The 2008 Major League Baseball season has come to a close and the Phillies are the raining champs Yours truley predicted correctly that they would take the series in five games. But with the series over, that means the season has ended and you wont hear about baseball for another 4 months or so. Right? Wrong.
The hot stove portion of the year long MLB season is perhaps just as exciting as the regular season itself. Where will this free agent land? When will so and so get traded? Who, on paper has a good lineup? Who has a stellar rotation? Every franchise wants to say that they have the best and they will be where the Phillies were in October, not my beloved Yankees. So since this is the the Big Apple Sports Blog, Ill be discussing the Yankees.
The Yankees this year were filled with underachivers and a hurting roster. They will be healthier this year with Jorge, Wang and Matsui all coming back form season ending surgery. This team should without a doubt be stronger, as long as they can stay healthy. But, is what they have right now strong enough to not just make the World Series but the post season alone? The Yankees are now in a very tough divison with 2 of the 4 AL playoff contenders coming from there. With the Red Sox and Rays, the Yankees possibly have some ground to make up and it starts nows.
The Yankees will obviously pick up C.C. Sabathia. No matter what anybody says, money talks. Money is always prefered than location. No matter how much either Milwaukee or the Red Sox throw at him, the Yankees will top it. They might as well give Scott Boras, CC's agent, a blank check and write how much it will take. CC is priority number. You may be asking, who's number 2?
Easy, Mark Teixeira. You may be curious as to why I took a 1B rather than another starting pitcher. The Yankees will not be bringing back Giambi or Abreu nest year. Tex is young and has a great bat and a phenominal glove. However, it will take a lot of money and a hefty 6-7 year contract. I think coming off of a terrible offensive year, the Yankees need to get a bat back in the lineup. The Yankees have never had a problem throwing cash at people, but since throwing a lot of cash at a former first basemen who has been in NY for far too long, I think they may be hesitant to do it again.
But, just think about it. A lineup of
Damon LF
Jeter SS
Teixeira 1B
ARod 3B
Nady RF
Matsui DH
Posada C
Cano 2B
Gardner CF
That on paper alone looks amazing if Posada and Matsui return to form and if Gardner keeps improving on his bat. Then, see what starters are left on the market and decide how much you want to spend. As is right now, the probably rotation is
CC Sabathia
Wang
Joba
Pettitte
Hughes/Aceves/???
Another great looking rotation, but if Moose decides to come back, plug him in the 3 or 4 spot and move everyone down. And so now, the rumors will start. Who will be playing 1B for the Yankees next year and what is the final roation for the Yankees are the biggest question the organization must be faceing.
