The Yankees family is together for another wild ride of storylines and ups and downs, but that's about the extent of news worth mentioning in camp until the games start. So, to buy some time and have some fun, here are some predictions I believe for the upcoming season:
- As I've stated before, Nick Swisher will produce around the same level as Xavier Nady. Nady will hit for average and as a result will start in right field, but it wouldn't surprise me if Swisher finished within 100 at bats off the bench.
- Joba Chamberlain can outeat CC Sabathia. If they ever had a competition, I'm certain Joba is an "eat and get fat" type of guy and Sabathia is a "this is my body structure" enormous fat man. Then there's Prince Fielder.
- A-Rod will hit 40+ homeruns and drive in 110+ RBI. This takes into account his mental state all season and the risk of being suspended if anyone can prove he did steroids after 2003, which I doubt.
- Derek Jeter will hit over .300. A lot is usually exposed in the media when a star player plays hurt all year, but in Jeter's case it almost never is unless it's October. Jeter doesn't make excuses for himself so I'm not about to either, but it's hard to consistently hit when you have a hand injury from May-September. Now that Daniel Cabrera is out of the division, I think his hands should be OK this year.
- Jorge Posada will make his quota of 110 games, but won't catch much more than that. I think this year the catcher position of the future will really get interesting. Austin Romine is in AA and they won't want to rush him. Jose Molina is an excellent backup, but any injury to another star hitter in the lineup and Molina's lack of offense will be exposed. Might the Yankees do what they did last year and trade from a strength (last year it was their bullpen) to get a rental catcher? Will someone rise from out of nowhere? Can the maturity of Cervelli play a hand? Will Kevin Cash have an impact? The next two years at this position are going to be very interesting.
- Nick Swisher, CC Sabathia, and Mark Teixeira's attitudes will make a positive impact on the team, especially during times of struggle.
- One of Tex and Cano will get off to a slow start, the media will run with it, and they both will have successful seasons (Cano over .300, Tex over 30 home runs).
- Brett Gardner will be the starting center fielder and will remain with the team all year, though not necessarily as a starter.
- The bullpen will get younger and will be a strength for the Yankees this season. People who think it will suffer because nothing was added and Chamberlain is starting are missing the facts. The Yankees need a low-cost ace for the future more than they need a set-up man and heir to Rivera, especially while Rivera is still here. It's easier to operate from a strength in the rotation and using that to aid a weak bullpen than vice versa. The fact the Yankees managed to trade Farnsworth during the stretch run should tell you all you have to know about the Yankees' bullpen. Not having an intimidating "name" means nothing if the players perform. Just look at the Padres if you don't believe me.
- If A-Rod is out for 50 or more games and Manny is not signed - well, you put two and two together. Then it will be goodbye Hideki Matsui, Melky Cabrera and Ian Kennedy in a package deal.
- A-Rod will hit a couple of big home runs at Fenway, but will be hitless in at least his first two games there this season.
- Hideki Matsui will be healthy all year after mostly being the DH.
- CC Sabathia won't win more than 17 games and Chien-Ming Wang will once again win the most games for the Yankees this season. This will cause critics to say Sabathia is a bust, Wang isn't an ace because Sabathia had a lower ERA and that the Yankees suck...Until they realize New York will have three 15-game winners in the rotation.
- One of Chamberlain, Pettitte and Burnett will be worse than their projections, one will be about right and the last will exceed expectations.
- I will attend at least two games in the new Yankee stadium.
- Hughes and Kennedy will both be better than last year, which isn't saying much. Hughes will be much better, Kennedy only marginally.
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