Pitchers & Catchers report today
-Pettitte has until Monday to report
-Joba starting out in the bullpen
-I predict 90 wins and out of the playoffs
-Still really looking forward to the season to watch the young guns pitch

I see 'em winning it all in 2009 when those young guns get a little more seasoning...

Really looking forward to Girardi pushing the buttons instead of Torre. I'll take a little bit more managing between the lines in place of all the lovey dovey stuff Torre was so good at. These guys are pros. They don't need to be coddled.

Pretty cool Yankee blog to follow all spring training news

http://yankees.lhblogs.com/

Just an outstanding blog here by Peter Abraham. It's been my one stop shop for all things Yankees this offseason.

Division hopes here......

Out of the playoffs?

to me, Pettite and Mussina are the key, and thats a very, very scary proposition. They don't to be lights out with the yankee offense. However, I have a hard time seeing the yankees winning the division unless they get close to 380 innings with a sub 4 ERA out of those two. The bull pen wont hold up otherwise with Kennedy and Hughes still being limited.

Obviously the Yankees could have a much different lineup, but of the players on the roster currently, by that time they would be . . .

Mussina 40
Rivera 39
Posada 38
Giambi 38
Pettitte 37
Hawkins 36
Jeter 35
Abreau 35
Damon 35
Matsui 35
A-Rod 34
Pavano 33
Farnsworth 33
Molina 33

Yes, they have some potential with younger players . . . but the core of that team looks pretty old. (And IIRC guys like Wang are slated to be a free agent by then.)

2009 is next year... Mussina, Giambi, Pettitte, Abreu, Pavano, and Farnsworth will all be free agents and probably gone opening up a TON of free agent money. Wang still has 2 years of arbitration left after this year.

Please stick to football analysis

What di I CLEARY say . . . that the Yankees could have a much different lineup in 2009. I also said the EXISTING core of players is getting old. Are you disagreeing with me on either of those statements?

Sure, they will either have a bucnh of new players or they will re-sign a bunch of guys nearing or in their mid-30s (in conjunction with some (currently) less proven guys.

IMO, that's a lot of "what ifs" or "questions unanswered" to be able to have some true insight to who will be the key players for NYY in 2009. On that list I just cited, there are 2-3 starting pitchers, their closer, C, 1B, SS, 3B, and 3 OF. Basically . . . the main core of their team.

I'm not saying that they COULDN'T win, but we need a lot more info on how their roster will be configured before I would even attempt to assess their chances in 2009.

On that list, of the guys you listed that are actually old (older than 35) that are the core of their team are Posada and Rivera. Everyone else you listed is easily replaceable (Hawkins? Pavano? Farnsworth?) or still not too old. (Example listing ARod?)

And you also listed a bunch of free agents who wont be on their team next year so why even mention them? If you wanted to make your point, you couldve simply said that you like their young players but you will withhold judgement until next offseason to see what free agents they sign with all the money coming off the books. (IMO they'll try to sign Teixeira & Sabathia).

98 wins, ALCS champs and a heck of a World Series.

Alex will be MVP again. Girardi gets nod for coach of the year. Giambi does not have a limb fall off trying to field a ball at first.

Bottom line, the 2009 Yankees will be comprised of some combination of:

- Older guys that they could chose to re-sign or pass on (so tough to know who those might be)
- Guys that are not quite as old but are geting into their 30s (may or may not equate to injuries or less playing time)
- Guys that may be free agents that they sign from other teams (who we have no idea who they are)
- Guys that don't have a lot of experience (so we have to see how they do from now until then).

If that gives us a lot of insight into their chances, then sure, I love them. Again, I am not saying they will be 70-90, 90, 70, or 100-60. All I'm saying is that there are probably more question marks on the Yankees than other potential contenders.

OPTOMISTIC OUTLOOK:
- Guys in their 30s stay healthy and continue to contribute
- Young guys all mature and turn into all stars
- Free agents all come in and hit 40 HRs or have 2.00 ERAs

PESSIMISTIC OUTLOOK
- Older guys stick around and start to lose it or get hurt
- Younger guys don't develop as quickly as possible (specifically their pitchers)
- They don't get the free agents they want or the guys they bring in underachieve

I suggest that the answer may well be somewhere in the middle but certainly there are no firm conclusions to make at this point. A-Rod and Jeter should still be very solid in 2009. And I think Cano should again be strong. But there are some questions at 2 OF spots, DH, 1B, C, SP, and CL (Joba should fill one of those last two). Cabrera has been decent so far and one would expect him to improve . . . but that's anyone's guess at this point.

Red Sox fan?

Why didn't we go out and spend a crap load of money and sign players like we normally do?

Mussina has been my favorite pitcher for a long time, but I don't understand slotting him ahead of Hughes. Is this just a matter of showing a veteran respect?

"Hughes is scheduled to throw an inning against the University of South Florida on Friday. He will then start against Toronto on March 4. The Yankees are lining him up to be the No. 4 starter behind Chien-Ming Wang, Andy Pettitte and Mike Mussina."

http://www.lohud.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article...60316/-1/SPORTS

I watched Hughes pitch yesterday and he was just ridiculous.
The ball was exploding out of his hand and he didn't even look like he was trying. Him & Pettite threw BP after and he was almost unhittable.

I was awestruck. He'll be better than Santana THIS year.

Alot of people said Hughes will never be as good as Santana. But I think many are starting to feel that theres a very good chance of him becoming the best pitcher in baseball in the next few years. Im just excited to see.

Mussina does stink and I think Pettitte has a decent year.

They will battle Boston for the division as usual but worst case scenario they should still be able to sneak in as the wild card. NY, Boston, Detroit and Cleveland will fight for those 3 playoff spots. Nearly 1/4 of your schedule against Tampa and Baltimore has to count for something.

TB should not be the bottom feeder that they have been. And IIRC, the Yanks were barely over .500 against both the Rays and Orioles last year.

They were about .500 against them last year but I believe that a lot of those losses were early in the seaon when the Yankees were really struggling (I remember they were swept in a short series against Tampa). If these young pitchers can stay healthy and keep up their good mojo from last year the Yankees will be in it until the end.

If the Mariners and Angels beat up on the A's and Rangers all year, don't rule out the possibility of both of those teams making the playoffs.

Was the gun on him?

DY, things can change real fast with free agency and rookies. Jose Tabata and Austin Jackson might be ready in 2009/2010. Not worth looking out more than 1 year, but you make decisions with the future in mind (if that makes sense)

This is what they said all along. I think only an injury would have changed things

Game will be delayed due to rain

Do they think they will get the game in?

Tomorrow is supposed to be worse. They think itll clear up and they should be able to get the game in sometime this afternoon.

According to BTN: 2PM start time

postponed

Wish I didnt leave work early

Makeup tomorrow at 7PM.

Paul Oneil is excruciating to listen to.

I agree.

Cant ask for a better opener than that. Great starting pitching by Wang. Good plays by Melky in CF. Clutch HR by Melky and Joba and Rivera close out the game.

Amazing game!!! As soon as I left the stadium it started pouring!!

Melky!!

I've grown to like Melky in center. The key this season is our starters stay healthy and can giving us 6 or 7 solid innings so we can turn the game over to Joba and Rivera.

I have man feelings for Joba.

I love the Joba fist pump.

The funny thing about the Melky plays back to back was he didnt have to jump for the first one and I dont think he had to dive for the second. That being said they were both good plays. I at people who say hes a bad CFer.

I have man love for Cano, Joba, and Hughes. Oh and anyone else think Abreu is gonna have an absolutely monster season? Dare I say MVP candidate.

Welcome

I don't know if I would go that far, but I do think he will have a great season. He is a lot slimmer than he was last year, and hopefully in better shape. I am hoping and praying and doing voodoo spells so that Mussina will have a good year. He goes tonight...

Mussina vs Burnett. yikes. Burnett usually dominates vs us.

Abreu would be an MVP candidate on any other team. The problem with him is that he will always get overshadowed by what AROD does. I don't think that a .320, 120 RBI, 30HR, and 30 SB season is not out of the reach for him though. The problem is that if he hits .320 and Jeter just hits for his career average AROD could be in for another 155-160 RBI season.

Editited to add the word not.

Well you just gotta tip your hat last night. Burnett just dominated which he usually does against us. Mussina wasnt awful wasnt good.

Mussina was playing with fire last night. He's just not good anymore.

Wait. Were you serious?

Abreu is overshadowed by Arod becasue Arod is 100 times the player he is.

Last year

Abreu .283 .369 .445 114+ 16HR 101RBI

Arod .314 .422 .645 177+ 54HR 156RBI


Abreu was fortunate to get any votes for MVP last year. He is a good player, no doubt, but he is no MVP candidate.