I think we can generally agree that in a troubled offseason, Friday, January 13th was the low point. While Red Sox fans scoured the blogs and trade rumor sites for any hint that the Red Sox might have acquired a savior for their rotation, rumblings began that a big trade involving a "good young hitter" was going through. Turned out, of course, that this was the Yankees sending Jesus Montero to Seattle for Michael Pineda. The sight of Boston's top rival snagging a 22-year old who spent 2011 throwing actual fireballs was not a pleasant one. But it would, in the way of things round these parts, get worse. Minutes after news of the Pineda trade, word leaked that the Yankees had also signed Hiroki Kuroda to a one-year deal. I don't remember precisely, but I'm pretty sure "ARGH" was the top-trending term on Twitter that evening in Boston.

Suddenly, the Yankees had a deeper, more talented rotation to go with their always-great offense. The Red Sox had Carlos Silva (who has since been released). New York had so much rotation depth, in fact, that they were able to move my favorite of all Yankee pitchers, A.J. Burnett, to Pittsburgh for a two-month supply of athletic socks.

Which made it a bit strange when on Friday, the Yankees signed Andy Pettitte to a minor-league deal. You may remember Andy from such films as "The Yankees Win A Playoff Game," "Dammit, He Beat the Red Sox AGAIN," and of course "The President's Neck Is Missing." Or he might just still haunt your nightmares from the billion or so times he killed the Sox in a critical game. (See poll.) Regardless, he's back, and apparently taking on the role of minor-league depth for the Yanks.

So, on this hallowed Hangover Day, I figured we'd do a little speculating on the motives of the hated Yanks. Is Pettitte serving as an insurance policy on Pineda's elbow? Will this move actually affect the division race at all? Or have the Yankees just dished out $2.5 million to boost attendance at AAA? Chat away.