2014 MLB Team Previews – New York Yankees
Whew – things have certainly changed in the Bronx ahead of the 2014 season! Gone are Alex Rodriguez and Robinson Cano from what was a typically potent lineup and in are some new pieces including Jacoby Ellsbury and Carlos Beltran.
Bovada’s Odds to Win
AL East: +200
American League: 5/1
World Series: 10/1
CappersPicks.com’s In House capper Razor Ray’s 2014 EARLY BIRD MLB Season Package is posted! Top 5 2013 MLB Capper!
Key Additions: Jacoby Ellsbury, Carlos Beltran, Brian McCann, Kelly Johnson
Projected Starting Line-Up
1 Jacoby Ellsbury OF
2 Derek Jeter SS
3 Carlos Beltran OF
4 Mark Teixeira (Injury) 1B
5 Brian McCann Catcher
6 Alfonso Soriano DH
7 Brett Gardner OF
8 Kelly Johnson 3B
9 Brian Roberts 2B
[dfads params=’groups=10&limit=1&return_javascript=0′]
The Yanks will be looking to bounce back from an injury plagued 2013 campaign and their second missed postseason in 19 years with a retooled lineup which added $500 million in payroll.
Jacoby Ellsbury is a Stud – he gives them instant credibility atop the lineup but the other moves the Yanks made in the offseason look more like desperation moves rather than sound baseball transactions. McCann, Johnson and Beltran are all decent Major Leaguers but join a lineup that is plagued with injury question marks. Will Derek Jeter’s leg issues resurface in his last year in the Bigs? Will Mark Texiera’s wrist hold up during the grind of a full MLB season?
Expectation will be sky-high in the Bronx again in 2014 but with question marks abound, it is difficult to see them keeping up with the Boston Red Sox offensively. While the projected lineup looks decent on paper, all it takes is for one of their stars to go down with injury and the season could be a complete write-off. Yanks fans have to hope for an injury-free year and pray that their aging superstars have enough in the tank. I can’t see either happening – age has certainly caught up to a team that should be middle-of-the-pack offensively.
Projected Starting Rotation
1 CC Sabathia SP
2 Masahiro Tanaka SP
3 Hiroki Kuroda SP
4 Ivan Nova SP
5 David Phelps SP
6 Michael Pineda SP
7 Adam Warren SP
Now for the pitching. The Yanks landed arguably the biggest free agent fish on the market this offseason in the form of Masahiro Tanaka who was given a $155 million contract despite never pitching in North America. He could be another Yu Darvish or he could be a bust – nobody quite knows at this point.
More questions come in the form of CC Sabathia who had an awful 2013 and Ivan Nova whose injury concerns are legit. The only real constant is Hiroki Kuroda who was New York’s best pitcher last year. If Tanaka is just average, if Nova doesn’t find his pre-injury form and if Sabathia can’t find some velocity between now and the beginning of the season, New York could have a dismal rotation. On paper, they look average – if the starters don’t exceed expectation it could be a long year in the Bronx.
Closer
David Robertson RP
Shawn Kelley RP
Matt Thornton RP
The retirement of Mariano Rivera looms large in New York – it has been a long time since the Yanks entered a season without the top closer in history. David Robertson is a terrific set-up man but a move to the closer role could be a tad problematic especially because of the enormous shoes he is about to fill.
Simply put the bullpen is enormously different without Mo – everyone will have to step up. So many questions; so many slightly above average arms!
2014 Prediction:
There are issues all over the field heading into the season for the New York Yankees. The infield has injury concerns, the starting rotation looks underwhelming and the bullpen is as scary as the Bronx Bombers has seen in decades.
There are too many ifs on this team and too little talent and depth to think this team will be in the top tier of MLB clubs. The Yanks are in trouble – poised to finish third in the AL East just out of a Wild Card spot. 83-85 wins seems about right – far off what the fan base demands!
