Can you smell that? The excitement pervades the cold rain, the dreary work days, finally. The anxiety of millions of fans, the hopes and dreams of championships, and that feeling inside each and every one of you that lets you know baseball is here! What a long winter we have had with snow piling up in NYC faster than you could shovel it. Almost too long overdue, spring is here and baseball too! For the somewhat revamped Yankees, this is the starting point for a marathon of a season, where the weak are castoff like dirty napkins and the strong rise above adversity. Will they have the fortitude to win 90 games? Will they be crushed by the ever improving AL East talent? It all starts with the active roster, those 25 men who bear the load of every die hard fan. So let's take a trip around the horn, up the mound, and down to the bullpen.
Starting Defense: Superior Outfield, Questionable Infield
1st Base, #25, Mark Teixeira: Big question Mark here. He had a miserable OPS of .413 this spring. Maybe you shouldn't but compare that to the 1.285 in 2009 Spring Training. Is the wrist stiff? Is he protecting it? Will he be able to rediscover his power or contact? Too often it seems he can't locate the pitch. I feel he is going to whiff a lot more than you or I would like.
2nd Base, #14, Brian Roberts: If he stays healthy, expect an OPS around .700. As a 36 year old with health issues, he offers little offensive upside. His main role will be to field cleanly and collect a hit every other game. Any home runs, and he will hit some, are just a plus.
3rd Base, #33, Kelly Johnson: In 250+ innings of work in the infield last year, he had only 1 error. He also had a decent range factor at 2B and 3B. Or roughly put, he should have the same defensive impact Rodriguez had last year. Considering A-Rod's injuries and decline, Johnson is a nearly identical replacement with 0 times the headache. There's a good chance he picks up his HR output, but his average isn't going over .240 anytime soon.
Shortstop, #2, Derek Jeter: This will be the last season we will hear Bob Sheppard's voice at Yankee Stadium. Let that sink in for a bit. . . The hope is that Jeter will rediscover his form and put singles into play as opposed to DP'ing Ellsbury all the time. But the realistic view is of a 40 year old SS coming off an ankle injury who hasn't been shown anything amazing this spring. Now, you can never count Jeter out, but it would behoove you to think of him around a .250 - .270 hitter with little power. The good news is he seems to be moving well, which will help keep his limited range solid. And you know he always had a steady arm. Don't expect the amazing play but rather the error free defense.
Left Field, #11, Brett Gardner: Entering his age 30 season, you know what to expect from Gardner: good at bats, high pitch counts, great defense, speed in the outfield and on the basepaths. My bold prediction of the year: 10+ home runs for Gardner this year.
Center Field, #22, Jacoby Ellsbury: Health is a concern. A leg injury that kept him out for most of the spring probably isn't good. But Ellsbury should start in CF. His defense and speed, combined with Gardner's, should allow the Yanks to cheat a lot when Soriano has to play right. The pitching staff should benefit from the defensive alignment he affords. I don't think he has another 52 steal season, but if he can keep his OBP above .340, I don't see why a 30 steal season isn't in the picture. As long as he is healthy, he'll remain an important game changer with his speed.
Right Field, #36, Carlos Beltran: If there is one thing Beltran can do, it is hit. He has averaged 150 hits in 150 games over his last three seasons. Consistency is key. With his lefty swing, topping 20 home runs should be easy. Getting to 30 like he had in 2012 is possible. With the DH spot, the Yanks will be able to keep Beltran rested which should help him stay healthy for the majority of the year. While he is no Gardner, he can still hold his own in the outfield. Coupled with Ellsbury shading right and there are no worries from the fans.
Catcher, #34, Brian McCann: What's this? A serviceable catcher who can actually hit? The Yankees haven't been this blessed behind the plate in some time. I loved this signing and think McCann is going to be the real difference maker for the team this year. Because of his bat, you can expect better pitches for those he is protecting as well as more RBIs. More runs equals better chance of winning. Love, love, love this set up.
Designated Hitter: Designated Sunflower Seed Chewer
DH, #12, Alfonso Soriano: Currently listed as day-to-day, Soriano looks to continue his semi-resurgence. He will see some time in right field but will serve primarily as the DH. Loves the low ball, not a fan of offspeed. But if he hits like he did in the 2nd half of last year, management and fans will be pleased.
Starting Rotation: All the best names end in "A"
#52, CC Sabathia: Can Sabathia still get hitters out without his fastball? I want to say yes, but at the same time, I am worried. The key to a good changeup is to make it look like your fastball but have a large speed difference between the two. At the moment, the range is less than 8 miles. If hitters can pick up his changeup, it will be home run city. CC will need to keep them off balance with his slider and work in the cutter more. I don't think he will be as bad as last year, but the days of "ace" and "CC" are gone. This will probably be his last Opening Day start. I expect him to transition towards the #2 rotation spot at the end of the year. Before we lose all hope, don't forget he still has great control and that can definitely keep him relevant for a few more years
#18, Hiroki Kuroda: While Sabathia deals with diminished velocity, Kuroda still marches on with his deception and skill. Will he be exhausted after the All-Star break again? Probably not. The Yankees have good depth in the rotation, such that if he needed to rest, Girardi could spot start Phelps with confidence or extend to a 6 man rotation. Kuroda did mention that Tanaka had not really asked him too much about the MLB. This will probably change as the real games take place. If you're asking me, I don't see a better mentor for Tanaka than Kuroda in all of baseball.
#47, Ivan Nova: Is this the year Nova puts it all together? I say yes. But there is a caveat: he must reduce his WHIP. Last year's 1.28 is not going to cut it as "ace" material. Does he have the repertoire and skill to reduce that? Yes! His slider is a great pitch. He has already pitched an immaculate inning and posted 150+ strikeouts in 2012. As he turns 27 this year, I believe he will find his groove, drop his WHIP down, maintain a 3.30 ERA, and reach 200 strikeouts.
#19, Masahiro Tanaka: With a seamless transition from Japan to the US, Tanaka has given fans many reasons to feel good about this signing. As is the case with most Japanese pitchers, he has an assortment of different pitches to use. It will be up to Larry Rothschild, Girardi, McCann, and Tanaka to figure out which ones work best against hitters he has never seen before. But as long as the young stud keeps working hard, he should have no problem in the MLB. I think he will garner some votes for ROY for sure. The most important part of having him here is thinking of who isn't here. That's right, Phil Hughes. Since Hughes went to Minnesota, the Yankees have replaced him with someone younger and more talented. And that is good news all around.
#35, Michael Pineda: Dealing with Andy Pettite's retirement will be tough. However, it should be comforting to fans knowing that Pineda still has some upside. Surgeries are never fun and can ruin careers, but this spring, he seems to have bounced back to a reasonable level. As long as he competes every 5th day and keeps his ERA in the 4.00 range, I think Cashman will be happy. Better yet, as long as he doesn't gain 40 pounds and get demoted to AAA, fans will be happy. Yes, that was a dig at Jesus Montero.
Bullpen: AKA the 5th starter competition runners up
I hate talking about the bullpen, simply because anyone can put it all together for one year, but few are ever truly dominant. Girardi and his Notebook will be responsible for mixing, matching, and confusing hitters all season. As fans, we should be delighted to see Betances succeed! A true homegrown (from the Bronx) pitcher is one all New Yorkers can get behind. With Phelps, Warren, and Nuno in the pen, Girardi has decent caliber but no one overpowering this year. Ole Reliable Robertson will get his shot at closing; he will be fine. You have to hope Shawn Kelley can improve on that 4+ ERA from last year and that Matt Thornton is healthy enough to provide 60 or so innings. But realistically, expect a trade for a bullpen arm sometime in June.
Reserves: Yeah, I have no pun here.
Infielder, #93, Dean Anna: Congratulations to Dean Anna. The 27 year old will be making his MLB debut after spending 6 years in the minors. Anna was very stoic after hearing the news, feeling that it would hit him more after the season began. If we go by his minor league career, he's a decent fielder at 2B, SS, and 3B. Has not spent much time at 1st, so he will probably shift to 3rd when Johnson replaces Teixeira at 1st. Steady bat, steady glove, should be a steady backup. Although he led the PCL in hitting last year, I don't expect him to garner enough bats for him to make a difference.
Infielder, #89, Yangervis Solarte: This will be the first Yangervis on the Yankees, ever. Besides having a unique name, he gives Yankee fans hope that they won't have to see Nunez again. In all likelihood, Solarte will be the one to go down to the Minors once Brendan Ryan is back from the DL. While he did have some amazing ST stats, it is important to remember he hit all 4 of his home runs in the beginning of Spring Training and collected only 3 hits in 13 AB's over his last 10 games. But like Anna, he will be making his MLB debut, and he helps keep Nuneeeeeez off the field.
Outfielder, #31, Ichiro Suzuki: As 4th outfielder, Suzuki will be responsible for spelling Gardner in left or defensive replacement for Beltran/Soriano. His hitting has really tailed off in the last two seasons, but the bat and speed still need to be respected. If Ichiro were not on the team, this spot may have gone to a Chris Dickerson-type player. Oh well.
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