5 Reasons the New York Yankees Should Be Considered World Series Favorites

Plenty is being said of the Philadelphia Phillies' bolstered rotation and the Boston Red Sox' offseason acquisitions of Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford, and rightfully so.

The Phillies lay claim to the best record in the big leagues, while Boston is sitting pretty atop the American League in a virtual tie with the New York Yankees.

But these two baseball powerhouses are still chasing the coattails of the New York Yankees.

What's that? A.J. Burnett is hardly Cliff Lee you say?

Exactly.

Confused? Well read on and find out the top five reasons that the Yankees should be considered the runaway favorites to validate the number on Joe Girardi's back and bring title No. 28 to the Bronx. 

Curtis Granderson, Robinson Cano and Mark Teixeira Are a Triumvirate of Power

We may be witnessing history unfold in the form of Curtis Granderson.

In 1978, Jim Rice became the first-and-only player in American League history to lead the league in RBI, home runs and triples in the same season.

As it stands now, Granderson sits atop the league in triples, runs and RBI, remaining one home run shy of Jose Bautista.

Granderson's new-found power stroke (35 home runs, 98 RBI, 115 runs scored and .965 OPS) coupled with his speed (10 triples and 24 stolen bases) has morphed him into a legitimate MVP candidate. Thrust those numbers in front of Mark Teixeira's 34 home runs and 95 RBI, and Robinson Cano's 21 home runs and 88 RBI, and you have a lineup reminiscent of the 1927 Murderer's Row.  

These three sluggers have contributed the majority of the Yankees 170 home runs and 663 RBI—both the best in the bigs. If the middle of the lineup can continue their surge, no one in baseball, not even the dynamic arms in Philadelphia, can stop them.

Just in case you forgot, the 1927 Yankees swept the Pirates in the World Series.   

The Impending Demotion of A.J. Burnett

A.J. Burnett's inability to perform in August over his three-year stint with the Yankees has become almost mythological in its notoriety.

On August 15, Burnett won his first game in August while wearing pinstripes. It followed a July in which he notched zero wins. His ERA has ballooned to 4.96 and in his follow-up performance after his historical win, and Burnett failed to get out of the second inning while giving up seven earned runs. 

Joe Girardi has made it clear that one Yankee starter will be downgraded upon Freddy Garcia's return from the disabled list. When the announcement is made that Burnett will be that starter, the Yankees become immediate World Series favorites. A.J.'s absence means C.C. Sabathia, Phil Hughes and rookie-sensation Ivan Nova each take the hill one game earlier.

Don't be surprised if A.J.'s demotion coincides with a long winning streak in the Bronx. 

El Capitan: The Resurgence of Derek Jeter

Whether you call it "the 3,000 jitters" or a nagging calf injury, the first half of Derek Jeter's season was not pretty. Many wrote the captain off as over the hill and opined that, with Jeter at short, the Yankees had no shot at a serious title run.

How wrong they were.

Jeter's second half has been a revelation in New York and there is palpable excitement at his resurgence to the ranks of baseball's best. More importantly, Jeter's .380 average since his injury has him hovering around .300 and reestablishes the Yankees as the favorite for a title.

The captain's ability to get on base consistently sets the table for the 2011 version of Murderer's Row, a group that has proven to be adept at driving him in. 

David Robertson, Mariano Rivera and the Yankees Bullpen

The offseason acquisition of Rafael Soriano was meant to bolster an already strong set of arms in the Yankees bullpen. But as Soriano disappointed then headed to the disabled list, it was David Robertson who stepped up to the challenge of being the Yankees' set up man.

Robertson's 1.24 ERA and 76 strikeouts in 50 innings speak for themselves. Now with Soriano's return to his 2010 form with the Tampa Bay Rays, and with the always reliable Mariano Rivera, the Yankees are posed to improve on their A.L. best bullpen ERA of 2.99.

Last year, the San Francisco Giants bullpen posted the second-best ERA in baseball—also at 2.99—and they fared pretty well in the postseason: winning the World Series.  

The Return of Alex Rodriguez

Who can forget A-Rod's dramatic transition from playoff choker to playoff hero in 2009? 

Not me.

That's why he's the fifth piece to the Yankees playoff jigsaw puzzle. 

A healthy (and always wealthy) A-Rod can add yet another potent bat into the middle of the most feared lineup in baseball. If he contributes even half as much as he did in 2009, the Yankees can expect to regain their championship form of two seasons ago.  

Ticker-Tape Parade

With a refurbished rotation, the most potent lineup in baseball and the best bullpen in the game, the Yankees have distanced themselves as the front runners to win the World Series for the 28th time. 

Now if they can only beat the Red Sox.