The Yankees won 91 games last year with almost every "variable" they needed to go well actually going well/really well.
The Red Sox won 93 games last year with remarkably few of those things going well.
The Yankees deserve the hype, but they could easily be worse than last year.
We lost Sanchez and Didi for a month, Bird for 5 months, Castro for a month, Holliday for a half season, Pineda to TJS, Betances to the yips and Chapman was dealing with shoulder issues for multiple months in between. Sevy, Montgomery and Judge reached their ceilings. It isn’t like they weren’t capable of the seasons they had. We’re healthy, have a full season lined up for Gray, Kahnle, Bird, Robertson and Stanton and our deep farm has another year of experience under their belt. Betting on a decline is a fools errand
Of course things can go wrong. The thing we have this year, like I said above, is another year of experience for the kids. Our best prospects are essentially big league ready, and we have a TON of them. When you have big league depth and then top prospect depth, you have the strength to cover for injury or poor performance. We didn't have that as much at the beginning of the yr. We had Torreyes starting every day at SS while Didi was out. We had Chris Carter as our 1b with no reliable backup until we dealt for Frazier, and then we moved Headley over there. I totally forgot to put Hicks on there as he missed half a season, and we had to rely on Smellsbury to cover half a season worth of ABs. Outside of catcher, we now have top prospect level coverage for all spots on the roster. We did not have that last yr.
At catcher, we have Romine and Higashioka. Higashioka's ceiling offensively is higher, but he was overmatched last yr in his debut. Romine is a defensive guy who cant hit
At 1b, we can start Tyler Austin there, who at the very least, destroys left handed pitching. If Bird misses significant time, Walker can move from 2b to 1b and platoon with Austin
At 2b, we have Wade and Torres to back up should Walker suck, get hurt or move off position. Drury can also slide over to 2b
At SS, we have Wade and Torres to back up Didi
At 3b, we have Andujar, Torres, Wade or Walker who can backup Drury
In LF, we have Stanton who can move out from the DH spot. In terms of minor league depth, we have Frazier and McKinney
In CF, if Hicks goes down, we probably move Gardner to CF. Ellsbury can back up as well. Frazier can play CF, but he is not a true CFer
In RF, Stanton can move out from DH to take RF. Also, Frazier and McKinney can cover
At DH, should Stanton get hurt, I anticipate Andujar or Austin would step up there
In the rotation, we have German, Cessa, Adams, Sheffield and Acevedo literally sitting in AAA waiting
In the pen, Holder, Coshow, Heller and Feyereisen are ready with any of the above starters capable of slotting in
Outside of catcher, we have top prospect level capability or true MLB capable veteran depth. This cannot last forever, clearly, but it is impressive to say the least
Last edited by jacksonianmarch; 03-22-2018 at 08:38 AM.
Hal sucks
This is what is called *potential*. Baseball history is littered with teams with great potential and teams with little potential that overperformed. Like most teams, the Yankees are an injury or two to a key player away from another second place finish (or worse). I am confident that the Sox team, as currently constructed, will be competitive all year as long as they stay relatively healthy.
Every team is one or two injuries away from falling off a cliff (Sorry about this expression, I know some people in the forum is very sensitive with the word "cliff". lol), Jack's post is more about depth than potential. For me the thing that I worry the most is what some people call "the sophomore slump", but is part of life in every young player.
No offense but I think "Jack" does a pretty good job of trying to convince Red Sox nation to be concerned about everything while tending to make it seem as though the Yankmees are just awesome from Cashman on down. I think that we are looking at two very talented teams. I don't share "Jack's" concerns for the Boston Red Sox moving forward. I think that we will be just fine.
You apparently haven’t been around the past few years. This is my first real optimistic season at the outset in years.
If everyone stays healthy, I think the Yankees roster is built with a better offense, much better bullpen and a deeper rotation. If everyone doesn’t stay healthy, then we have both big league veteran depth and top prospect depth waiting. What’s your depth? Let’s look
C- currently Vazquez is the starter. Leon the backup. Swihart might play in.
1B- Moreland and Hanley to platoon. Travis behind them
2B- Nunez to start. Pedroia should return soon. Behind them is a conglomerate of suck
SS- Bogaerts to start. Nunez can play but only after Pedey returns and is a massive defensive minus. Marrero, Lin and Holt can play but offer nothing offensively
3B- Devers to start, but the same cavalcade of misfits behind him
OF- JD can run out there yet he has been the worst OFer in baseball the past few seasons and gets hurt if you look at him cross eyed. If you choose to keep JD as is (very part time OFer) you’re looking at Holt covering LF and Beni moving to cover CF or RF. If Beni is hurt, Holt to LF.
On the mound, you’re depth is already tested.
Top 5 should be good
Sale
Price
Pom
Porcello
ERod
Beyond them,
Wright hasn’t been good aside from a half season in 2016
Johnson has been AAAA level for awhile
Velasquez is similar to Johnson but worse
Beeks? Bleh!
No real top prospects ready to step in. Retreads ready to pitch. One sided players backing up. Nunez helped your versatility but that’s assuming Pedey comes back strong. If injuries strike both sides, we’ve got far more depth to handle it.