NEW YORK -- Just saw a member of the Yankees organization walk through the media workroom at Yankee Stadium toting a dozen red roses. Presumably, they are for Teixeira's wife, upholding a cheesy, longstanding Yankees tradition of presenting flowers to the wife of a newly acquired player.

Back in 2000, remember, the Yankees presented flowers to the wife of recently signed pitcher Mike Mussina, whom the Red Sox also coveted. At the time, many in Boston argued that the flowers were symbolic of New York's ability to close a deal while simultaneously revealing the Red Sox' inability to do so, an argument we now know to be foolish.

Unless, of course, there's an extra $10 million hidden somewhere among the thorns.