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Armed and Ready, Balanced Yanks Will Win World Championship #28 in 2012
Soon after the Yankees disappointing loss to the Detroit Tigers in last year’s ALDS, GM Brian Cashman, set out to rebuild a team that once again could make a legitimate run at winning a world championship. After a slow start, Cashman accomplished what he set out to do, and built the 2012 Yankees into a balanced team, that is armed and ready for another world title. With a deep starting rotation, a loaded bullpen, and a balanced offense, I feel the New York Yankees are the best team in baseball, and will capture their 28th World Championship this Fall.
Pitching Wins Championships
How deep is the New York Yankee starting rotation? Well, ponder this for a moment. The Yankees will be without one their prized off-season acquisitions for a few months, as Michael Pineda (sore shoulder) may be sidelined until at least June. That means the “Bombers” will start the season with the following starters:
CC Sabathia
Hiroki Kuroda
Phil Hughes
Ivan Nova
Freddy Garcia
Come early May, either Garcia, Nova, or Hughes will be bumped from the rotation to make way for Andy Pettitte. If Pineda comes back, yet another starter would be moved to the bullpen. That’s seven quality starters, and that shows the Yankees starting pitching depth.
If the Yankees need more depth during the long season, they can dip into their rich minor league system and call on Adam Warren, Dellin Betances, D.J. Mitchell or Manny Banuelos to fill in when needed.
The key to this Yankee rotation could be Phil Hughes. I’m going to predict a breakout year for Hughes, as he has gotten himself in great shape, and really threw the ball well this spring.
Strong Bullpen
The backend of the Yankee bullpen is arguably the best in baseball. Closer, Mariano Rivera, and setup men, David Robertson and Rafael Soriano will make beating the Yankees when they have a lead in the 7th inning, very tough to do. Boone Logan and Clay Rapada will be the Yankees lefties in the pen. Rapata will be used as a lefty specialist, while Logan can be trusted to face righties if he as to pitch a complete inning. Late in spring training the Yankees named David Phelps as their long man out of the pen. Phelps had a terrific spring for the Yanks, and was given the James P. Dawson award for being the outstanding rookie in camp.
There is an outside chance the Yankee bullpen could become even stronger come September, if David Aardsma and Joba Chamberlain can return from injuries.
Balanced Offense
Robinson Cano (.302, 28 homers, 118 rbi) and Curtis Granderson (.262, 41 homers, 119 rbi) carried the Yankees offense last year, and you can count on them doing the same this season. This may be the year Cano puts it all together, and becomes the league’s MVP. Robinson is the best hitter on this team, and he seems to improve every single year. Both guys are able to hit lefties, which becomes an important equalizer when teams stack lefthanders against the Yanks at Yankee Stadium.
Last season, the Yankees scored 867 runs which was good enough (8 behind Boston) for second most in the league. If the team wants to improve on that total, a few players have to improve on their 2011 performance. Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira are the two players who have to step it up in 2012.
Due to nagging injuries, A-Rod(99 games playes) had a very unproductive season last year. This spring, Rodriquez seemed to be over those injuries, and has hit well. If he stays healthy, he should be able to post a 30 homer , 100-rbi season, which will dwarf (16 homers, 62 rbi) his 2011 numbers.
Teixeira put up good power numbers in 2011 (39 homers, 111 rbi) but his batting average and on base percentage suffered as he became “pull crazy”. In short, offensively, Mark has become Jason Giambi . This season, “Tex” must start hitting the ball to all fields and take what the opposition gives him.
Once again, Derek Jeter (.297 avg., .355 obp.) will leadoff for the Yankees. With Bret Gardner ( 49 stolen bases) batting ninth, Jeter first, and Granderson second, the Yanks will bunch their speed together.
The Yankees went with a balanced DH slot this season. Against lefties, Andruw Jones will hit from the right side, while Raul Ibanez will be in there against righthanders. Both players will occasionally play the outfield, when one of the starters needs a rest.
Russell Martin will be the Yanks number one catcher again this year, and newly acquired Chris Stewart will serve as his backup.
A guy Yankee fans should keep an eye on this year is Eduardo Nunez. Nunez can fill in at third, short and second, and he also can play some outfield. If manager Joe Girardi can find him at bats, Nunez will hit.
On paper this team looks like it can become a special one. They have the pitching and they have the hitting. They have depth in their minor league system, and after last year’s early exit from the playoffs, they have the desire to win it all. From my view, this all will add up to world championship number 28.
Projected Order Of Finish, American League Eastern Division
1. New York
2. Tampa
3. Toronto
4. Boston
5. Baltimore
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A Tribute To George Steinbrenner
Yankee Tradition History Facts
Little Rudy Visits The New Yankee Stadium-2005
Someone Is Missing From Monument Park
Yankeetradition.com is site for Yankee diehards that embrace the past with the present. It is in no way affiliated with the New York Yankee Baseball Club. All comments or suggestions may be sent to ldilullo@aol.com. Yes that's me, a Yankee fan since 1967 who has seen the likes of Celerino Sanchez, Charlie Spikes, Jimmy Lyttle, and Walt "NoNeck"Williams. Yes, thank God for the George Steinbrenner era!
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