Are The Yankees Set Now?

The New York Yankees have made three spectacular free agent signings that have obviously improved their team.

Starting pitchers C.C. Sabathia and A.J. Burnett, along with first baseman Mark Teixeira, have cost the Yankees a lot of money.

But they offer tremendous promise for coming seasons.

So are the Yankees set to return to dominance in the American League East?

Or are there weak points that still present huge question marks?

To begin this analysis, one must first look to the player who is expected to call the games for Sabathia, Burnett and other Yankee starters.

Jorge Posada has been the regular Yankee catcher since 1998. After a spectacular 2007 season in which Posada hit .338, he was signed to a multi-year contract. Great things were expected of him to begin the 2008 season.

But in 2008 he was injured early in the season and went on the disabled list.  When he came off the DL and tried to play again, he simply could not throw and finally was shut down for the season and underwent shoulder surgery.

The Yankees must depend on a resurgent Posada in 2009 if they are to be as strong as fans would want them to be.

But considering first his career numbers, and secondly his age, these expectations may be too high.

First of all, no-one should expect a return to the 2007 performance. Over his career Posada has averaged .277 with 24 home runs, 96 RBI, and 86 base on balls.

Those are stellar numbers for a catcher. But it can also be argued that the Yankees have always sacrificed defense to gain Posada's offensive numbers.

He has never been the best defensive catcher in the American League nor even the best defensive catcher on his own teams. His work behind the plate has been suspect, certain pitchers have not wanted to throw to him, and his arm has been erratic through the years.

Tony Pena has worked with Posada since Pena came to coach with the Yankees and Jorge has improved his defense and throwing. But to expect him to come off shoulder surgery and be ready to catch as many games as he has in the past is expecting to much.

Posada will be 38 years old in August 2009.  A look at other catchers of similar age will give some reference point as to what can be expected of older men trying to play this position.

Carlton Fisk stayed in the game well into his forties. But it was not as a full time catcher. 

At age 34 Fisk still caught 133 games and again when he was 35. But by age 36 Fisk only caught 90 games. He returned at age 37 to catch in 130 games but was down to 71 at age 38.

Ivan Rogriquez is another example. At age 34 he caught 123 games. At age 35 he still was behind the plate in 127 games. But in 2008, at the age of 36, he was used at catcher in only 112 games.

Mike Piazza caught only 50 games at age 35, 101 games at age 36, and then only 99 games at age 37. By age 38, Piazza did not catch at all.

Javy Lopez caught 132 games at age 33 but had slipped to 75 games at age 34, and only caught 38 games when he was 35. 

Finally, Paul Lo Duca caught 118 games when he was 34, fell to 113 at age 35, and only 26 games when he was 36.

Admittedly, some of the decline in games was also due to a decision not to use players who were not productive offensively.

But no one should expect Posada to catch more than 110-120 games in 2008. If he is able to perform that much behind the plate it may be more than Yankee management expects considering that they just sought catching help by signing former Bosox, Kevin Cash.

Some thought Posada would be used at first base to save his legs behind the plate. But the signing of Teixeira eliminates that possibility.

Posada could be used at DH in many games this year. That would save his legs to a great extent. But that will also make the Yankees much weaker on offense when they have to rely on Jose Molina, who can only be expected to hit about .235.

And using Posada at DH will force the Yankees to make changes in plans for two other players who are also a year older and possibly will play older than their age would indicate.

Brian Cashman has said that Johnny Damon will play in the outfield. But all Yankee moves last year indicated that they have no faith in the aging outfielder who can no longer run down balls he used to reach easily.

Even worse, Damon has no arm. He becomes a liablity in the outfield. The acquisition of Teixeira at least sets up the possibility of using Damon at DH, and putting Xavier Nady and Nick Swisher in the corner outfield positions.

But if Posada is going to DH, Damon cannot go to DH, and the assumed leadoff hitter will be in the outfield where he weakens the defense.

And the obvious DH for whom there may be no place is Hideki Matsui, who is coming off knee surgery for the second season in a row.

Once a feared consistent presence in the middle of the Yankee line-up, Matsui is at best a question mark, and at worst a surplus $13 million player with no place to play.

A starting line-up that features a 38-year-old catcher coming off shoulder surgery, a 35-year-old left fielder who cannot throw, and a 34-year-old DH who is coming off another knee surgery leaves huge gaps in a Yankee lineup that some have said should be dominant.

There may be as many as 65 games where there is no combination that would put these three aging players in the lineup together.

And even if Posada, Damon, and Matsui are all in the lineup, the Yankee defense is suspect at catcher and left field.

Matsui should not be expected to hit as well as he has in the past. Posada may have an average year for him hitting about .275, with 20 plus home runs, and 90 RBI.

But one must remember that centerfield is also an unsettled area for the Bombers.  Cashman has said that it is now a contest between Melky Cabrera and Brett Gardner. Either would be a superior defensive center fielder. But here the Yank offense may suffer again.

Can Cabrera come back to start and hit in the 270s as he did in 2007? Or is he the offensive player seen in 2008 when he seemed distracted, lacked concentration, and struggled at the plate?

Is Gardner truly ready to produce at the major league level? Or is he a slashing hitter who must count on bunts and the occasional infield hit to get on base?

Placing centerfield in this argument, there are actually four positions where the Yankees have major questions that must be answered before their season can be guaranteed.

Catcher, Left Field, Center Field and DH. 

Before you place your Vegas bets for another Yankee championship, serious consideration must be given to these four slots.