World Champion Sox Look To Repeat

One of the coolest things about last years team, was it wasn't a "boom or bust" roster. There was only one major player headed to free agency (Ellsbury) and although it goes without saying that leaves a hole, it could have been much, much worse. It usually is, after all, with Championship teams. A key pitcher, a hole left by trading top prospects, a middle of the order bat. The issues are usually pretty glaring.

 

Not so for these Sox.

 

In some areas, they may actually be better. I would argue that their bullpen looks better than last year (more minor league depth, proven closer). Their starting pitching could be deeper, especially if Buckholz gets through the whole season. Right there, they would be better I think. And the younger players in the lineup are seasoned enough to be quite productive. In theory.

 

Problem is, they don't play these games on paper.

 

 

Obstacles to Repeating

After years of really getting bit by the injury bug, last year was basically trouble free. Well, at least for the line up it was trouble free. Basically your backup catcher missed half the season, and some guys played through some stuff, but the starting 1-9 was there at the end, looking little different than they did at the start. Chances of that happening again? Slim and none.

 

This is a tough group, no doubt. Ellsbury, Pedroia, Ross, Salty, Victorino, all had well publicized injuries that they played through. I think Lester had some dead arm in the second half. And I'm sure there were others. But injuries happen to ball players, and two years in a row without a guy out for good sounds too optimistic to me. Ortiz and Napoli are prime candidates. AJ Pierzynski has been durable, but he's got lots of grey hair (figuratively) and is a concern. There's no real replacement for any of those guys either - Mike Carp may return to his historical numbers, Ortiz is irreplaceable, and catchers are hard to come by.

 

And it's not like the Rays imploded either. They will be tough again, and maybe better than last year. I will be anxious to scout them this year, and figure out if they have the bats to make them the favorites in the division.

 

 

Yankees a Mess; but probably an Improved Mess

 

 

Every once in a while, I wonder who's 8-year-old is running the Yankees. This is one of those years. As if they didn't have enough old players to unload, they figured they pick up a few more. And the players they got that aren't old, will sure as hell be old by the time their contracts are up. The best thing to happen to them is A-rods full suspension, but that will only serve to get the juices really flowing in 2015. Count on him being a constant distraction all year.  They are going to be paying hiim 20 million Plus to sit on the bench in 2015, and I can't wait.

 

Don't get me wrong. McCann is a very good catcher - and they needed one - but there aren't many that can match Posada's durability. Paying all that money to someone who won't be able to catch everyday (or shouldn't catch everyday) is very risky. And the Yankees had better hope he is the "answer" at catcher, a position that has been gloriously suspect of late.

 

Ellsbury makes sense; at least for now. he improves every team, and they won't have to worry about his contract for a while. Players seem to get hurt less often in the confines of Yankee stadium, so he should be fine.

 

Oh man, though, do they have issues. They have no one to play third (no one who can hit), Jeter may be optimistic, but I can't say the same. It's not clear to me Nova is a number 3 starter, let alone who are they going to plug in to four and five. And at long last, a season without Rivera. With his typical perfect grace and timing, he seemed to know his arm was out of gas, and left if not on top, quite near it. Robertson is a very, very, good pitcher. But there may never be another like Rivera, whose consistancy and durablity may never have another likeness. First ballot HOF when the time comes, I've no doubt.

 

Giradi and Cashman will both be tested this year, but as in last year, the Yankees look to me like a house of cards, and if a few fall from the bottom, so will they out of the standings. I'd rather have the Orioles roster and contracts than the Yankees, and I'm sure Cashman probably thinks that way too sometimes. Make no mistake, they are jammed up at too many positions and already chock full of contracts that they can't move. Should be fun to watch!!