SWISHER MEANS TEIXEIRA UNLIKELY  —  FREE agency began at midnight today.  The raging speculation has been that the Yankees will sign CC Sabathia, Mark Teixeira and another high-end free agent or two such as Manny Ramirez, Derek Lowe or A.J. Burnett.  General manager Brian Cashman termed that conjecture “crazy talk.”

Yankees can have whatever they want  —  When a superstar like Jennifer Lopez wants to shop in a jewelry store, they'll sometimes close down the place, so J-Lo can have her choice of all the baubles in the place, unfettered, unbothered, a market of one.  —  And as baseball's free agent period begins, think of the Yankees as J-Lo.

Swisher addition shows Yanks common sense  —  This baseball winter was supposed to be a feast for Yankees-haters, Exhibit A of How to Buy Friends and Irritate People.  Embarrassed by their inexcusable 89-victory season, the Yankees were going to come out like Rambo with a checkbook …

Jays will be hung up waiting for Burnett  —  Baseball free agents, start your engines.  As of midnight, hunting licenses were officially handed out to 30 major-league GMs allowing them to participate in a frenzied free-for-all that is the free-est free-agency in pro sports.  No limit on the body count.