New York Yankee Preview

Overview

Missing the playoffs is quite uncommon for the New York Yankees.  So uncommon, in fact, that it had not happened in the 15 years prior to the 2008 season.  So how does George Steinbrenner respond?  By putting together the biggest offseason in team history, of course.  A shaky 2008 rotation suddenly becomes potentially the best in the AL East with the signings of ace lefty CC Sabathia and dynamo A.J. Burnett.

And just when fans and Major League Baseball thought the Yankees were done, the Bronx Bombers pulled another one out of their hats by adding slugging first baseman Mark Teixeira to the mix.

While the free agent signings and rebuilt team were poised to be the story of the offseason along with the rebuilt new Yankee Stadium, a black-eye (or should I say black-and-blue butt cheek) grabbed top headlines instead.  Having not won a World Series since 2000 or been involved in one since 2003, one question exists: Have the Yankees turned things around, or are they continuing on a downward spiral?

Pitching

The Yankees went into the 2008 season with high hopes for their rotation.  21-year-old Phil Hughes and 23-year-old Ian Kennedy were supposed to be youthful sparks to a lineup helmed by consecutive 19-game winner Chein-Ming Wang and veterans Andy Pettitte and Mike Mussina.  The youngsters struggled early (both pitching poorly and suffering injuries), and Wang suffered a right foot injury in an interleague game against the Houston Astros while running the bases after starting the season a perfect 5-0.  Flame thrower Joba Chamberlain was moved from the bullpen into the rotation, but the Yankees never recovered and tried to fill out the back-end with guys like Sidney Ponson.

The 2009 rotation looks a lot different.  While the team still has high hopes for Hughes (who it refused to trade in attempting to acquire Johan Santana from the Twins in 2007), he will start the year out in AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to make room for some of the newly signed talent.  Sabathia adds power, consistency and the ability to go late into games to the staff and will be the opening day starter as well as the first Yankees player to throw a ball at the new stadium.  Wang, recovered from his right foot injury, will follow and is hopeful to continue his streak of winning high double-digit games.  Burnett and Pettitte will fill the third and fourth spots with Chamberlain rounding out the rotation.

In the bullpen, Mariano Rivera (coming off minor shoulder surgery) should continue his dominance as closer.

Batting

With third baseman Alex Rodriguez out until mid-May, manager Joe Girardi has shuffled the line-up, straying from some of the old stand-by positions first inserted by former manager Joe Torre.  No longer is outfielder Johnny Damon leading off; he will now bat in the two-hole with shortstop Derek Jeter taking his place at the front of the batting order.  Jeter is expected to be followed by Teixeira and, both returning from injury, designated hitter Hideki Matsui and catcher Jorge Posada.  Outfielder Xavier Nady (or newly signed free agent Nick Swisher in platoon) will follow, with second baseman Robinson Cano, new center fielder Brett Gardner and replacement third baseman Cody Ransom bringing up the rear.  When A-Rod returns, expect a line-up shift with him being placed back at clean up and the remainder all moving down one slot, pushing Ransom back to the bench.

While looking at that lineup will certainly leave Yankees fans salivating and Yankee haters in fear, it is not all good in the Bronx.  A-Rod is not sitting out with embarrassment over his admission of taking steroids; he is recovering from hip surgery that is supposed to be just good enough to get him through the season.  Teixeira, while solidifying first base for the first time since Don Mattingly and Tino Martinez, is notorious for starting slow.  The pressure may be off him now but batting under .250 to start the season may draw the ire of the bleacher creatures.  It is also worth noting that Matsui and Posada are aging and coming off injuries; while expected to be ready to go, things could always flare up.

Fielding

Defense is often over-looked in baseball.  With a vastly improved rotation, some of the Yankees defensive struggles have already taken care of themselves.  But this offseason was not just about adding power pitching and slugging; general manager Brian Cashman also vastly improved the Yankees’ defense.

Damon is no longer a consideration in center field.  While he always had the speed, his lackluster arm got even weaker after signing with the Yankees.  After a breakout campaign in 2007, Melky Cabrera was supposed to be the answer in 2008, but he floundered when given the opportunity.  Brett Gardner won the starting job in camp, and it is no surprise considering his strong showing last season when spelling injured outfielders.  The Yankees are looking to trade Cabrera as they have minor leagu phenom Austin Jackson waiting in the wings; he may even get a midseason callup.

With Damon moving permanently to left field and designated hitter, right field became the next position for the Yankees to address.  Gone is Bobby Abreu, known for his great bat and arm but terrible in positioning and running down the ball.  Nady (acquired in a trade last year) will be utilized, as will Swisher, who can fill in for Damon, Nady and Teixeira.  One should expect either Nady or Swisher to be traded at some point during the season, though the Yankees could see value in keeping both on staff.

In the infield, two-time Gold Glove winner Texieira is a huge step up from Jason Giambi and others who have patrolled first base over the past few years.  While lacking the bat, Ransom will fill in quite well defensively for A-Rod on the opposite corner.  Cano has great pivot at second and represents a solid all-around player next to Teixeira.  Concerns in the Yankees infield surround Jeter and Posada.  While no one can take away Jeter’s plate patience, bat and impact as a leader, his fielding is vastly overrated.  At 35, he can still make the flashy play and is a pro at grabbing line drives over his head, but he has trouble reaching ground balls other All-Stars like Jimmy Rollins and Hanley Ramirez easily track down.  A shoulder injury for a catcher is always a concern, so Posada remains a bit of a liability behind the plate.  His presence is necessary as he has worked extensively with the new and returning pitchers, but one should expect backup Jose Molina to get plenty of time behind the plate this season.  He has a superior arm and just loves throwing out base runners.

Managing

Joe Girardi enters his second season as Yankees manager and does so with plenty of pressure on his shoulders.  Even though the team won the third most games in the American League in 2008, the total was only good enough for third in the AL East and the team’s first season without a playoff appearance since 1993.

Fans must give Girardi somewhat of a mulligan for his first season back in pinstripes after winning World Series in the Bronx as a catcher.  He lost his ace in Wang, two young pitchers in Hughes and Kennedy, starting catcher in Posada and starting left fielder in Matsui to injury.  This time around, especially with a new stadium and three of the four biggest free agents on the market added to the club, it will be tough for anyone (including Girardi) to find excuses for not winning the division or at least making the playoffs.  Another sub-standard season will surely earn him the door as general partners Hank and Hal Steinbrenner certainly do not seem any more patient than their father George.

Outlook

Expect 95-105 wins from the re-built Bronx Bombers this season along with their first AL East crown since 2006.  High-end expectations could have the Yankees approaching their 1998 record of 114 wins, but that would require a completely healthy season (including a successful return by A-Rod) along with down years from the Boston Red Sox and up-and-coming Tampa Bay Rays.  A return to the World Series is certainly possible but with the American League and their division being exceptionally strong, anything can happen.

Initially, the pressure will be on Sabathia, Burnett and Teixeira to produce.  However, the return of Rodriguez in mid-May coupled with supposed additional findings in a book from Selena Roberts to be released in mid-April should focus the media attention back to the 2007 MVP.

Pundits and columnists criticized the Yankees for “overspending” and creating an “unfair advantage” in the off-season.  Considering the team’s 2009 payroll is actually less than its 2008 payroll—that is a tough argument to make unless one is simply continuing the standard perpetuation of the team being “bad for baseball.”  Others contend the team utilizes its vast resources and pumps their high earnings back into talent rather than into its owners’ pockets.  In addition, the luxury tax paid by the Yankees and other teams over the cap help subsidize costs for numerous MLB teams (many of whom choose to pocket said money rather than re-invest it into the on-field product).

Either way, the 2009 season is an important one for the pinstripers; the team will find out whether or not it has righted the ship after finally recovering from numerous disastrous free agent signings.