Sabathia reportedly also planned to meet with the Red Sox before returning to Northern California. Yet Boston is not viewed as a serious threat to the Yankees for Sabathia, as the Red Sox simply don't need him as badly as their rivals do and therefore don't have to take on the risk that comes with a six-year contract.

With Sabathia still having failed to accept the Yankees' offer of six years and about $140 million more than three weeks after receiving it, Cashman wanted to speak personally with him and get a feel for how averse the lefthander is to playing in New York.

If Cashman believes that Sabathia simply doesn't want to play for the Yankees, he could shift his attention swiftly to first baseman Mark Teixeira, whom Cashman met last Thursday in the Washington, D.C. area.

Although Cashman has emphasized the team's need for pitching this offseason, it seems the Yankees are going to let themselves get outbid by Atlanta for A.J. Burnett. And Derek Lowe is not close to signing with anyone.

A California native and resident, Sabathia would prefer playing in his home state, as well as the National League; he enjoyed hitting during his brief time with the Brewers. But neither the Dodgers nor the Giants appear to have the payroll space, and the Angels are prioritizing Teixeira.

Teixeira was born in Maryland but enjoyed his two-plus months with the Angels. He holds no such reservations about his future site of employment. In addition to the Angels, the Red Sox hold a great amount of interest in signing Teixeira. They would move Kevin Youkilis from first base to third base and shop Mike Lowell, who is recovering from hip surgery, once Lowell shows next year - ideally during spring training for the Red Sox - that he's healthy.

The Nationals, trying to establish relevance after a miserable 2008 season, also are in the mix for Teixeira's services.

If the Yankees can't get Sabathia, they could turn their focus to the next tier of free agents, highlighted by righthander Ben Sheets and lefthander Oliver Perez. And they could intensify their efforts to bring back their own free agent, Andy Pettitte.

The Yankees want Pettitte to take a pay cut from last year's salary of $16 million to $10 million. So far, Pettitte hasn't agreed to that, even though Dodgers manager Joe Torre has blown up the idea of a reunion with Pettitte in Los Angeles.

If Teixeira spurns the Yankees and all of the big-name pitchers also avoid the Bronx, the Yankees will have to seriously consider a pursuit of Manny Ramirez. So far, they have avoided Manny Being Manny because they have enough corner outfielders and designated hitters, and they're wary of his erratic personality. But they're determined to avoid a second straight season without a playoff berth, and with $85 million coming off the payroll, they want to spend it somewhere.