Andy Martino, SNY.tv | Twitter |

The Yankees will hold their annual pro scouting meetings next week, during which Brian Cashman and his staff will determine an offseason strategy, including which players to pursue, and which of their own free agents to retain.

Cashman, along with top lieutenants Michael Fishman, Tim Naehring, Jean Afterman and others on the staff will huddle, as they do annually, and hash through the many issues facing the roster. Hal Steinbrenner is also expected to participate to some degree.

According to major league sources, and basic common sense, here are some of the key topics...

Is it worth trying to bring back CC Sabathia again? The team noticed a decline in his stuff in the postseason, and Sabathia underwent yet another knee surgery last week. It's possible that his time in New York has come to a close.
Team officials say they have not yet decided whether to exercise Brett Gardner's $12.5 million team option, or pay the $2 million buyout. That decision will certainly occur in the context of other outfield questions, such as …
Bryce Harper. Do the Yankees go there or not? Their lean over the past few years has seemed like a slight no, but with the lineup so righty-heavy, and Didi Gregorius out for most or all of next season, they'll discuss whether to take a hard look at the longtime Washington National.
Manny Machado. The educated guess here is that Machado's NLCS dustups will not factor significantly into the Yankees pursuit of him. They watched Machado in-division for seven years and tried to acquire him twice in the past year, after all. Plus, Machado was mostly well-liked on the Orioles, per sources. His reputation over the past few days does not reflect the totality of how he is viewed in the game.
Other rotation questions. Will the Yankees commit to J.A. Happ, or will he be another Brandon McCarthy, cashing in elsewhere after a strong half-season in the Bronx? They like Patrick Corbin, but is the former Diamondback and avowed Yankee fan worth the five or six years at more than $100 million that industry folks expect him to sign for?
How to rebuild a bullpen that is losing key components to free agency? Do they try to re-sign David Robertson, who recently fired his agents and will be representing himself? My early sense is that Zach Britton will land elsewhere, but the Yankees won't decide anything, on anyone, until the meetings next week.

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