This has been a strange and unusual offseason for the New York Yankees. No high-profile free agent signings, no big trades, and an abnormal number of questions and concerns going into the 2011 season. There is no doubt that the Yankees are getting older and the pitching rotation is paper thin. Yankees fans have also watched the Boston Red Sox make huge free agent signings, bringing in Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford, undoubtedly the best free agent haul in baseball. That being said, there are many reasons for optimism and Yankees fans should continue to expect nothing less than a 28th World Series ring in 2011. Below, I give six reasons why Yankees fans should be pumped for 2011:
The 2010 Yankees won 95 games
In large part, this is the same Yankees team that won 95 games and finished with the 3rd best regular season record in all of baseball. The vast majority of the 2010 team is back in 2011. Players that the Yankees are not bringing back include Javier Vazquez, Austin Kearns, Lance Berkman, Marcus Thames, and Kerry Wood. The second coming of Vazquez ended pretty much like the first one, in major disappointment and utter frustration with his inability to perform in New York. The Yankees got nothing out of Vazquez in 2010, so it is not a major loss. Berkman and Kearns were disappointing mid-season acquisitions and will not be missed in 2011. I still believe the Yankees will re-sign Marcus Thames as a 4th outfielder. Thames did have some huge Home Runs for the Yankees in 2010 and was directly responsible for at least a few of the team’s wins. However, Thames is NOT a critical part of the Yankee roster. Kerry Wood is the biggest departure, but he simply did not want to be a Yankee, turning down millions to return to the Cubs. The major question mark for 2011 is whether Andy Pettite returns. His return is critical and will dictate whether the 2011 Yankees are a clear World Series contender or not.
The core Yankees are all back in 2011; Jeter, A-rod, Cano, Texiera, Granderson, Sabathia, Hughes, Swisher, and Mo. Look for Jeter and Granderson to have bounce-back years in 2011. For the first time in his career, Jeter is working on his swing the entire offseason with hitting coach Kevin Long. I truly believe that Jeter was embarrassed by his 2010 stats and will be more motivated than ever to rebound. Yankees fans only got a small taste of Curtis Granderson’s potential in 2010; he struggled early on and after making a late-season adjustment to his swing, was on fire for the remainder of the regular season and postseason. Mark my words, Granderson will hit over 30 home runs in 2011 and will be the top Yankees outfielder. Another Yankee due for a bounce back is AJ Burnett. Burnett is truly the key to the Yankees success and I expect him to win at least 15 games this year. The Yankees brought in a new pitching coach to work specifically with Burnett. While he did have an awful and inconsistent year in 2010, Burnett still has an elite pitching arsenal and will get back to being one of the game’s best in 2011. If Burnett performs up to expectations, there is no reason to believe that the Yankees rotation can’t improve this year.
Don’t forget that the 2010 Yankees scored the most runs in baseball, scoring over 40 runs more than the team behind them. The Yankees also hit the third most Home Runs in the league. With basically the same offensive team intact, the Yankees will most certainly be in the top 5 in the league in runs scored and Home Runs, and those type of numbers win games.
The AL East is a Weaker Division in 2011
There is no doubt that the Red Sox are stronger in 2011, than they were in 2010. However, they are NOT a better team than the Yankees. Yes, the Red Sox picked up Crawford and Gonzalez, which will undoubtedly make their offense better. What the national media fails to mention is that the Red Sox lost Adrian Beltre and Victor Martinez. Beltre had a monster season in 2010, smashing 28 home runs and batting .321 with 102 RBIs. Victor Martinez is among the league’s elite catchers. Basically, the Red Sox replaced two great players with two great players.
For the past several seasons, the Tampa Bay Rays have been an even greater nemesis than the Red Sox. In 2011, the Rays will finish behind the Blue Jays in the AL East. There is no way they can rebound from their horrific offseason, losing Matt Garza, Carl Crawford, Carlos Pena, and Rafael Soriano among others.
Cliff Lee is in the National League
Need I say more, the Yankees road to the World Series is that much easier. Lee has been a Yankee killer and it is great news that he is out of the American League.
Exciting New Prospects
For the first time since 1998, the Yankees will have a new full-time catcher, with Jorge Posada being moved to DH. While the Yankees did sign Russell Martin to compete for the job, I fully expect Jesus Montero, one of the highest-rated prospects in all of baseball (ranked 4th overall by Baseball America), to take over the full-time job by the All-Star break. One of the major reasons I was vehemently opposed to the Yankees efforts in 2010 to trade for Cliff Lee was that Montero would have to be part of the deal. Montero is the Yankees future and has been compared to Mike Piazza by many baseball scouts. Montero has the potential to be an elite hitting force for the Yankees as he hit 21 Home Runs and 75 RBIs for the Yankees Triple-A affiliate in only 123 games. Over a 162 game season, Montero has the ability to hit over 30 home runs and drive in over 100 RBIs. The Yankees became a dynasty in the late ‘90s and early 2000s by building through their farm system, brining up home grown talent like Mo, Jeter, Pettite, and Posada. I have a strong belief that Montero will have a similar impact for the Yankees in 2011, as Derek Jeter had in 1996.
Another elite prospect to look out for is Manuel Banuelos, a left-handed pitcher that is only 19 years old and sky-rocketed up the Yankees farm system in 2010. Banuelos started the season in the Yankees Rookie League, one level below Single A. He simply dominated at each level in the minor league system and ended the season with the Trenton Thunder. The Yankees plan to bring Banuelos up in the bullpen in 2011 and he will have a similar impact for the Yankees that Joba Chamberlain had in his rookie season.
Cashman Is Not Done Yet
Although the Yankees have been strangely quiet this offseason, I do not expect it to continue. Just like the Granderson trade in 2010 that literally came out of nowhere, and the Swisher trade the year before that, expect the Yankees to use their excellent farm system to trade for a Starting Pitcher or another outfielder. I also think the Yankees will sign Rafael Soriano to be Mariano Rivera’s setup man for 2011, and eventual heir to the closer role.
The Evil Empire No More
I was one of the few Yankee fans to be excited that they did not get Cliff Lee this offseason. For the first time in recent memory, the Yankees payroll has decreased and they can no longer be accused of buying a title. Both the Red Sox and Phillies have equivalent payrolls to the Yankees for 2011 (approx. $170 million), and it can no longer be claimed that the Yankees spend to win. The Yankees are no longer a $200+ million dollar team like they have
While there are certainly many questions surrounding the 2011 Yankees, I am confident that they will return to the postseason and win their 28th World Series ring. The powerful 2010 offense is back in full force. AJ Burnett will have a bounce back year and the pitching rotation will improve on their 2010 numbers. If Andy Pettite returns, the Yankees will be in even better shape. If not, young prospects will step up like they did in 1996 and Cashman will add depth to the rotation before the trade deadline. Breath easy Yankees fans, the Yankees will continue to win in 2011.
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