Soriano bolsters the Yankees in More Ways than One

The Yankees signing of Rafael Soriano for 3 years and $35 million to be the setup man for Mariano Rivera  provides the Yankees with a nice cushion going into this season.  First, Soriano provides some insurance if Mariano begins to show his age and ends up on the DL for any extended amount of time this season.  Second, and most importantly, it allows the Yankees to package Joba Chamberlain for a starting pitcher, which is exactly what the Yankees desperately need.  Let's face it, Joba is a better act than he is a pitcher, and he has never put up numbers in a season similar to Soriano's 45 saves ad 1.73 ERA.  Since money has never been issue for the Yankees, this acquisition provides Cashman with some flexibility to now use Joba as a trading chip to acquire a premier starting pitcher.