2012 Season
The Yankees won their second consecutive AL East crown in 2012, with a 95-67 record that was good enough to secure them home-field advantage in the play-offs. They were involved in a scrap for the title with Orioles all the way to the last week of the season, but the 20-11 September/October record was enough for the Yankees. Star slugger Robinson Cano put together another big year at the plate, with a .313/.379/.550 triple-slash to go with a career high 33 home runs. On the mound, C.C. Sabathia continued to be one of the most dominant pitchers in the AL, winning 15 games with a 3.38 ERA. In the play-offs, the Yankees squeaked past the Orioles in the ALDS but got swept by the Tigers in the Championship round.
Off-Season Moves
IN: Matt Diaz, Travis Hafner, Juan Rivera, Kevin Youkilis, Vernon Wells, Lyle Overbay
OUT: Eric Chavez, Freddy Garcia, Raul Ibanez, Andruw Jones, Russell Martin, Nick Swisher, Rafael Soriano
Overview: The clear aim of the off-season this year for the Yankees was not to spend big and bolster the team, but rather to ensure that they are able to get underneath the Luxury Tax mark of $189m in salaries. Of the major departures, the exits of Swisher and Soriano are most likely to hurt, although Martin's exit leaves the primary catching duties to Francisco Cervelli and Chris Stewart. The only real additions to the team are veterans who will be trusted upon to fill in holes, giving the Yankees the oldest roster in baseball. It's possible some of those moves work out, but some Yankee fans will be wishing they had gone after a big name free agent to help out on offense. Overall grade: 3/10.
| Projected Opening Day Line-up | ||
|---|---|---|
| Position | Player | Projected stat line (OBP/SLG/WAR) |
| CF | Brett Gardner | .368/.371/2.3 |
| RF | Ichiro Suzuki | .331/.370/1.2 |
| 2B | Robinson Cano | .361/.515/6.1 |
| 3B | Kevin Youkilis | .371/.465/3.2 |
| DH | Travis Hafner | .363/.446/1.1 |
| LF | Brennan Boesch | .320/.430/0.4 |
| SS | Eduardo Nunez | .305/.363/0.8 |
| 1B | Lyle Overbay | .316/.384/0.2 |
| C | Chris Stewart | .299/.333/0.6 |
| Projected rotation | ||
|---|---|---|
| Starter | Player | Projected stat line (IP/ERA/WAR) |
| 1 | C.C. Sabathia | 233/3.28/4.3 |
| 2 | Hiroki Kuroda | 212/3.57/2.1 |
| 3 | Andy Pettitte | 90/4.09/1.5 |
| 4 | Ivan Nova | 179/4.42/1.3 |
| 5 | Phil Hughes | 201/3.76/1.2 |
Position Players
Robinson Cano is by far the best player of this group of position players, as a lock for a .300 average, 30 home run power and gold glove defense at second base. His 8.2 win season in 2012 was good enough to earn him third in AL MVP balloting, and had there not been such stiff competition he may have won it. One of Cano's finest attributes is his durability, as he has missed 12 games in the past six seasons combined. Brett Gardner was expected to make the transition to center field this season anyway, but Granderson's injury confirmed that this speedy outfielder would now plug in at center. Gardner played just 16 games in 2012, as injury kept him sidelined, but when on the field he hits for average, with good plate discipline and speed to burn (49 steals in 2011). If he can stay healthy, he might be the sparkplug of this offense. Ichiro excelled in a Yankee uniform last season, hitting .322 with 14 steals. He still plays elite defense out in right field, and as long as he can continue to sustain those high averages, he'll be a key player for the Yankees.
The greek god of walks, Kevin Youkilis, endured a rough 2012 season, in which a dispute with Bobby Valentine led to him being traded to the White Sox. Throughout the ordeal, he was unable to click at the plate, hitting just .235 with 19 homers. He still has value, but how much his on base skills decline in the next few seasons will be key to his success. Hafner struggled to earn consistent playing time in 2012, batting with just a .228 average and offering little value in the field. He'll earn a spot as the DH in New York, but his five win seasons are firmly in the rear-view mirror. Boesch has struggled mightily so far in his big league career, especially to get on base, whilst Eduardo Nunez will serve as the fill-in until Jeter's return. Overbay and Stewart complete an old line-up that has some power but several areas where getting on-base might be a problem. Injuries have ravaged this line-up, and until some of the key players return, Yankee fans might have to settle for some offensive disasters. Overall grade: 4/10.
Pitching
C.C. Sabathia truly defines the term 'workhorse' having recorded over 185 innings in every season since 2002. He continues to be one of the best pitchers in the AL, despite this heavy workload, with a 3.38 ERA and a strikeout every inning in 2012. There are no real reasons why Sabathia shouldn't continue to be that ace in 2013, although the sheer volume of innings may be having an effect on his arm. Hiroki Kuroda was superb in his first season with the Yankees, sporting a 3.32 ERA and 1.17 WHIP on his way to 16 wins. At the age of 38, Kuroda is on the back-end of his career, but he continues to be a reliable, innings-eating workhorse, and he's one of the more underrated options out of the rotation this year. Andy Pettitte made a successful Yankees comeback last season, posting a 2.87 ERA in 12 starts. If he can stay healthy, he will be part of a potent one-two-three punch atop the Yankee rotation. However, after that it becomes a little more murky. Ivan Nova was unable to repeat his fine 2011 season last year, as an ugly 5.02 ERA and 1.47 WHIP contributed to a barely above replacement level season. His real problem has been location and home runs, and he'll need to get back on track in 2013 if he wants to stick in the rotation. Phil Hughes has long been expected to become a workhorse for the Yankees, but his home run rate is too high, contributing to an ERA that will struggle to stay below four. He does have decent raw stuff, but has yet to put it all together in the big leagues.
Despite the loss of Mariano Rivera last season, the Yankees bullpen actually excelled, with only the Texas Rangers and Tampa Bay Rays blowing fewer saves. Rivera is back this year, and will look to return to his dazzling best (sub 2 ERA, sub 1 WHIP) at the back-end of games. At the age of 43, there will be some doubts surrounding Rivera's durability and stuff, but I think Rivera could sit in a wheelchair and break bats with that deadly cutter so I'm not concerned. The loss of Soriano is far from perfect, but in David Robertson, Rivera will have one of the game's elite set-up men pitching the eighth inning. Robertson recorded a 2.67 ERA and 1.17 WHIP on his way to 30 holds in 2012, striking out hitters at a prolific 12 K/9 rate. Joba Chamberlain pitched well at the end of 2012, with 11 scoreless appearances to end the season, but he struggled with rust before that meaning his overall ERA was an ugly 4.35. If he can stay healthy he'll be an integral part of the pen, but injuries have hampered him for most of his big-league career. Clay Rapada figures to be the primary left-hander after posting a 2.82 ERA in 70 appearances in 2012. Boone Logan has proved he has the stuff to get lefties and righties out alike, although there are still some concerns regarding his walk rate. Overall, this is a rotation that has strength up top in Sabathia, Kuroda and Pettitte, but question marks in the four and five spots. Fortunately, the bullpen looks set to be one of the best in the league again, as Mo looks to finish an incredible career on a high. Overall grade: 7/10.
Prospects
The Yankees system has a number of top prospects, but little depth below them, as recent drafts have produced some standout position players in the minors. None of the top prospects are really big league ready yet, but catcher Gary Sanchez appears to have a promising future, having raked at every level he's played at. There were some issues about his defense, but he appears to have eased those concerns after a fine 2012 showing, and he could be the Yankees everyday catcher by 2015. Center field prospect Mason Williams has a superb glove, and has shown improved hitting ability to go with a decent amount of speed. He, Tyler Austin and Slade Heathcott all profile as the future Yankees outfield but none will be making it to the Majors in the foreseeable future. For this year, the Yanks may look to reliever Mark Montgomery to have an impact with his strong slider. Overall, this is a farm system that has steadily improved, and whilst there isn't any impact at the big league level yet, there is significant promise for the future. Overall grade: 6/10.
Overview
The Yankees have simply been crippled by injuries in the build up to the season, and this leaves their line-up looking extremely weak indeed, probably the weakest in the AL East. Some of those injured players should make it back in a few weeks, but I still don't love their chances to be a run-scoring machine. The team does have a strong top-of-the-rotation to lean on, but the fourth and fifth spots are far from reliable. The bullpen has the potential to be lights-out, but I think this may be a tough season for the Yankees in the uber-competitive East.
Prediction: 80-82
Gif to Watch
In his final season in the Majors, it just wouldn't be right to put up a Yankees preview without mentioning Mariano Rivera and his stupendous cutter. This clip shows vintage Rivera striking out the side, all on cutters.
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