Overreactions to the Yankees

by pblack on Dec 24, 2008 9:29 AM CST Comment 10 comments

I was wandering around various sites, reading headlines after the Teixiera signing and read this headline, "Does Tex make the Yankees unstoppable?" By my thinking, even with the signings of Sabathia, Burnett and Tex, the Yankees are far from a sure thing to finish above 3rd in the AL East. Coming into the offseason the Yankees lost Mussina and Pettite from their rotation and Abreu and Giambi from their lineup. My first question is, do the signings even replace what they lost?

In pitching, probably so, although Burnett is far from a sure things. Their rotation has some upside with Hughes and Chamberlain, but neither have been able to prove they can stay healthy. It is not hard to imagine a scenario where Burnett, Hughes and Chamberlain are all on the shelf for a big chunk of time.

Offensively, I don't think will be as good as last season. Their outfield is old and overcrowded, Jeter is not going to get better at this stage of his career, so at best they are hoping he returns to last season's form. They have a huge hole at catcher and will have to wonder if Cano can return to form at second. Where does Swisher fit now? Will anyone take Matsui off their hands? Will Damon continue to decline? All big questions still.

And then there are their rivals. The Rays will likely add an impact bat in Burrell, Abreu or Giambi to their young lineup and they will have a full season of Price in their rotation. They may not be as lucky in the bullpen but all their pitching prospects make you think there is some organizational depth there.

The Sox should also be tough. Their lineup is still better than the Yankee's and their young pitching is further along. They go into the season with Matsuzaka, Beckett, Lester and Wakefield and then someone like Buckholz in the fifth spot. Their bullpen should also be strong.

Please take a minute to vote in the poll and share your thoughts.

Poll

Will the Yankees finish above third place in the Al East?

Yes

65 votes

No

19 votes

84 votes | Poll has closed

0 recs | Comment 10 comments

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

3 Years

That is how long the Yankees will have Sabathia before he can opt out. I think next season is irrelevant as they have a lot of bad contracts on the books (Damon and Matsui at $13 million each, plus various other players). The real question is can the Yankees win a WS in either 2010 or 2011? They’ve got a decent collection of players and the payroll to fill any holes.

by Excel Hearts Choi on Dec 24, 2008 9:38 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

How is Posada "a huge hole" at C?

Sure, he was injured last year, but if he even comes close to returning to form, he is the opposite of a hole, offensively at least.

Nothing pithy here. Please move long.

by WyoRanger on Dec 24, 2008 9:41 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Posada

I am assuming he won’t return. His injury was pretty severe and he is getting old. At the least, I don’t think they can expect him to catch 5 days/week and I certainly don’t think they can expect him to be particularly productive if he does. In my mind it is a big hole. It would be like relying on Blalock to play 3rd.

Fire Ron Washington

by pblack on Dec 24, 2008 11:15 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

It would be like relying on Blalock to play 3rd.

So true.

"Either we need to re-calibrate our rectangle, or Alfonzo Marquez is not having a good night." - Josh Lewin

by utlonghorn24 on Dec 24, 2008 11:18 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Posada Throwing Again

I am assuming he won’t return.

Rotoworld has a blurb up on Posada stating that he is throwing from 60 feet for the first time since his surgery. He threw about 75 times from this distance, and he should be ready for ST. Of course, this should be taken with a grain of salt.

by Excel Hearts Choi on Dec 24, 2008 11:26 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I thnk they do

The Yanks didn’t do too bad last year even though they missed the playoffs. They missed the WC by 6 games and the division by 8. My prediction is that the Red Sox get worse next year while the Yanks improved a few games with their moves this season. If the Yankees can get anything out of their younger players like Cabrera, Cano, Hughes, Joba, and Kennedy, then they’ll be good enough to overtake the Red Sox.

By 2028, Mark Teixeira will be in the HOF.
-The Outlaw

by Gdawg on Dec 24, 2008 10:36 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Great Point and no they don't

I was thinking the same thing.

CC = Mussina
Burnett = Pettite
(except Pettite doesn’t get hurt like AJ but doesn’t have quite the stuff Burnett does. Although, Pettite knows how to pitch in NY. That’s an intangible.)

Abreu + Giambi > Teixeira.

Plus the Red Sox are probably going to go after Lowe, and if they are able to sign him they have a rotation of Lester, Beckett, Lowe, Matsuzaka, and Wakefield. The Yankees don’t come close to that. They are closer with the Rays, but I would still take the rays rotation of Shields, Kazmir, Price, Garza, and Sonnanstine over the Yanks’. Actually, I take it back. They aren’t close to the Rays’ rotation either.

Wait 'til the year after next

by NothinG on Dec 24, 2008 11:45 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

In what world

does CC=Mussina?

By 2028, Mark Teixeira will be in the HOF.
-The Outlaw

by Gdawg on Dec 24, 2008 1:23 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

AL East could still go to any of those three teams

and I really don’t get all the hand wringing over the Yankees payroll. It’s hardly news that the Yankees spend more than any other team. And yet, they haven’t won a title in 8 years.

The Yankees won 4 titles in the 90s because they had a great homegrown core, not because they outspent everyone. Gene Michaels and Showalter probably meant more to those title teams than huge amounts of money.

G G G E-flat_______ F F F D__________....

by t ball on Dec 24, 2008 1:27 PM CST reply actions 1 recs

It's going to be close

The Yanks will not run away with the division. Those three signings only really made them equal up to the BoSox and the Rays, and they still have shitty D.

by jonthefon on Dec 24, 2008 3:25 PM CST reply actions 0 recs