they cant sign manny. you can only sign 3 type A FA's in one offseason. Tex was their third.
This is not true. You can sign 3 Type A FAs, plus the number of Type A FAs you lose. The Type A FAs that the Yankees have lost are Mussina, Pettite, Damaso Marte, and Abreu, so they have the ability to sign 4 more Type A FAs.
I dont think you are right. My main source is SOSH, because those guys know more about baseball then humanly possible, but there is this:
http://baseball.about.com/od/majorleaguebasics/a/freeagentprimer.htmIf there are 14 or fewer Type A or Type B free agents available, no team can sign more than one type A or B player. If there are between 15-38, no team can sign more than two. If there are between 39 and 62, there's a limit of three. However, teams can sign as many Type A or B free agents as they've lost, regardless of the limits above.
The however kicks in if you were to lose say 3 guys, but there were only 15-38 type A's out there (meaning 2 would be max) a team would be permitted to get 3. But 3 is the complete and total max, irrespective of what you lose.
EDIT: Here is the exact language from the CBA.
Clubs shall be limited in the number of Type A and B Players, as defined below, they may subsequently sign to contracts. The number of signings permitted shall be related to the number of Players electing free agency under this Section B. If there are 14 or less such Players, no Club may sign more than one Type A or B Player. If there are from 15 to 38 such Players, no Club may sign more than two Type A or B Players. If there are from 39 to 62 such Players, no Club may sign more than three Type A or B Players. If there are more than 62 such Players, the Club quotas shall be increased accordingly. There shall be no restrictions on the number of unranked Players that a Club may sign to contracts.
(b) Irrespective of the provisions of subparagraph (a) above, a Club shall be eligible to sign at least as many Type A and B Players as it may have lost through Players having become free agents under this Section at the close of the season just concluded.
(b) is where you were referencing the fact that they lost, but that doesnt mean you get to replace them, then get 3 more. 3 is the maximum number allowed (unless there were more then 62 type a FA's, which I dont believe there has ever been, and I know there isnt this year). Thus, the Yankee's CANNOT sign Manny.