The 2016 Boston Red Sox: Closer to Championship Form

The Boston Red Sox enter 2016 hoping to return to their 2013 World Series form or in the very least stay out of the AL East basement. I say it will be closer to the former. In 2015, the Sawx stumbled out of the blocks and stayed that way for most of the 1^st half. Thankfully, with expectations for the season in the gutter, the team buoyed by the youth movement of Mookie Betts, Xander Bogaerts, and Jackie Bradley Jr., found a way to stay competitive and finished at 78-84. Not exactly ticker-tape parade worthy, but they finished strong and are hoping to start this year where they left off last year. Oh, and they added some guy named Price. So, here’s what I see from the Sawx, DefCon style:

 

Offense: Boston finished last year with the 4^th best offense in baseball even if it just wasn’t enough to carry the team above .500. The same lineup returns led by MVP in-the-making Mookie Betts and a full season of Jackie Bradley,Jr., who finally emerged as the star that was expected when he made the opening day lineup in 2013. The biggest question marks in my mind were Pablo Sandoval and Rusney Castillo which John Farrell has smartly addressed by starting Travis Shaw and super-utility man Brock Holt in their place. Sawx fans should have some apprehension relating to the health and endurance of Dustin Pedroia and Big Papi David Ortiz, in his final year. I wouldn’t bet against either of these future HOFers. But for 2016, I wouldn’t be surprised if they saw significant DL time. But my biggest concern would be the health of Hanley Ramirez, who hasn’t played 140 games in a season since 2012. DefCon=4

 

Defense: The Sawx may have one of the best outfield’s with just Betts and Bradley, Jr. Throw in the athleticism of Holt and the newly acquired Chris Young and the Sox shouldn’t have to worry about too many balls finding the gaps. The infield will be anchored by the very sure-handed Bogearts at SS. Replacing Sandoval with Shaw is a significant upgrade. But two big questions remain: How long can Dustin Pedroia stay healthy and how much of a liability will Hanley Ramirez be at his new 1B position, if he can even stay in the lineup? DefCon=4

 

Bench/Pipeline: A few days ago the Sawx biggest asset would have been their bench. But placing Shaw and Holt in the field depletes it significantly, especially with Pablo Sandoval and Rusney Castillo taking their places on the pine. On the bright side, Chris Young gives them a solid 4^th OF and great punisher of LH pitching. The Sawx seem to be a little light in their farm system but that’s only because their youth is currently on display at the big league level. Nonetheless, not sure who will be available and effective to provide relief later in the season. DefCon=3

 

Starting Picthing: Unlike the rival Yanks, the Sawx actually have an undeniable #1 starter in $217 million free agent signing, David Price. The perennial CY Young candidate will have little problem adjusting to Fenway, and showed with his short stint in Toronto that he can handle the AL East no matter what jersey he’s wearing. Sadly, the recent injury to Eduardo Rodriguez means Price is about the only arm they can depend on. The rest of the current rotation of Clay Buchholz, Rick Porcello, Joe Kelly, and Steven Wright is a complete mixed bag of “who know’s what you are going to get.” Price is a huge upgrade but the Sawx will need someone else to step up and provide some semblance of consistency. DefCon=2

 

Bullpen: The offseason acquisition of Craig Kimbrel helps lengthen their already successful bullpen. Much like the Yanks and other teams around the league they have a potential 7/8/9 trio that can shorten games, with Junichi Tazawa and Koji Uehara tasked with getting the ball to Kimbrel. Throw in Matt Barnes and Robbie Ross, Jr. and the Sawx look unflappable in the late innings. The only concern I would have would be if 41 year-old Uehara is up for another 60 innings of work this year. DefCon=4

 

Overall, the Sawx are a better team than they were last season. And truth be told they would be better not only with another reliable starting arm but by finding a way to dump Pablo Sandoval and Hanley Ramirez ASAP. I can see the 2016 Sawx competing for a Wild Card spot but not for the division……unless they find 1-2 starting arms in and around the trade deadline. Otherwise, this team is still getting better and more than likely will be World Series bound in the next few years.

Can you say rivalry renewed? Yanks and Sawx will be battling all year long. Does baseball get any better than that? Not in my world and my blog.

The Yanks in Spring

With spring training entering its’ last leg, opening day is fast approaching. And as a Yankee fan I have to admit that I like what I am seeing from this year’s squad. The Yankees shocked many, especially their fans, by making plenty of trades this offseason but not a single free agent signing. The Yankee front office continues to practice the policy that I dubbed “Romneyball,” which means doing everything you can to avoid paying taxes. In the Yanks case it is trying to descend their payroll below the Luxury Tax ceiling that is $189 million. It obviously won’t happen this year but the team is on track with Mark Teixeira in the final year of his 8-year stint and A-Roid and C.C. Sabathia’s deals due to run out after 2017.

So, what are we seeing? We are seeing a Yankee squad that learned some lessons from last year, the key one being, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” The 2015 Yankees won 87 games which was good enough to secure the 1^st Wild Card slot. They were as successful as they were thanks to the 2^nd best offense in the game and one of the most dominant bullpens around. This year’s Yanks are a simple re-tooling, with a few notable upgrades.

Starlin Castro was acquired from the Cubs in exchange for the valuable but expendable Adam Warren. Castro lacked consistent playing time the last two seasons in the Windy City and has made the best of his new starting gig by hitting .400 this spring and leading the team with 10 RBIs. He also brings a shortstop’s arm to 2B making plenty of defensive gems early on. Aaron Hicks was acquired from the Minnesota Twins for backup catcher John Ryan Murphy and looks to be the 4^th OF, taking over for Chris Young who has moved on to the rival Sawx. Hicks looks up to the challenge showing power and solid defensive skills.

And the acquisition of Alrodis Chapman from the Cincinnati Reds may be the “piece de resistance.” Chapman will not be available until May 9^th because of his suspension due to a domestic violence allegation but he displayed some initial integrity by owning up to the situation and accepting his punishment. When he is available the Yankees will have the best 7/8/9 bullpen combo in baseball with Chapman joining proven super relief aces Dellin Betances and Andrew Miller. Just like last year, when the Yanks get a lead, they will win.

The only big question facing Manager Joe Girardi is how to make Masahiro Tanaka, Michael Pineda, Nathan Eovaldi, Ivan Nova, Luis Severino, and C. C. Sabathia fit into a 5-man rotation. My answer is simple: go to a 6-man rotation. The Yankees have an abundance of pitching, all with varying degrees of fragile health (with the exception of Severino). This is the perfect opportunity for Girardi to go 6-man deep to not only ensure the best chance of getting 26/27 starts from everyone but also easing the young Severino into his first full season in the bigs. It’s the only thing that makes sense to me.

As for now, the Yankees look to be ending their spring campaign in the Grapefruit league at about .500. But spring training records are about as important as being Valedictorian in summer school. Later this week I will go a little more in-depth with what I feel are reasonable expectations for the 2016 Yankees. But suffice to say I’m excited. Hope you are too!

A Week to Go

This is the Yankee team that most people predicted in the spring. They would have just enough to compete for a Wild Card spot. That may not sound like much since all that prediction means is a one game play-in to qualify for the divisional round but considering the last few years of Octoberless baseball, Yankee fans will take what they can get. Now, the season isn’t over yet. With a week to go the Yankees still have an outside shot of winning the AL East, trailing the Toronto Blue Jays by four games. But at this point, the odds of the Blue Jays collapsing are about the same as Donald Trump picking Megyn Kelly to be his Chief of Staff.

It’s been a confounding season overall for the Yankees. They came out of the gates slow, starting to win in May and June and eventually built up a seven game lead in the division, only to see Toronto add Mark Price and Troy Tulowitzki at the trade deadline and skyrocket to first place. The Yankees have both exceeded expectations and disappointed at the same time.

As for this last week, the Yankees have seven games to figure out just who they are. Hosting the Wild Card game in the Bronx is a sure bet but which Yankee team will show up next Tuesday night and who can the Yankees depend on to start such a pivotal game. The Yankees visiting opponent will be either the Houston Astros, Los Angeles of Anaheim or Minnesota Twins. And while only the Astros truly scare me, anything can happen in a one game play-in.

But let’s not gloom over what can happen or say goodbye to the season just yet. The Yankees just won three of four from the Chicago White Sox and are giving fans a preview of what can be next year and beyond. Luis Severino is making a strong case to be the ace of this staff with his 2.77 ERA over ten starts. Greg Bird has pretty much slotted himself to be Mark Teixeira’s backup next year and his replacement in 2017. Slade Heathcott looks ready to supplant Chris Young as next year’s 4^th OF and future RF. While Jose Pirela and Rob Refsnyder have yet to make any serous claims on 2B the recently acquired Dustin Ackley is getting notable consideration to hold down the fort for at least another season with his .324 September. And Rico Noel is providing plenty of excitement as a pinch runner, stealing bases in the late innings at will. There’s plenty to look forward to in the Bronx.

The Yankees have four left with the Sawx and three with the Baltimore Orioles. They can easily finish this week strong and have their first 90 win season since 2012. They can also stumble to the finish line and see what happens next Tuesday night. Either way, me and a lot of other Yankees fans are along for the ride for as long as it lasts. Just please don’t end next Tuesday night. 🙂

Back in the Game

The more things change, the more they stay insane. Last week started with the Yankees losing two of three to the lowly Cleveland Indians. Not the best time in year to start to slide, especially since it allowed the surging Toronto Blue Jays to take over 1^st in the AL East and inspired every baseball analyst to declare the 2015 New York Yankees DOA. Then the Yanks showed up in Toronto against an invigorated team and their fanbase (which sold out all three games) and proceeded to take two of three to jump back into the lead in the AL East by a ½ game. Suffice to say, there’s plenty of baseball left and plenty of flip-flopping to be flipped.

The Yankees did make a statement over the weekend. And that statement was the equivalent of Rocky Balboa finally figuring out Clubber Lang’s weakness and proclaiming, “Ain’t so bad!” Of course it helps when solid starting pitching is supported by timely hitting. Yankee pitching held the hot Blue Jays bats to only seven runs over the three game series. The highlights were Ivan Nova’s seven inning outdueling of David Price on Friday night and Masahiro Tanaka’s masterful one run, five hit complete game on Saturday. Despite a solid outing, Luis Severino lost in the series finale on Sunday and continues to be a victim to minimal run support. Overall, Severino is still impressive with a 3.18 ERA over his first three big league starts and may be just enough to help the Yankees starting pitching heading into September.

The Yankee offense continues to be a hit and miss project but remains second in all of baseball. Jacoby Ellsbury is showing signs of life hitting 7-18 over his last four games. A-Roid has cooled off considerably and may need a little more time off to cope with the long season. Brian McCann and Mark Teixeira are only hitting .190 and .192 respectively in August. And yet they are still power threats with McCann hitting 4HRs in the month and Teixeira adding 3HRs of his own.

But the key to a consistent Yankee offense may be the resurgence of Carlos Beltran, who is finally justifying his three year/$48 million deal. Beltran is hitting .324 in August including a three-run pinch hit HR in Friday’s victory. That at-bat, which saw Beltran in a 1-2 hole against Blue Jays reliever Aaron Sanchez, may be seen as the turning point in the season if the Yankees can find a way to win out. Joe Girardi will need to find ways to keep getting the best out the 38 year old Beltran with frequent platoons with Chris Young, who has been effective in his role as 4^th outfielder.

The Yankee bullpen continues to be the best bet late in the game with Justin Wilson, Chasen Shreve, and Adam Warren getting much needed outs in the 6^th and 7^th innings. Dellin Betances is still a beast in his set-up role. And Andrew Miller has tested more than few heart rates in his most recent outings. His twelve pitch, eight minute showdown with Troy Tulowitzki was a heartstopper, to say the least. Miller needs to be wary of the walks he allows down the stretch.

The Yankees start a ten game homestand tonight against the Minnesota Twins, followed by visits from the Cleveland Indians and Houston Astros. The schedule continues to favor the Yankees and the only question that remains is if they can take advantage. Seven wins in this stretch is a must and certainly within reason with September just around the corner.

The Yanks at the Break: Sitting on the Pole

No one, not even I could have seen this, and for once it’s a good thing. No one saw the Yankees playing this well, let alone entering the All-Star break on top of the AL East with a 3 ½ game lead. True, the AL East is playing more like the AL Least nowadays but as a team you just have to play the games on your schedule and see what shakes out. And while the rest of the teams in the division currently seem to have their flaws all exposed at once, the Yankees seem be hitting their stride thanks to health, depth and a little bit of luck.

Starting pitching, C+: Doing just enough to get the job done should probably be the slogan of the Yankees’ pitching staff. There have been flashes of brilliance, mostly provided by Masahiro Tanaka and Michael Pineda, but overall Yankee pitching ranks 11^th in ERA in the AL helped generously by the stellar bullpen. The Yankees need consistency from this staff, as well as length to keep their bullpen occasionally rested. Nathan Eovaldi has been the beneficiary of ample run support, which explains his 9-2 record with a 4.50 ERA. Ivan Nova has been solid since returning from TJ surgery and may want to try wearing Eovaldi’s #30 next time he takes the mound in hopes of sharing in the run support. And C.C. Sabathia continues to be the anchor weighing down the ship, and no, that’s not a crack about his weight. Sabathia will continue to be run out there every fifth game if for no other reason than he’s too expensive for the mop-up duty he’s more suited for. But Tanaka and Pineda should have just enough at top of this rotation to keep the ship right.

Offense, A-: The most pleasant surprise of the season has been the abundance of offense. It does come in bunches at time interrupted by the occasional drought, but the Yankees are currently 2^nd in all of baseball in runs scored mostly thankful to being 2^nd in all of baseball in HRs. The Bronx Bombers are living up to their moniker again. Recently honored (and long overdue) All Star Brett Gardner continues to be the sparkplug for this lineup whether he’s hitting 2^nd behind Jacoby Ellsbury or batting leadoff in his absence. The healthy return of Jacoby Ellsbury bodes well for the 2^nd half and gives the Yankees the best 1-2 punch in the game. Speaking of healthy, Mark Teixeira’s gluten free diet hasn’t prohibited him from feasting on American League pitching. Tex leads the team in HRs (22) and RBIs (62) and is back to his 2009 form. Brian McCann just missed an All Star selection by seguing last year’s resurgent 2^nd half into this year’s 1^st half. He also seems to find himself coming up with the biggest hits in the 7^th inning and later. And I guess it’s about time I throw some praise to A-Roid. His long storied history of jackassery is hard to overlook. But even harder to overlook has been his All Star worthy 1^st half. He’s accepted his DH assignment and providing the most offense at that position since the days of another Yankee comeback story, Daryl Strawberry.

Defense, D+: What was supposed to be a non-issue has been the biggest thorn in the Yankees’ side. The Yankees are 12^th in the AL in fielding best represented by Chase Headley, who leads all 3B with 16 errors. All is not lost, especially with Mark Teixeira playing his usual Gold Glove 1B, and who is the reason Headley has 16 errors and not 26. The first two months were not kind to Didi Gregorius either. But he has been a work in progress. Didi is still showing better range and a stronger arm than a certain Pinstripe God. Despite 9 errors, Gregorius is currently tied for 3^rd among AL shortstops in defensive WAR. And Brian McCann is keeping the basepaths in check, throwing out 40% of potential basestealers.

Bullpen, A: The offense has been plentiful but the number one reason the Yankees have persevered to first place in the division has been the bullpen. At times overworked and at times overmatched, they seem to be falling into place at the season’s mid-mark. Justin Wilson, Chasen Shreve and Bryan Mitchell give Joe Girardi plenty of set-up options since they are all equally effective against righties and lefties. The return of Adam Warren from the starting rotation gives the Yanks another right-handed option, as well as a reliable spot starter. And despite the occasional hiccup, Dellin Betances and Andrew Miller are the definition of formidable in the back end. They are both striking out hitters at a rate of 14K/9 innings with sub 2.00 ERAs. The Yankees are winning the games they are supposed to win because of this tandem.

Bench, B: The Yankees have been mercilessly stricken by the injury bug over the past few seasons, and thankfully learned their lesson. Chris Young has been a find as their 4^th OF, providing 10 HRs in limited duty. Garrett Jones has been useful as a left-handed bat, as well as OF and back-up to Tex at 1B. And John Ryan Murphy may not be replacing Brian McCann anytime soon, but he’s excelled in his back-up duty.

Manager, B+: Joe Girardi continues to be the calm head that keeps this Yankee team focused during their most trying times. He’s also adept, like his predecessor Joe Torre, at handling the media and keeping them at bay when necessary. This is has been most evident with his handling of the return of A-Roid. He’s done a first-rate job of juggling an aging lineup as well as shaking things up, like when he slotted Chase Headley 2^nd during Jacoby Ellsbury’s DL stint. The only qualm I would have would be his overuse of the bullpen at times. Perhaps it’s a by-product of the modern day game with more pitching changes than Katy Perry costume changes at the Super Bowl halftime show. I would just like to see Girardi as being a little more old school and having a little more faith in his starters at times to get out of jams themselves. Otherwise, Girardi has proven time and time again to be the right fit for this team.

Outlook: The Yankees are right where they need to be, having won 7 of their last 10 and getting healthy at the right time. There was talk of trading for a starting pitcher or middle infielder but the recent success of Tanaka and Pineda as well as the impressive debut of 2B Rob Refsnyder may put that plan on hold. The Yankees are primed to win the AL East. They aren’t close to being a championship caliber team but they are playing their best ball since 2012 and ready to make some noise in October.

Still Hanging Around

With just a week to go before the All-Star break the New York Yankees continue to defy expectations as they find themselves atop the highly contested AL East. After going 3-4 on a road trip to Houston and Anaheim, the Yankees returned home to take two of three from the Tampa Bay Rays. The Rays along with the Blue Jays and Orioles keep jockeying for position but the Yankees keep finding a way to stay one step ahead.

The Yankee pitching staff continues to be a work in progress. Michael Pineda and Mashahiro Tanaka alternate brilliant starts with pedestrian ones. Nathan Eovaldi is iffy at best and has been the beneficiary of the buoyant Yankee offense which explains his 8-2 record with a 4.52 ERA. Ivan Nova has shown some progress in his TJ return and may be the key to the rotation succeeding. And C.C. Sabathia continues to falter. He would be best suited for long work out of the bullpen but is not a possibility because of his $24 million salary.

The Yankee offense is currently tied for 2^nd best in all of baseball along with the Houston Astros. Brian McCann, Mark Teixeira and A-Roid have been the main cogs and show no signs of slowing down. Brett Gardner is playing All-Star quality baseball and is on pace to be the first Yankee to score 100 runs since Robinson Cano in 2011. Carlos Beltran is back on the DL and may not be a reliable RF option for the long haul. And the sooner the Stephen Drew experiment ends, the better. Not sure if Jose Pirela or Rob Refsnyder is the answer at 2B but either can do better than Drew’s .178 batting average.

The bullpen is still the most reliable weapon in the Yankee arsenal, and the options will just get better with the imminent return of Andrew Miller. Justin Wilson and Chasen Shreve have improved as the season has gone on and Bryan Mitchell is developing into a depending long relief arm. And despite a recent blown save against the Rays, Dellin Betances flourishes in both the set-up and closer roles.

But the key to an AL East title is the return of a healthy Jacoby Ellsbury. Brett Gardner and Chase Headley have been able to tread water for now but the combination of Ellsbury and Gardner at the top of the Yankee lineup is formidable and necessary for October baseball in the Bronx.

The only other suggestion I would make to the organization is take notice of Chris Young’s success in Houston and trade him to the Astros. Houston needs a bat for their playoff run and the Yankees could use either Collin McHugh or Lance McCullers in the starting rotation. It would be a win-win.

The Yankees finish the first half with a pair of last-place opponents: three at home against the Oakland A’s and three in Boston against the Sawx. At some point this Yankees squad needs to open a lead in the division and there’s no time like the present, especially against these two disappointing teams.

Making a Case For 1st Place

It’s still early in the season but the Yankees are playing winning baseball at the right time. After taking two of three from the crosstown rival Mets and two of three from the divisional rival Rays, the Yankees have a one game lead with a record of 13-9 in the highly contested AL East. They face their biggest challenge of season with 30 games in 31 days, and twenty of said games being on the road.

The Yankees were dealt a blow with news of Masahiro Tanaka going back on the DL and possibly being out for a month, this time with a forearm strain. In the near future, I do not know what the Yankees can expect from Tanaka or how much they can depend on his availability – especially without Tommy John surgery. On the bright side, Chase Whitley has taken Tanaka’s spot in the rotation and won his first start of the year against the Rays.

The Yankee offense continues to hum along. The team is averaging just under 5 runs per game, is 6^th in the AL in runs, and in a 1^st place tie in home runs. A-Roid has unsurprisingly cooled off with pitchers no longer giving him a steady diet of fastballs. But Jacoby Ellsbury and Brett Gardner continue to be a speedy 1-2 punch with OBPs over .400 and a combined 14 stolen bases. Brian McCann and Chase Headley keep providing key hits and solid defense. And Chris Young is providing plenty of offense to go with a few nice plays in the outfield. I may sound like a broken record but these guys have been consistent for the last three weeks.

The starting pitching continues to be sufficient, if not overwhelming. The Yankees need to get more length from Michael Pineda, Adam Warren, and Nathan Eovaldi. And C.C. Sabathia needs to study and duplicate the tape from his performance against the Detroit Tigers. Many fans were screaming for his head after his bad outing against Mets. I say, anyone who can hold the potent Tigers’ offense at bay for 8 innings shouldn’t be overlooked.

The Yankees most reliable weapon continues to be their most tenuous one: the bullpen. Time and time again Girardi is relying on the relief squad for 9-12 outs per game. They have been exemplary thus far, especially Chris Martin who notched his first save this past week, but you can only go to the well so many times. True, Dellin Betances and Andrew Miller are currently unhittable but everyone can become human at any point and for any stretch of the season.

Up next, another series with the Sawx who are having their own issues with a complete lack of starting pitching. The Yankees have the perfect opportunity to open up a bigger lead in the division while the Red Sox hope to not fall behind to early this soon in the season.

Making a Statement in The D

The 2015 Yankees look to be hitting their stride taking three of four from the highly touted Detroit Tigers. The four game series saw the Bombers outscoring the Tigers 21-9. That’s right, not only was the offense able to average 5 runs per game in the series but Yankee pitching and defense held the potent Tiger lineup to a mere 9 runs over four games. So perhaps the Yankees are more than people thought they were and maybe the Tigers have a chink in their armor.

Starting pitching: C.C. Sabathia was the one losing Yankee pitcher despite his best effort of the young season, allowing only two runs over eight innings. Hopefully this is a turning point and omen of what we as fans can expect from the hefty lefty. Adam Warren, Mashahiro Tanaka, and especially Nathan Eovaldi were very effective keeping Tigers hitters off balance and getting out of jams with double plays galore.

Offense: While A-Roid has cooled off, plenty of other Yankees have picked up the slack. Brian McCann and Chase Headley continue to provide key hits and Mark Teixeira had a pair of home runs to maintain his powerful April. Jacoby Ellsbury scored both runs in yesterday’s victory, using his legs to steal a bag, stretch a single into a double, and cause Tiger starter Annibal Sanchez to balk him in when he was dancing off 3B in the 6^th inning. A healthy and spry Ellsbury is the perfect catalyst in the leadoff spot. And Chris Young continues to make his case to be the starting Yankee RF over the quickly aging Carlos Beltran. Also of note, the Yankees officially own David Price tagging him for 8 runs in 2+ innings on Wednesday. I don’t know if he is tipping his pitches, as suggested by the local Fox Sports broadcast, but in this game you take what you can get.

Defense: The Yankee infield turned nine DPs in the series, with a little help from Nathan Eovaldi catching a hot-liner off the bat of Yoenis Cespedes to kill a potential Tiger rally. Chase Headley is showing very sure hands at 3B fielding everything is his direction. A player like that is key for a Yankee rotation that relies on two-seam FBs and splitters. Didi Gregorius has shown he can handle the easy chances but continues to make mental errors. I still have faith and hope Yankee fans realize he’s providing much better defense than a 40 year old Captain, perish the thought.

Bullpen: The most reliable aspect of the Yankees squad continues to be their bullpen. As mentioned by me on Monday, if they have the lead after six, they win. Girardi has plenty of options with fireballers Chris Martin and David Carpenter. Additionally, lefties Justin Wilson and Chasen Shreve have the ability to get both lefties and righties out. And to make matters better, the combination of Dellin Betances and Andrew Miller might be the best 1-2 relief punch since the days of Mariano Rivera and John Wetteland.

The Yankees now stand at 9-7 and are in the hunt for the AL East. It’s early but always good to start hot than have to play catchup in June and July. A big test lies ahead in this weekend’s subway series against the upstart New York Mets. The Metropolitans see this weekend as an opportunity to A) confirm their 13-3 start and B) try to establish themselves as THE New York team in 2015. My money’s on the Yankees as always.

A Taste of Things to Come?

The real 2015 Yankees showed themselves this weekend with a three game sweep of the Tampa Bay Rays at the Trop. This is may not be sustainable over the course of the season but fans got a preview of what this year’s squad is capable of: solid starting pitching, timely hitting, and a lights-out bullpen. The offense in particular has been a welcome sight, with the Yankees averaging 5 runs per game so far this season. Last year’s offense could only manage 3.9 runs per game, when 4.5 runs would have meant a certain playoff spot. This a game of inches as well as decimal points.

Starting Pitching: Masahiro Tanaka gave the Yankees their best start of the year as he returned to 2014 form in Saturday’s 9-0 win. Tanaka was dominant and efficient, only needing 85 pitches in his 7 inning shutout effort. Michael Pineda and Adam Warren continue to struggle to provide any significant length but were bailed out by the Yankee bullpen. This is not a formula for season long success so one or both better get things figured out quickly. Again, a lot hinges on the return of a healthy Ivan Nova in June.

Offense: As a Yankee fan, how do I feel about A-Roid being the offensive star of the team? I feel like Thor trusting Loki one more time. Okay, maybe I shouldn’t compare myself to Thor. I am “Joe Asgard” trusting Loki one more time. Regardless, A-Roid leads the team batting .316 with 4 HRs and 11 RBIs. As a baseball fan I may not like his success but as a Yankee fan I do feel he should be earning his $20 million/year salary, the overrated, insecure and insincere bastard that he is.

Thankfully, A-Roid is being backed by Ellsbury and Gardner’s hot hitting starts as well as big-time hits from Brian McCann, Chase Headley, and Chris Young. Brian McCann continues to prove his worth, in front of and behind the plate. Chase Headley is quickly becoming the new Scott Brosius as a solid fielder who is prepared to hit anywhere in the lineup that Joe Girardi needs. And Chris Young is making a daily case to be the starting RF over Carlos Beltran. Sorry, Carlos but like Randy Johnson before you, you were acquired two seasons too late.

Defense: The Yankees made it through this weekend’s Tampa series without committing an error. Call Guinness. Not saying this defense will be the equivalent of the 1999 Mets, but they are a lot better than what was on display in the first 9 games.

Bullpen: If the Yanks have a lead after six, they win – plain and simple. David Carpenter, Chris Martin, Justin Wilson, Esmil Rogers, and newcomer Brandon Pinder are providing Girardi with plenty of options to get through the high leverage situations of the 5^th, 6^th, and 7^th innings. Once there, Dellin Betances and Andrew Miller are providing a 1-2 punch that usually takes three arms in Kansas City. It’s too early to see when overuse may become an issue but for now the Yankees will take what they can get.

Next up is four games with the superhot Detroit Tigers, which I can monitor closely here in my home state of Michigan. The Tigers are firing on all cylinders so I’d be happy to see a split of the four game set. I’m just glad the Yankees don’t have to face ex-mate Shane Greene because A) he’s the best pitcher on the staff at 3-0 with a 0.39 ERA and B) the less bitching I hear about the Yankees trading him as part of the deal to get the currently underperforming Didi Gregorius, the better. Didi will come around. Just be a fan.

2014 All Over Again?

It’s only 9 games into the new season but the “new look” Yankees are 3-6 and looking a lot like last year’s underperforming squad. It is way too early to start panicking but it’s also too hard ignore more of the same with adequate starting pitching, an excellent but overused bullpen, sporadic offense, and an all-around error prone defense. Anything can happen, as with any baseball season, but the Yankees may not have the luxury of an extended slow start with the other four AL East contenders showing vast improvements over last year.

The Starting Pitching: The biggest issue here is the lack of length. With the exception of C.C. Sabathia, no starter has pitched 7 innings (not to mention Sabathia’s innings not being particularly impressive). Tanaka looked better the second go-around but looks to be pitching scared with his partial torn elbow ligament. Michael Pineda, Nathan Eovaldi, and Adam Warren have all been impressive, especially Pineda, but been limited to 5 and 6 inning starts because of mounting pitch counts. And Sabathia may finally transform into a pitcher known more for his craft and guile than being a fireballer. If he can find a way to give the Yankees 200 innings at sub 4.50 ERA, that may not be worth the $25 million a year but just enough to get them over the hump. On the bright side, a healthy Ivan Nova returns in June.

The Offense: The Bronx Bombers have hit 13 HRS in 9 games, but sadly they have mostly been of the solo variety. The Yankees continue to have issues getting men on base with most of their pull heavy hitters getting eaten alive by the baseball’s shift crazy strategy. The shift works and the Yankee hitters better recognize, and soon. But all is not lost with Mark Teixeira and Jacoby Ellsbury getting off to hot starts. Texeira in particular looks like he has his home run stroke back and could be primed for 30 HRS, RBIS being dependent on base runners ahead of him. And of course the biggest surprise has been A-Roid who started off the season as the 7^th hitter in the lineup and now looks to be the answer at cleanup. It’s still early but the Yankees need to take advantage of whoever has the hot hand. Speaking of which, it may be time to bench Carlos Beltran and give the starting RF spot to the hot-hitting Chris Young. It’s hard to ignore Beltran’s contract but harder to ignore Young slugging .727 through 9 games.

The Defense: What was supposed to be a revamped defense is looking more awkward than Madonna planting one on Drake. 11 errors in 9 games has not helped the Yankees cause, especially when said defense is needed to back an already precarious starting pitching staff. Of course the 11 errors does not include the addition mental errors that have hurt the Yankees as well. The chief suspect in this matter is Didi Gregorius, who has a Batman-like spotlight shined on him as the new Yankee SS. I still have faith in Didi, as well as the rest of the Yankee defense and hope the kinks are knocked out ASAP.

The Bullpen: The one constant in the Yankees’ game since the late 90’s has been a lockdown bullpen. However, with the starting pitching not being what it was in the days of Andy Pettitte, David Cone, David Wells, and so on, the bullpen has been more and more relied on and the weight is just getting heavier. Last night’s blowup in Baltimore was just a sign of things to come with an overused bullpen. That being said, all of the new arms are welcome additions from David Carpenter to Chris Martin to Justin Wilson and are more than capable of getting the ball to the yet to be determined combo of Dellin Betances/Andrew Miller or Andrew Miller/Dellin Betances. The key, like most vices in life, is use in moderation. Of course, Joe Girardi may not have a choice as he continues to plug up as many leaks in this 2015 squad.

The Yankees have a long season ahead, longer if they don’t stay healthy. And while the 14 run explosion against the Sawx on Sunday night was a welcome sight I would not count on it to be a recurring one. So, will the real 2015 Yankees please step forward?