NakamuraPostseason Preview: New York Yankees
With an impressive second half, the Yankees pushed their way past the Boston Red Sox and have clinched a spot in the playoffs. They had the best record in baseball since the All Star Break and are leading the AL East by a healthy margin. There are still games to be played and choices to be made before the fall classic, but one thing is for certain. In 2009, there will be October baseball in the Bronx. They're clinched and preparing for the baseball that matters.
The Yankees currently have one of, if not the best lineup in all of baseball. Regardless of where their sudden success has come from, (their new stadium, the very expensive pickups in the off season, the wind current, whatever) they have found a way to win. They have scored the most runs and have hit the most home runs in all of baseball. The ownership has done an amazing
job creating a stadium to play to their strengths. With power from the left side coming from Matsui, Cano and occasionally Teixeira, hitting a ball past the 314 marker down the right field line is like asking Brandon Jacobs to score on 1st and goal at the one. With Jeter and Cano having arguably the best seasons of their career, followed by Mark Teixeira, who is a front runner for the MVP, and a healthy Alex Rodriguez in this lineup, only one thing is certain. The offense will produce. But it's everything else is up in the air.
When you sign CC Sabathia and AJ Burnett in the offseason, you are expected to win a world series. Winning the AL East is like the fat kid that didn't eat pie for 3 consecutive hours. Congrats, but you got a lot more work to do, buddy. By adding those two pitchers, October has to be locked on for them. Simply put, it's not. Even though the Yankees have the best record in baseball, EVEN THOUGH they have made huge improvements since the collapse of last year, EVEN THOUGH this team is making a run for the world series again, they have under performed. They have no excuses. Injuries are no longer an exception to winning if you spend 400 million dollars in one off season. This team has performed admirably, but hasn't dominated the league. This team should have been better than the 2001 Seattle Mariners, but it's not. This team should be better than 1998, 1999 and 2000 Yankees. It's not. They're winning, but not living up to their cash.
The biggest name they picked up, both in importance and in size, is CC Sabathia. During the regular season he lead the AL in wins. He also was sixth in strikeouts, fourth in innings pitched, fourth in ERA and tossed 2 complete games. He has been a workhorse who can hand the game over to the bullpen consistently and give them a much needed rest when they have been over worked. So far, he's been worth the 23 million a year. However, in the postseason, he's no longer the usual 290 pound pitcher. He has struggled, and struggled mightily. His first start in October this year was a bad one, giving up nine runs in under three innings pitched. In 2007, he won the Cy Young award over Josh Beckett, only to get pulverized by Beckett's Boston Red Sox. Lucky for him, he won't have to face a Yankee lineup. Or a Red Sox lineup that he had a 10.45 ERA against in the 2007 ALCS. Maybe the front office should have thought of that before handing over 161 million dollars.
AJ Burnett was signed to be their own version of Josh Beckett. This year, he has not lived up to that. The Yankees have not confirmed it yet but with CC and Pettitte pitching effectively and Burnett struggling, it looks like AJ will be the number three starter. You do not pay someone 16.5million dollars to be a #3 starter. He has the ability to dominate, which explains why he is 4th the AL in K/9, but has been a hot head an ineffective as of late. Maybe he will turn it on in October, but the Yankees won't be able to rely on him as they had hoped when they signed him less than a year ago. Their two highest paid pitcher's aren't October masterminds.
Then there's Alex Rodriguez. He faced a big chapter in his life when he admitted to his use of steroids as a Texas Ranger. He has never won a world series or performed admirably in one either. Being the one with the highest paycheck, he has nothing to show for it. He chokes so much, he'll make the New York Mets fall with him. He chokes like he wants to bring down the entire economy and Obama's stimulus package with him. The Red Sox third baseman has won
a world series MVP award, and the Mets' third baseman has become the signature player of his team. All 19,490,297 people in the very densely over populated state of New York are waiting for him to come up big. I'm afraid that 17,000,000 of them would be sidetracked by Jeter and 2,000,000 more will argue how much Joba should pitch, 490,250 people will be trying to buy tickets, freezing their butts over outside in the cold, bitter weather and the other 46 people won't have a television. That 1 person left over would be Alex Rodriguez. I wouldn't be surprised if he gets side tracked by Jeter and his four shiny rings.
The Yankee's loopholes are endless. The bullpen has become stronger, but can it withstand the October pressure? They have very few pitchers who have had tremendous success in October aside from Mariano Rivera. Unlike the Red Sox who have a set and overflowing rotation to go with, the Yankees have some worry. Will CC be able to come through? Will bugs come in and distract Joba? Does Petite still has some gas in the tank? Can A-Rod remember how to swing a bat if we're in the 10th month of the year? It's not like someone's been struggling so bad that a choice has to be made. It's just a simple question, can they have the phrase, "THEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE YANKEES WIN!" said 11 more times this year?
-Written and revised by Nakamura. Originated by: "Dangerous" Dan. This article is copyrighted © by Dangerous Dan and Nakamura and may not be reproduced, recopied, or used in any form without permission from Dangerous Dan and Nakamura
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The Yankees currently have one of, if not the best lineup in all of baseball. Regardless of where their sudden success has come from, (their new stadium, the very expensive pickups in the off season, the wind current, whatever) they have found a way to win. They have scored the most runs and have hit the most home runs in all of baseball. The ownership has done an amazing
Can the Yankees make the past present again? Can they finally get themselves another ring?
When you sign CC Sabathia and AJ Burnett in the offseason, you are expected to win a world series. Winning the AL East is like the fat kid that didn't eat pie for 3 consecutive hours. Congrats, but you got a lot more work to do, buddy. By adding those two pitchers, October has to be locked on for them. Simply put, it's not. Even though the Yankees have the best record in baseball, EVEN THOUGH they have made huge improvements since the collapse of last year, EVEN THOUGH this team is making a run for the world series again, they have under performed. They have no excuses. Injuries are no longer an exception to winning if you spend 400 million dollars in one off season. This team has performed admirably, but hasn't dominated the league. This team should have been better than the 2001 Seattle Mariners, but it's not. This team should be better than 1998, 1999 and 2000 Yankees. It's not. They're winning, but not living up to their cash.
The biggest name they picked up, both in importance and in size, is CC Sabathia. During the regular season he lead the AL in wins. He also was sixth in strikeouts, fourth in innings pitched, fourth in ERA and tossed 2 complete games. He has been a workhorse who can hand the game over to the bullpen consistently and give them a much needed rest when they have been over worked. So far, he's been worth the 23 million a year. However, in the postseason, he's no longer the usual 290 pound pitcher. He has struggled, and struggled mightily. His first start in October this year was a bad one, giving up nine runs in under three innings pitched. In 2007, he won the Cy Young award over Josh Beckett, only to get pulverized by Beckett's Boston Red Sox. Lucky for him, he won't have to face a Yankee lineup. Or a Red Sox lineup that he had a 10.45 ERA against in the 2007 ALCS. Maybe the front office should have thought of that before handing over 161 million dollars.
AJ Burnett was signed to be their own version of Josh Beckett. This year, he has not lived up to that. The Yankees have not confirmed it yet but with CC and Pettitte pitching effectively and Burnett struggling, it looks like AJ will be the number three starter. You do not pay someone 16.5million dollars to be a #3 starter. He has the ability to dominate, which explains why he is 4th the AL in K/9, but has been a hot head an ineffective as of late. Maybe he will turn it on in October, but the Yankees won't be able to rely on him as they had hoped when they signed him less than a year ago. Their two highest paid pitcher's aren't October masterminds.
Then there's Alex Rodriguez. He faced a big chapter in his life when he admitted to his use of steroids as a Texas Ranger. He has never won a world series or performed admirably in one either. Being the one with the highest paycheck, he has nothing to show for it. He chokes so much, he'll make the New York Mets fall with him. He chokes like he wants to bring down the entire economy and Obama's stimulus package with him. The Red Sox third baseman has won
Do you really want this man at the plate when your season's on the line?
The Yankee's loopholes are endless. The bullpen has become stronger, but can it withstand the October pressure? They have very few pitchers who have had tremendous success in October aside from Mariano Rivera. Unlike the Red Sox who have a set and overflowing rotation to go with, the Yankees have some worry. Will CC be able to come through? Will bugs come in and distract Joba? Does Petite still has some gas in the tank? Can A-Rod remember how to swing a bat if we're in the 10th month of the year? It's not like someone's been struggling so bad that a choice has to be made. It's just a simple question, can they have the phrase, "THEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE YANKEES WIN!" said 11 more times this year?
-Written and revised by Nakamura. Originated by: "Dangerous" Dan. This article is copyrighted © by Dangerous Dan and Nakamura and may not be reproduced, recopied, or used in any form without permission from Dangerous Dan and Nakamura
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Thanks for the comment. By under performing, I don't mean playing below .500 ball. But everybody has a set goal and a bunch of expectations every year. For example, the Pirates' goal probably would've been to win more games than to lose. If they accomplished that, we might say that they had a good year. That doesn't apply for the Yankees. Why? Because they spend so much money, they're expected to win. The more money you spend, the more games you're expected to win. And with the amount of money they spent, they should be winning more than 114 games in a season. They made the playoffs without a problem, but that shouldn't be what they're aiming for. I hope that cleared things up.
I hope you return and read some more of my articles some time!
Baseball Author
Tech Poke
Writing Edition
Anything or Everything?
Thanks for the comment. By under performing, I don't mean playing below .500 ball. But everybody has a set goal and a bunch of expectations every year. For example, the Pirates' goal probably would've been to win more games than to lose. If they accomplished that, we might say that they had a good year. That doesn't apply for the Yankees. Why? Because they spend so much money, they're expected to win. The more money you spend, the more games you're expected to win. And with the amount of money they spent, they should be winning more than 114 games in a season. They made the playoffs without a problem, but that shouldn't be what they're aiming for. I hope that cleared things up.
I hope you return and read some more of my articles some time!