed unevenly. That happens.

Even as the starting rotation fizzled and even as the Yankees failed to produce with runners in scoring position, Cashman was patient. He was confident in these Yankees, a message he emphasized during a team meeting on May 22. Cashman told the players he didn’t meet with them because he was panicking, but to remind them that the solutions to the team’s problems were already in the clubhouse.

While Cashman has declined to discuss the meeting, the Yankees have been much better since Cashman and Manager

As the Yankees inched through a sluggish offseason, general manager Brian Cashman admitted that he wanted to strengthen the starting rotation. Cashman stressed that he wasn’t hopeful about his chances, balking at the high prices for free agents and at the lofty requests during trade talks. But, on a frenetic Friday, Cashman revamped the rotation in a splashy way.

Cashman’s patience was rewarded when he acquired Michael Pineda from the Seattle Mariners for Jesus Montero in a bold, four-player trade. The Yankees also secured Jose Campos, a Class A pitcher, and moved Hector Noesi in the deal. While the Yankees valued Montero’s offense, they picked the elite, young pitcher over the elite, young hitter. That is usually a sound strategy.

Would the Yankees have rather included

Day after day in Spring Training, Jorge Posada explained how he had accepted being stripped of his job as the Yankees catcher and would embrace being the designated hitter. Every time Posada said it, I wondered if his words matched his thoughts. Posada is a proud catcher, a man whose career revolved around strapping shin guards to his legs and pulling a mask over his face.

Finally, after hearing Posada methodically repeat how he would slide into the DH role without creating a ruckus, I cornered him in the clubhouse one day. Since Posada’s tenure with the Yankees had been intrinsically linked to him being a durable catcher, I wanted to know if he really was content with merely being a DH.

“That’s the way I need to approach it,” Posada said. “If I don’t

A foul tip smashed off Russell Martin’s mask in a recent game, causing the mask to twist almost entirely off the catcher’s face. Martin shook his head, spit and then reached back to the umpire to collect a new baseball. Only after doing all that did he finally pull the mask back into its proper position.

This scene from Martin’s life as a catcher lasted a few seconds, but it was another snippet of evidence that exemplified his toughness. Martin is tough. Most catchers are. But Martin being more concerned with getting a new ball to the pitcher than straightening out his mask was another small reminder of how tenacious he is.

As general manager Brian Cashman pursued Martin in the offseason, he was intrigued by Martin’s defensive abilities, superb athleticism and

Get the ball to Mariano Rivera. It is the winning formula that the Yankees have used since Rivera became their full-time closer in 1997. If the Yankees get the ball to Rivera, their powerful belief is that they should win the game. Getting the ball to Rivera just got easier.

The Yankees have signed Rafael Soriano to a 3-year, $35 million contract, which is pending until he passes a physical. As long as Soriano passes a physical, he will be the highest-paid set up man in the major leagues and should combine with Rivera to give the Yankees the best late-inning combination in baseball. The agreement was first reported by SI.com.

Soriano saved 45 games in 48 opportunities for the Rays last season and was probably the best closer in the American League. Rivera saved 33 games in 38 chances

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. –- During Brian Cashman’s conversation with Hal Steinbrenner on Thursday morning, Cashman told Steinbrenner that the Yankees were about to add a left-handed starter. Did that mean the team had finally signed Cliff Lee? Not yet. Cashman was referring to Robert Fish, the 22-year-old lefty the Yankees selected in the Rule 5 draft later that day.

That was Cashman’s attempt at being playful and, ever so briefly, taking a respite from the questions about Lee. What Cashman didn’t disclose is how he surely talked to Steinbrenner about increasing the team’s offer to Lee to seven years, a move that came hours after the Red Sox agreed to a seven-year, $142 million contract with Carl Crawford. It is believed the Yankees are willing to pay Lee $161

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – The Yankees intensified their pursuit of Cliff Lee on Wednesday by making a lucrative offer to the free agent pitcher. General Manager Brian Cashman disclosed that he had made the offer, but he wouldn’t be specific about it. The Yankees probably offered Lee a six-year deal for about $140 million.

Soon after Darek Braunecker received the offer, he left the Winter Meetings and returned to Arkansas to meet with Lee. Was Braunecker’s departure a promising sign for the Yankees? The Yankees hope so. Cashman had been frustrated by the sluggish pace of the negotiations with Braunecker. Now Cashman and the Yankees will wait to hear from Lee.

“This,” Cashman said, “is someone who is worth the wait.”

Even though Braunecker officially