Blyleven: The Yankees have doled out $423 million this offseason on free agents CC Sabathia, Mark Teixeira and A.J. Burnett. Tons of money well spent? Maybe, but coughing up all the cash does not make manager Joe Girardi's club a lock to make the playoffs.
Remember that while some big names have been added, other players prominent to the Yankees' success have left, most notably Mike Mussina, Andy Pettitte, Bobby Abreu and Jason Giambi. Between them Mussina and Pettitte won 34 games last season. Abreu batted .296 with 20 home runs and 100 RBI and Giambi had 32 home runs and 96 RBI.
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So the big question: Have the Yankees improved enough at this point to pass the Red Sox and Rays? If not, what do they have to do?
Actually, the only player there who ever contributed to Yankee success was Pettitte, and there is still a slight chance that he returns. I really like Moose, but the Yankees won three World Series the three years prior to his arrival and they've won zero since. That's not his fault alone, but he certainly hasn't helped the Yanks win it all either. Giambi and Abreu are another two with zero rings between them.
I think the Rays regress a little bit this year. They were an extremely healthy team last year, and that luck rarely comes twice. Bill James also has this plexiglass principle, where performance spikes are often followed by performance relapses, aka regression to the mean. You can see this in action for teams like the 2005 White Sox and 2007 Rockies, teams who came out of nowhere eventually reverted back to nowhere. The Rays are a good team, but it's just highly unlikely that everything falls into place for a second straight year. They won't revert back to a 70 win team, but I can see them topping out in the 85 win range this year.
The Red Sox on the other hand are about to experience life without Manny, and perhaps even life without the Big Pappi they've all come to know and love. Something is wrong when JD Drew is the highest paid player on the team.
So in the end, I don't think the Yankees team has improved so much from last year to this as they have ensured that their performance will at least maintain its current level, while I think the Red Sox and Rays will likely slip a little.
Who cares.....they're the Yankees and as we are firmly convinced here in Red Sox nation, the Yankees suck.
Red Sox nation is a joke, you moron. Plus I'm firmly convinced you are an idiot.
They've replaced some big names with other big names that may/may not do any better.
The presence of question marks are obvious until after the season is underway.
the only way Jim Rice should enter the Hall is to buy a ticket.
Defence, Defence, Defence!
...Catcher? ...Luv Posoda. ..Great Clutch Hitter. ..Too many passed balls. ..Needs extra Rest.
... Robinson at 2nd. ..Daydreams at times? Clutch hitter! (hope he's not on Roids??)
....3rd. base? A'Rod? ..Too Bulkey. ..reacts to slow for that position. ..Gotta lose weight. ..Should be in the Outfield. ..Strong arm! ..Should master the BUNT just to keep the oposition honest. ..Mickey could do it, why not him? ..Roids? He's still juiced!
...Outfield?? We got the clutch bats, but Where's the Arms??
..Pitching? ..GREAT! ..Good pitching NEEDS good defence, defence, DEFENCE!