2008: Farewell to Yankee Stadium.
2009: See the new Yankee Stadium.
2010; Greet the returning World Champions.
2011: See the golden years of Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada and Andy Pettitte.
2012: See the last year of Mariano and the return of Andy Pettitte.
This year: See the end of Mariano, probably Pettitte, possibly Arod and Jeter.
We have become a 90s nostalgia show. Call us Better than Ezra, but Less than Jake. And over the last three years, we have not produced a hit - a star from our system.
(OK, Skip this paragraph if you're sick of reading it: We've had spare parts: Eduardo Nunez. David Phelps. Ivan Nova. Brett Gardner. Francisco Cervelli. David Robertson. But nothing resembling a future all-star. Worse, we traded Austin Jackson, Ian Kennedy and Tyler Clippard - the three most successful players from our system. And we can watch what Jesus Montero does in Seattle this year with a sick feeling in our guts.)
So we enter 2013 with yet another farewell campaign: See Mariano before he leaves. Of course, for fans to see him, the Yankees need to be ahead in the 9th. That could be a problem.
Right now, in left field we have Juan Rivera - who statistically was worse than a replacement player last year in Los Angeles - and Dan Johnson, a definition of mediocrity at first base - taking up space until the return of Grandy and Teixeira - two .240 hitters, thanks to their inability to adjust to defensive overshifts. We have Youk at third, who has missed more than 40 games in each of the last three seasons. We have Ichiro in right, who the Mariners had seen enough of last year. Travis Hafner? Ahh, yes, wasn't he something in 2005?
To see Mariano pitch, expect to buy several tickets.
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4 comments:
SS Derek Jeter
RF Ichiro Suzuki
2B Robbie Cano
DH Travis Hafner
3B Kevin Youkilis
1B Juan Rivera
LF Matt Diaz
C Francisco Cervelli
CF Brett Gardner
The 1982 lineup was better. And none of these guys dress like Oscar "Gucci" Gamble.
The Yanks will be fine this year...yes; perhaps it's wishful thinking on my part, but it was almost 60 degrees in WNY today and the turkey vultures are back and right now nothing can seem bad to me.
Look at the potential positives: the pitching staff could be pretty good, Mariano looked sharp in his first appearance, Robertson could be as solid as he was last year, and it's possible (though unlikely, I admit) that the rotation could hold up for the year...the lineup nags at me a whole bunch, but teams have won with worse than the guys who might be on the field in June. Cano is, probably for the only time in his life before now or after, possibly motivated to play hard. The captain is the captain. Cervelli is enthusiastic; there's value in that. Gardner might have a big on-base/run-scoring year; it's possible the streakiness might turn to something closer to consistency. I wouldn't dare bet on the Youkilis/Hafner/Juan Rivera trifecta, but it's possible they could not collectively be sucking wind by May 1.
So yeah: I am a wishful thinker. But really, with TB losing Shields and Toronto loading up on a bunch of guys who seem like winners (except that most of them haven't won) and Baltimore running on its record of close shaves and the Red Sox being the Red Sox there's nothing overly imposing among this bunch, nothing that can't be overcome.
Yeah, it's spring fever, I know. But when it comes down to it I have a hard time imagining Derek and Mo on a losing team. They seem like guys who can almost will that not to happen. Not very sabermetric of me, but I'm old school: when someone can come up with a quotient which explains the Flip Play, I might come around. Til then, it's Spring and I've got hope.
Anonymous,
Listen to Simon and Garfunkel sing April Come She Will.
That's our 2013.
jdp
Anonymous, bless you for your positive attitude. But that lineup will dominate the AL East when Kevin Youkilis is elected Pope.
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