Will Jeter, Rivera or Pettitte leave Yankees?

When you're with one organization for 11 years and make such a great impact on and off the field, it's hard for fans to let go.

Such was the case with Kevin Youkilis and the Red Sox yesterday.

The Yankees might have a few of those moments in the next few years, and it could be even harder for Yankees fans because I'm talking about future Hall of Famers Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera and borderline HoF'er Andy Pettitte (again).

One part of the linked article above by former LoHud Yankees blogger Peter Abraham stood out to me, and I think it's something all Yankees fans should read.

Nomar went. Manny went. Pedro went, Johnny went. They all go eventually.

All four Sox greats left Boston in the 21st century. In the 20th century, Gehrig never went. Neither did DiMaggio, nor did Mantle and nor did Williams. Back in the 21st century, Posada never went. It makes you wonder: What will happen to the rest of the Core Four?

My take, short and sweet: There's too much history, too much pride in their pinstripes for any of those three New York juggernauts to leave this town and end their career somewhere else. Except Cooperstown.

When fans and the media considered the idea of Derek Jeter in another uniform a few years back I sat back and laughed. I'm not sure about then, but today I'm fairly positive Jeter would hang up his spikes before the Yankees could trade him. Back to Abraham:

[Ben] Cherington handled this well. The hardest thing for a GM is knowing when to cut ties with a cornerstone player. But it's usually better to act quickly than wait too long. Sentiment is for chumps when you're the GM.

I agree completely. But my gut tells me Brian Cashman won't have to make three difficult decisions. He might have to make one, but I'd even say the odds of that are slim. When those three run out of gas, when their presence no longer helps the team, they'll know it. When Pettitte retired almost a year and a half ago, he never said that he ran out of gas -- I don't think -- he just wanted to be with his family. 

Even though we're in the free agent era, these Yankees are different. These Yankees aren't trade deadline bait, like Nomar and Manny were. These Yankees are future "first-ballot" Monument Park insurance owners.

Trust me. This will never happen.