Will the Yankees ever learn?

If I'm paying out $160 million over seven years for a pitcher, he better win more games than McClain in '68, strikeout more than Ryan in '82 and win more Cy Young awards than Greg Maddux, Roger Clemens and Randy Johnson combined.

When the Yankees raised their flag the highest in the C.C. Sabathia auction, they chose to keep up the "buy, buy, buy!" mantra that has landed them on the couch at the end of the last seven Octobers.

With the Brewers, Sabathia was 11-2 with a 1.65 ERA. Amazing right? But recent history tells us caveat emptor when it comes to trusting a pitcher's numbers on the last year of their contract.

Barry Zito: 16 wins, 3.83 ERA and an All-Star with Oakland in '06. Over the next two seasons he combined for a 21-30 record with San Francisco including a 5.15 ERA in '08.

Randy Johnson: 16 wins, 290 strikeouts, 2.60 ERA in 2004 with Arizona. The next two seasons with the Yankees, Johnson managed a high of 211 strikeouts and had a 5.00 ERA in '06.

Carl Pavano: 18-8, 3.00 ERA and an All-Star in 2004. Over the next three seasons, he pitched a total of 26 times for the Yankees. He pitched less than 150 innings as a Yank and won only nine games.

Mike Hampton: 22-4, 3.14 ERA in 2000 with the Mets. With the Rockies, 21-28 over two seasons. Hampton's lowest ERA was 5.41 with the Rockies.

Kevin Brown: 14 wins, 2.39 ERA in 2003. After signing with the Yankees, 14-13 over two seasons, 6.51 ERA in '05 and even broke his hand punching the dugout.

Before coming down with World Series fever, Yankees fans should consider a few things about Sabathia:

First, Sabathia was only 6-8 with the Indians before his trade to the Brewers. The American League, and the Red Sox, have seen Sabathia since 2001.

More importantly, Sabathia may have A-Rod syndrome. In his two career ALCS starts, he is 0-2 with a 10.45 ERA.

Before printing up 2009 world series t-shirts, the Yankees should also take a peek at their lineup.

Thirty-five year old Johnny Damon is likely to lead off. Damon faded down the stretch hitting just .250 in September. He is likely to be the designated hitter because, well, his arm is weaker than the U.S. dollar in the global market.

Derek Jeter is coming off the worst season of his career offensively and at 34, isn't a likely candidate to pull a Bonds or Clemens.

Alex Rodriguez, 33, will put up his usual monster numbers, but drove in just five runs in close and late situations last season.

Injury prone outfielder Hedeki Matsui played just 93 games in '08 and 51 games in '06.

The Yankees won't be able count on a post-shoulder-surgery Jorge Posada to put up numbers like he did in 2007.

The only likely under-30 starter, Robinson Cano often looks more like he's trying to hit a pinata than a curveball. He managed only 74 RBI in '08 with a pitiful .305 on-base percentage.

Bobby Abreu's replacement Xavier Nady set a career high with 25 home runs last season between Pittsburgh and New York, but hit just .268 as a Yankee and walked only 39 times all year.

The Yankees may spend more money to fill the gap between the lip and nose that Jason Giambi left, but until then, this retirement home lineup isn't exactly competing with the '76 Reds.

When will they learn to develop from the minor leagues and fill in the rest with role players. When they won four world series' the stars were Jeter, Williams, Posada, Rivera, all developed through the system. They filled in the rest with role players like Paul O'neil, Scott Brosious and Tino Martinez.

Yankees management are like moths, they keep getting mezmorized by bright shining free agents until they sign them and get zapped.

The Yankees blinders must have been on too tight last October when the Tampa Bay Rays, with a $43 million dollar pay roll, went to the World Series. Someday the Yankees will learn team chemistry isn't for sale.