New York Yankees fans infuriated by report that team may shy away further free agent signings: "The obsession with the tax is sickening”

The New York Yankees may move forward with a rookie in left field this season rather than attempting to fill the spot via free agency, according to MLB Insider Jon Heyman. Sitting just $3 million below the $293 payroll threshold that would see the team be levied the highest level of MLB's luxury tax, Heyman suggested that the team may turn inwards to fill the hole created by the departure of left fielder Andrew Benitendi to the Chicago White Sox this winter.

Seeking to avoid the "Steve Cohen Tax," named for New York Mets owner Steve Cohen, who has swelled his team's payroll to a projected $326.5 million, according to Spotrac, the Yankees may pass on the remaining left-field free agents Jurickson Profar, David Peralta and Corey Dickerson in favor of in-house candidates Oswaldo Cabrera and Estevan Florial.

The first thing that comes to mind when the New York Yankees talk about having a great winter and possibly standing pat going forward are the failures of the postseason past. Many Yankee fans simply don't believe that their team has done enough to overcome the Houston Astros, who have bounced New York out of the American League playoffs in two of the past four seasons.

Many Yankees fans miss the good old days when their team would swoop in with buckets of cash and sign any player they felt like — consequences be damned. Talk of the Yankees shying away from paying any more luxury tax than necessary when the crosstown Mets are writing blank checks makes many a New Yorker quite irritable.

There has been a lot of banter this offseason about the Yankees seldom giving their prospects a chance at the major-league level. Some fans are encouraged by the idea of the team giving one of their top youngsters a chance to nail down a position at Yankee Stadium. After all, it worked for Aaron Judge.

Would the Yankees dare face the possible backlash of signing disgraced starting pitcher Trevor Bauer? At least one pinstipe fan thinks they should.

New York Yankees at a play-or-trade point with some prospects

Estevan Florial #90 of the New York Yankees heads to the dugout.

Oswaldo Cabrera and Estevan Florial are just two of the New York Yankees prospects that are knocking on the Yankee Stadium door seeking their big-league chances. Both outfielders saw limited time in New York last season, but it remains to be seen if the Yankees will attempt a meager amount of fiscal responsibility and look to play some of their young talent, or if they'll follow the blueprint of old and package their kids in trades to acquire proven major-league talent.