Countdown to Opening Day - 28: Don't sleep on the Yankees
In this 30-day series, theScore's MLB editors preview the 2015 season with an in-depth look at some of the significant numbers - milestones, jersey numbers and general miscellanea - poised to pop up throughout the campaign.
Joe Girardi has done more with less - way less.
The New York Yankees skipper managed to squeeze 84 wins a season ago out of a team the was decimated by injuries and insisted on wheeling 40-year-old Derek Jeter out to shortstop on 130 occasions.
Nobody hit. The rotation featured 13 different starters and the team was forced to try and resurrect the careers of Alfonso Soriano and Brian Roberts out of necessity.
Still, Girardi navigated his ship through the choppy waters and had his team fighting until the final days of September, missing the postseason by four games.
While this season's roster is not devoid of high-priced veterans on the wrong side of their careers, it would be a disservice to write off baseball's most storied franchise in March.
With the final member of the Core Four officially moved into Yankee' past, the team can put the distraction of the Captain's farewell tour behind them and try to fly a 28th World Series flag in the new cathedral in the Bronx.
On paper, this is not a bad team, in a division that hasn't shown this much parity in years.
The lineup is projected to do what the best Yankees' lineups of the past have been built to do: pound the baseball.
| # | Player (Pos) | HR | AVG/OBP/SLG |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brett Gardner (LF) | 17 | .256/.327/.422 |
| 2 | Chase Headley (3B) | 6 | .262/.371/.398 |
| 3 | Jacoby Ellsbury (CF) | 16 | .271/.328/.419 |
| 4 | Brian McCann (C) | 23 | .232/.286/.406 |
| 5 | Carlos Beltran (RF) | 15 | .233/.301/.402 |
| 6 | Mark Teixeira (1B) | 22 | .216/.313/.398 |
| 7 | Alex Rodriguez (DH) | -- | N/A |
| 8 | Stephen Drew (2B) | 3 | .150/.219/.271 |
| 9 | Didi Gregorius (SS) | 6 | .226/.290/.363 |
Mark Teixeira, Carlos Beltran and even Alex Rodriguez head into spring fully healthy and each are capable of a 20-plus home run season.
There should be few players more motivated than A-Rod and even at 39 years old, the three-time American League Most Valuable Player could play an integral role in how this season shakes out in the Bronx. A number of obtainable milestones will fuel one of the biggest egos in the game and not having to worry about a position should play well for his Hall of Fame worthy bat.
It wouldn't be a surprise if this crew use the vitriol that will be spewed towards A-Rod as the team's rally cry.
While the offense should carry their load, much of the success in the Bronx will hinge on ligaments in Masahiro Tanaka's right elbow. The undoubted ace of the staff has Cy Young worthy stuff and could pitch this team into October.
| Player | ERA | IP | WHIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Masahiro Tanaka | 2.77 | 136.1 | 1.05 |
| Michael Pineda | 1.89 | 76.1 | 0.82 |
| CC Sabathia | 5.28 | 46 | 1.47 |
| Ivan Nova | 8.27 | 20.2 | 1.83 |
| Nathan Eovaldi | 4.37 | 199.2 | 1.33 |
The bullpen is also a strength, as opponents will struggle to get much of anything from either side of the plate off strikeout machines Andrew Miller and Dellin Betances.
This is a team built on an abundance of ifs, in an organization with the deepest of pockets and a massive hubris. Missing the postseason for a third straight season will not sit well, so don't expect the Yankees to hesitate adding a piece if playing in October is in reach.
Will they win the division? It's unlikely if all the "ifs" don't perfectly align, but bad organizations don't win 27 World Series titles. Don't be surprised if this team is in the postseason conversation in September with the manager leading the way.