New Yorkers had a rough summer.

The Mets fell apart, leaving the door open for a resurgent… New Yorkers had a rough summer.

The Mets fell apart, leaving the door open for a resurgent Philadelphia Phillies club to storm back and win the National League East title.

The Yankees tripped in the playoffs, losing without much of a bang to the upstart, and superior, Cleveland Indians.

While the Mets have their own issues to deal with, the Yankees have sparked the most interest, even taking away some of the hype from the World Series.

Yankees owner George Steinbrenner didn’t fire former manager Joe Torre, and Torre didn’t quit. An offer was made. Torre, one of the greatest managers in history, didn’t like it. Now, the Yankees need a new manager.

In a city that requires a World Series each year, the new manager will have intense pressure from the front office and the fans. Whoever the manager is, the personnel on the field matters most.

That’s where Alex Rodriguez comes into play. The New York Times reported that Scott Boras, Rodriguez’s agent, doesn’t seem to believe the Yankees will remove themselves from contract talks if Rodriguez opts for free agency. The Yankees don’t believe any other team can match what they have to offer Rodriguez.

What do they have to offer? And what’s Rodriguez worth?

The New York Times also reported that the Yankees want to reward Rodriguez, a shoo-in for American League MVP this season, with a raise. A raise? The shortstop-turned-third-baseman made $27 million this year.

Supposedly, the Yankees could offer close to $33 million a year. Imagine what other pieces they could acquire with that money.

With a core of solid young players – Robinson Cano, Joba Chamberlain, Chien-Ming Wang, Phil Hughes and Melky Cabrera to name a few – and the always-reliable Derek Jeter, why not spend that money on a few pieces?

The Yankees didn’t have the pitching or the bullpen to get past the Indians. Rodriguez can’t take every at bat, and he can’t catch every ball put into play.

It’s easy to say Rodriguez is invaluable. No one would disagree that he is very close to being, if he isn’t already, the greatest baseball player ever.

But $33 million a year over 10 years probably could field at least a third baseman, first baseman, two starters and a few relievers. All of those positions are hurting for the Yankees, and Rodriguez can’t play them all.

It sounds crazy, but maybe it’s time for the Yankees to start over – without Rodriguez.

Let’s get to the rapid fire: