YankeesRedSox.com

2nd day of spring for us here, my 10 yr old had his 2nd baseball practice of the spring this morning. My arm is tired (batting practice pitcher for the team) and gotta go out again tomorrow afternoon.

I'm jealous BL, it's still winter up here.

it cooled down this weekend, we were right at 70 a couple of days during the week, were mid-50's pushing 60 today :)

The Yanks have some big questions this year. Here are a few as I see them (more or less in order of decreasing significance):

How will Posada hold up? We have no way of knowing if he can catch 110 games this year. This is my biggest concern. I agree with you Peter that we need a better insurance policy. I'm not sure anything is available, though.

How will A-Rod deal with the PEDs controversy? He needs to be comfortable tp produce. I think the media circus and fan hostility (mostly on the road) will hurt his performance. His is not a thick skin. He needs to start off strongly, and avoid prolonged slumps, or playing at home will be no bargain, either. It is all too easy to imagine a scenario where the combination of fan hostility and a desperate attempt to prove he can produce leads to a mediocre or even miserable season.

Does Cano bounce back? The Yanks desperately need him to bear down and focus. I fear that while he will improve on 2008 (which isn't saying much), but we will get slightly less than 2005-2007. He must step it up this year. Someone has got to keep on top of him and keep him focused. If Girardi can't do that, then it's fair to ask why he deserves to be the manager.

How will CC hold up? I really don't think he wanted to be here. I think he would have taken a lesser offer from LA or SF, say $120 million. I think he'll ultimately have a pretty good season, but one that will disappoint compared to the hoopla and the contract. He's not going to put up last year's numbers, not in the AL East. And he will be constantly compared to Santana. I believe Santana will have the better season. I also believe he'll bolt after 3 seasons, if the economy has picked up.

What can we expect offensively out of CF? I am not at all optimistic.

How will AJ hold up? The guy is rarely healthy for a full year. I'll believe we can get a full quality year out of him when I see it.

Will Jeter bounce back? I think part of the issue last year was injuries, so I am cautiously optimistic that 2009 will be better. But then again, as players get older, injuries become more frequent. His overall trend the last 2 years is not reassuring.

How will Damon do? I am expecting a regression relative to last year. It needs to be kept to a minimum.

How will Matsui do? His recent comments notwithstanding, I think the Yanks need to keep him out of the OF. He's not up to it anymore. I think if the Yanks do that, they'll get pretty good offensive production out of him.

Is Joba going to be an effective, healthy starter? I used to think making him a starter was the best option. Now, I am not so sure.

Is this the year Hughes gives us some innings, cosnsitency and health? The potential is obviously there; the question is how much of it can be realized. He'll improve over last year (how can he not?); I'm thinking 13-12, 4.50 ERA.

What can be expected out of RF? Swisher has a lot to prove. Nady had a career year, but can be a FA at the end of the year. I think we'll be OK (but just OK) in RF.

How does Tex handle the pressure? He'll probably press initially, but I'm sure by season's end he'll have put up his typical numbers. I just hope the short porch in RF doesn't seduce him into bad habits.

How bad are the after-effects, if any, of Mo's surgery? I'm betting that the impact on his season statistics will be minimal, that the inevitable effects of aging will not be minimal, and that the decline phase of his career will be gradual, rather than dramatic. In other words, I'm betting on a pretty good year from Mo. He's a freak of nature.

My overall take is that the Yanks have too many question marks. I frankly see them winning 92-94 games, which I don't think will be enough to secure the wild card. In the AL East, you had better win 96 to have hopes of making the playoffs. Fortunately for the Yanks, the Red Sox are no spring chickens either, and have some significant health concerns of their own. I don't see the Rays winning 97 games again, but they'll definitely be there. I see Smoltz as having the potential to be a huge difference-maker. I wish he hadn't gone over to the Sox. He brings so much to the table, on the field and in the clubhouse. One my absolute favorites of this generation (and, despite his good press, I actually think he is underappreciated -- a hands-down, first-ballot HOFer in my book).

The way Smoltz will teach the young guys (Masterson, Paplebon, Buchy, Lester) will be icing on the cake for whatever he delivers on the mound, which I believe will be significant.

I still believe Manny will be signed by the Yankees for 2 years $50m. You need it to fill some of those questions you mentioned Greg. Too nice a fit with the revenge on the Sox factor and that he came from NY.

BL,

I don't doubt for a moment what Manny would bring to the table offensively. Anybody crazy enough to sign him to a 2-year contract deserves whatever they get. You have to keep him year-to-year so he stays motivated. I think he goes back to the Dodgers. He would be a great pick up offensively for the Yanks, but he creates a logjam in the OF, the Yanks are already a poor defensive team and I don't like his attitude. I sincerely hope nobody signs him and he sits at home and stews. What he did last year was disgraceful.

BL,

I don't doubt for a moment what Manny would bring to the table offensively.

Anybody crazy enough to sign him to a 2-year contract deserves whatever they get. You have to keep him year-to-year so he stays motivated. I think he goes back to the Dodgers. He would be a great pick up offensively for the Yanks, but he creates a logjam in the OF, the Yanks are already a poor defensive team and I don't like his attitude. I sincerely hope nobody signs him and he sits at home and stews. What he did last year was disgraceful.

Typo up above. Referring to Mo, I meant to write:
. . . that the inevitable effects of aging will be minimal . . .

I did not mean to sneak that extra not in there.

Sorry for the confusion.