Here we are in the middle of Janurary and Spring Training is about a month away. Most of the big moves have already been made this offseason but there is still one big name out there, Johnny Damon. As good as he would fit in the Yankees lineup this year, I still don't see him returning to the Bronx. As for the 2010 Yankees, I think improved from their 2009 World Championship team. Let's see how..
Curtis Grandersen will the Yankees CF in 2010 and he is a defensive and offensive upgrade over Melky Cabrera and Brett Gardner.
Curtis can give you 30 HRs, 90 RBI (100 depending on what spot in the lineup he's hitting) and 20-30 steals. He also is a solid defender and while he doesn't quite have the arm Melky has, he does a good one. Melky was traded to Atlanta in the offseason but he's best suited to be a fourth outfielder. It'll be interesting to see how he does with the Braves.
Javier Vazquez was acquired in the afermentioned Melky Cabrera trade with Atlanta. Javy had a nice first half with the Yanks in 2004 but it ultimately ended in disaster in Game 7 of the 2004 ALCS when he came out of the bullpen and Damon hit the first pitch Vazquez threw for a grand slam, thus cementing the historic Yankee collapse that season. He is a strong option for a fourth starter replacing Andy Pettitte's spot in the rotation. Pettitte will take the number three spot in the rotation replacing Chien-Ming Wang's spot. The pressure will still be there for Vazquez to perform but with CC Sabathia, AJ Burnett and Pettitte ahead of him in the rotation, the lights might not be so bright for him this time around. He essentially is replacing Wang on the roster and if the Yanks won without Wang, they can certainly win with Javy being a solid pitcher and winnning around 12 games.
The losses of Damon and Hideki Matsui will hurt the Yankees as they are losing a lot of offensive production but Grandersen and Nick Johnson can help fill most, if not all that void. Vazquez as the projected fourth starter gives the Yankees one of the best rotations in baseball.
So are the 2010 Yankees better than the 2009 Yankees that won the title on November 4th? It's debatable, but I think so. Of course, the season will have to be played to get the answer to that. Until then, the Yankees are STILL the World Champs of baseball!
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Curtis Grandersen will the Yankees CF in 2010 and he is a defensive and offensive upgrade over Melky Cabrera and Brett Gardner.
Curtis can give you 30 HRs, 90 RBI (100 depending on what spot in the lineup he's hitting) and 20-30 steals. He also is a solid defender and while he doesn't quite have the arm Melky has, he does a good one. Melky was traded to Atlanta in the offseason but he's best suited to be a fourth outfielder. It'll be interesting to see how he does with the Braves.Javier Vazquez was acquired in the afermentioned Melky Cabrera trade with Atlanta. Javy had a nice first half with the Yanks in 2004 but it ultimately ended in disaster in Game 7 of the 2004 ALCS when he came out of the bullpen and Damon hit the first pitch Vazquez threw for a grand slam, thus cementing the historic Yankee collapse that season. He is a strong option for a fourth starter replacing Andy Pettitte's spot in the rotation. Pettitte will take the number three spot in the rotation replacing Chien-Ming Wang's spot. The pressure will still be there for Vazquez to perform but with CC Sabathia, AJ Burnett and Pettitte ahead of him in the rotation, the lights might not be so bright for him this time around. He essentially is replacing Wang on the roster and if the Yanks won without Wang, they can certainly win with Javy being a solid pitcher and winnning around 12 games.
The losses of Damon and Hideki Matsui will hurt the Yankees as they are losing a lot of offensive production but Grandersen and Nick Johnson can help fill most, if not all that void. Vazquez as the projected fourth starter gives the Yankees one of the best rotations in baseball.
So are the 2010 Yankees better than the 2009 Yankees that won the title on November 4th? It's debatable, but I think so. Of course, the season will have to be played to get the answer to that. Until then, the Yankees are STILL the World Champs of baseball!
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Objective 2, First Base. What's wrong with a guy like Doug Mientkiewicz? He was a solid defender and uhh well "decent" bat. Why do we need an all-star first baseman? Mark Teixiera would be a great bat in the lineup and a good guy to have on the team but if his asking price is too high why bother? Well he is switch-hitting and can put up .300 35 115 easily. Ok, so we give him a run for his money and see where we end up. So is signing Tex a must? That may depend on wheter the Yanks bring back Bobby Abreu, who looks to be on the way out. Figures, the only consistent guy with the bat is on his way out. Good job by the Yanks, you should keep this guy until his arms fall off because you know he will give you production. More production that Jorge Posada might give you the rest of his contract. Smart move by the Yanks...NOT!
Objective 4, centerfield? I question that because do we really need a CF? The answer is no. Do we want a stud out there? The answer is yes. Melky Cabrera wasn't the answer in '08, we thought he was. Brett Gardner can't hit yet and we don't know if he ever will. Austin Jackson? Ehh, let's not rush him up just yet. He looks to be your guy in center in the future but right now what is the right answer? I say leave Damon out there another year until his contract is up and give Melky and/or Gardner the other starts. Then evaluate this again next winter where more options could open up. But right now it makes sense for the Yanks to keep their trading chips and their money on getting a new CF for '09. Unless you can get a guy like Matt Kemp from the Dodgers, then CF shouldn't be addressed. Damon can still hit and produce, yes he has a weak arm but so did Bernie Williams and we were fine when he was roaming center.
20 games to go, 7.5 games out of the wild card and the Yankees still think they have a shot at making the postseason. That shipped has sailed. The season ended the night Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedoria hit a grand slam to break open a "close" game. At the end of that grand slam Jonathan Papelbon stood with his arms opened as if he stood there in victory. Boy was he right. The Yankees haven't recovered from that onslaught.
I mean why is there a sense of urgency now and why wasn't there any in August? I have to question the leadership of this team. They're in crisis mode now and need to win now at any costs. The Rockies did it last year, so did the Phillies. So you can't tell me the almighty New York Yankees can't make miracles happen. It just seems unlikely. What a shame. The Yankees will go home on September 28th once the final out is made in Fenway Park. Money can't buy you happiness or a championship these days. Not only that but now it doesn't even buy you a pass to the postseason. That's pathetic. 20 games to go, 10 more at the Stadium, why bother playing themnd ? Oh yea, it's the last year of Yankee Stadium, apparently the memo never got to the Yanks. Instead of playing for a championship to close out the most historic stadium of all time, they're closing it out against the Batimore Orioles on ESPN, oh joy, what excitement, I can't wait!
