Could the Yankees be This Year’s Red Sox?

Before
we go any further, let me state for the record, on March 8, that I am
not declaring that I think the Yankees will be world champions in
2014. Not yet, anyway. But it’s never too early to start examining
the possibilities.

Last
year, I was one of the few people (possibly the only one outside the
Red Sox organization) that picked Boston to win it all. It took a
thorough examination of their personnel and perhaps a slight homage
to the law of averages. This year, the Yankees are coming off just
their second non-playoff season since 1993. Following their other
rare miss in 2008, they reloaded as only the Yankees do and won the
World Series in 2009.

The
Bronx Bombers have undergone a relatively large makeover this
offseason. Much attention has been paid to the retirements of Mariano
Rivera and Andy Pettitte (and the pending retirement of Derek Jeter
after this season), the season-long suspension of Alex Rodriguez, and
the free-agent departures of Robinson Cano, Curtis Granderson, and
Boone Logan. Those are major hurdles to clear, without a doubt. But
if any team can overcome such challenging obstacles, it’s the
Yankees. Once again, owner Hal Steinbrenner has opened his checkbook
and let general manager Brian Cashman go to work.

Exit
the aforemention names and enter Carlos Beltran, Jacoby Ellsbury,
Brian McCann, Brian Roberts, Matt Thornton, and, oh yeah, a hyped
Japanese import named Masahiro Tanaka. Include the return of
Francisco Cervelli (50-game suspension) and Mark Teixeira and Michael Pineda
(injuries), and the Yankees have done more than adequately
patch their roster holes.

But
just as intriguing as all of their prized acquisitions are their core
players. One of the highlights of their 85-77, tied-for-third-place
finish in the AL East in 2013 was the opportunity afforded to a
number of young players that otherwise may not have seen the field.
These are players that now have some experience under their belt and
provide the Yankees with some much-needed depth. That five letter
word – depth – was so instrumental in driving the Red Sox to a
title a year ago.

Offensively, many wonder how the Yankees will be able to overcome the losses of Cano, Granderson and Rodriguez and still put up runs the way they have in the past. The element of their lineup that could elevate them is their speed. Ellsbury and Brett Gardner are two of the American League’s best base-stealers, and their presence at the top of the lineup could provide them a similar spark to the one that Ellsbury, Shane Victorino and Dustin Pedroia had while forming an unconventional 1-2-3 in Boston’s lineup in 2013. (Also, don’t sleep on Alfonso Soriano after the scorching start he had to the reincarnation of his Yankees career after a midseason trade from the Cubs.)

There
will be a large spotlight shining on 28-year-old David Robertson this
season as he attempts to fill some major shoes in Rivera’s as the
Yankee closer, but Robertson should be well-equipped to handle the
role. He has cut his teeth as Rivera’s setup man since 2010, emerging
as a dominant reliever with a nearly-unhittable curveball and a
cutter that would make Mo proud. Whether he possesses the mental
toughness to handle the role remains to be seen, but all indications
point to Robertson making the transition quite smoothly.

The
starting rotation justifiably enters 2014 with its share of
questions. CC Sabathia is coming off arguably the worst season of his
career, and Hiroki Kuroda hasn’t lost a step but is 39 years old.
Tanaka has the potential to dazzle but has never pitched in a Major
League game. Ivan Nova has “no ceiling,” at least in McCann’s opinion, but has not consistently produced as a starter for
an entire season. But Pineda could be the true wild card. The 6’7”
right-hander was once considered the gem of the Mariners’ farm system
before being traded to New York, where injuries have derailed his
path to greatness. Last season was a lost one for Pineda, but he has
gotten off to a strong start this spring, and if he comes anywhere
close to what he is expected to be as a No. 5 starter, the Yankees
could be in serious business with their starting pitching.

In
the bullpen, bridging the gap to Robertson may not be as challenging
as it seems. Even with Logan gone, veteran southpaw Matt Thornton,
who earned a World Series ring with the Red Sox last year, will pick
up the slack. Youngsters David Phelps, Adam Warren and Preston
Claiborne all showed flashes last season, while veteran Shawn Kelley
proved valuable despite an inauspicious track record with the
Mariners. Prospects Dellin Betances and Mark Montgomery have
potential but their roles are undefined. Youth can always spell
disaster but it also provides excitement; by the same token, because
of injuries, ineffectiveness, etc., in 2013, Phelps, Warren and
Claiborne now have had a taste of the big leagues and will benefit
from that “trial by fire,” if you will.

From
a managerial standpoint, the American League East may feature the
best array of skippers in baseball. A major reason for that is Joe
Girardi, who was shortchanged in the Manager of the Year voting last
season after guiding a team that was at times full of castoffs to 85
wins. Girardi earned instant credibility for winning the honors in
his debut season with the Marlins in 2006 and is as adept at handling
adversity and change as anyone in baseball and is ready to tackle the
challenges of a team that will look vastly different in 2014 than it
did a year ago. That is an intangible quality not to be taken
lightly.

While
the Yankees have some talented company in their division – they
still have to dethrone the reigning world champs, after all – it is
hard to imagine there isn’t some mystique left in the pinstripe
uniforms, especially in the swan song season of one of the
franchise’s all-time greats in Jeter. Competitive balance appears to
be as robust as ever, but the Yankees taking consecutive playoff
absences is almost unfathomable. One guarantee I can make on March 8
is that they will return to the postseason. Whether they become “this
year’s Red Sox” will be determined at a later date. But don’t be
surprised if it happens. And, once again, remember where you heard it
first.