FROM JOEL SHERMAN

The general consensus appears that free agents Bobby Abreu and Jason Giambi will be allowed to leave and that fits a logic: The Yanks are trying to get younger, trying to thin the herd of aging corner outfield/first base/DH types and trying to reduce the payroll where possible. But the Yankee teams that always made the playoffs under Joe Torre were renowned for working the count and drawing walks. Joe Girardi’s team has been poor at this. And here is the problem with getting rid of Abreu and Giambi: They are, by far, the best Yankees at working counts and removing them would exacerbate a problem that was critical in undermining the 2008 season.

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