Playing Pepper 2009: New York Yankees

As the players start getting themselves ready for another season, I thought it'd be a good idea to do the same.  I contacted a blogger for each major league team and posted them five questions.  This is the result.  You can find the tentative schedule of teams here, and today's main post is right here.

It's pretty fashionable to hate the Yankees.  They definitely give you reasons, especially when you look at the money they threw around this offseason. If fear leads to anger and anger leads to hate, you gotta figure envy comes into play somewhere in there as well.

When you think about the history of the Yankees, though, it's hard not to be in awe of the players that have worn the pinstripes and the success they've had.  On the whole, a strong (but not too strong) Yankee team is good for baseball.

I sent my five questions over to Brian, who writes at In Mo We Trust as well as being the creator and maintainer of the whole Blogs By Fans network, and he gave some insights on the offseason the Yanks had and the expectations of New York fans.

C70: Which of the major offseason acquisitions will make the biggest impact in 2009?

IMWT: My gut feeling is that Mark Teixeira will have the biggest impact. CC Sabathia is the true ace they've been missing for years, but to be honest, it wasn't the pitching that let this team down in 2008; it was the offense. A switch hitter to stick between Derek Jeter and A-Rod in the lineup with a .950+ OPS is exactly what they needed, assuming Teix keeps his offensive numbers up. His glove at first will also be a tremendous upgrade over Jason Giambi, et al.

C70: Which of Xavier Nady and Nick Swisher will be traded, and to where?

IMWT: Swisher to Atlanta is my best guess. That Swisher trade was a huge disappointment at the time, mainly because I thought he was going to be their starter at 1B. I think they got him for insurance; now he's expendable. With Adam Dunn and Bobby Abreu still available, there's a real possibility that both of these guys could be moved, but my money is on Swisher, if anyone.

C70: Where does Phil Hughes or Ian Kennedy fit into the Yankee rotation plans?

IMWT: Hughes and Kennedy will be in the exact opposite situation they were in this time last season. Instead of being counted on at the major league level, they'll be headed to AAA out of spring training, unless there's some kind of injury. There are really no expectations on either of them.

Personally, I think Hughes is ready; he just needs to get healthy. Ian Kennedy, on the other hand, has some growing up to do, which I hope he can do at AAA. When all is said and done, I wouldn't be surprised to see Phil Hughes make anywhere from 10-20 starts for the Yanks.

C70: After the spending spree, is anything less than a title a failure in the eyes of most Yankee fans?

IMWT: Simply put, yes.

C70: What are your thoughts about leaving old Yankee Stadium and moving into the new one?

IMWT: I've always cared more about people and events than places. I'll never forget the first time I went to a game at the old Yankee Stadium, but honestly, I'd go watch them play in a sandlot. As long as the best players in the world are playing the best game ever invented, it doesn't matter where they're playing it to me. The new stadiums seem to be more geared toward the fans' enjoyment of the game, so that's a positive.

I appreciate Brian stepping up and letting us into the world of the Yankee fan.  It's hard to imagine a club constructed so that a title is only "meeting expectations."  I understand it, but coming from a fanbase that hopes to be competitive on a regular basis, with a chance at October, it's a totally different mindset.