1: Who will take the 5th spot in the starting rotation? A battle between RHP Phil Hughes and RHP Joba Chamberlain for the 5th spot in the rotation will be taking place this spring. Chamberlain (9-6, 4.75 ERA) started 31 games last year but only threw 157.1 innings thanks to the pitch count the Yankees had him on. Hughes settled into his role as RHP Mariano Rivera's setup man, and proved himself more than capable, posting a K/9 of 10.05 and a WHIP of 1.19. When the postseason came around, both found themselves plying their trades from the bullpen. Both have said they want to start, but with only one spot left behind LHP C.C. Sabathia (19-8, 3.37 ERA), RHP A.J. Burnett (13-9, 4.04 ERA), LHP Andy Pettitte (14-8, 4.16 ERA), and newly acquired RHP Javier Vazquez (15-10, 2.87 ERA), the loser will likely head back to the setup role.
2: Who will be the man manning left field at Yankee Stadium? The departure of Johnny Damon opens a hole in the outfield. The speedy Brett Gardener appears to the favorite to take the spot but the Yankees brought in some competition for him. OF Marcus Thames was signed to a minor league contract and will get the chance to show what he can do in spring training. Thames offers some power that Gardener lacks. Also in the hunt in veteran Randy Winn and ex-Dodger and Rule 5 draftee Jamie Hoffman. If Gardener wins the job as expected, the best of the losers will likely be a right handed platoon complement to Gardener's left handed bat.
3: Will the arms be able to hold up? C.C. Sabathia is as steady as they come, but the big lefty has been ridden hard the last few years. After throwing 241, 253, and 230 innings in the 2007, 2008, and 2009 regular seasons respectively (including another 55.1 in those postseasons combine) the Yankees need to beware of running their stud in ground. Pettitte will turn 38 during the season and while rarely injured, age can creep up quickly. Mariano Rivera is now 40 years old, and while as sharp as ever in 2009, how much sand is left in the hourglass?
4: Have the Yankees improved? There's a saying in sports that goes, “If you're not getting better, you're getting worse.” So the questions is, have the Yankees improved this offseason or are they worse? Gone are contributors such as OF Melky Cabrera, DH Hideki Matsui, and OF Johnny Damon. In are RHP Javier Vazquez, DH Nick Johnson, and CF Curtis Granderson. Matsui and Damon were aging players with bloated contracts. The Yankees felt their contributions could be matched by bringing in Johnson and Granderson. Granderson in particular was a good pickup, giving the Yankees a solid offensive and defensive center fielder that is in the prime of his career. As for Vazquez, this is actually his second time in New York. His first stint in 2004 saw him post a 14-10 record with a 4.91 ERA, but is most remember for giving up a grand slam to Johnny Damon in that year's epic ALCS. Traded away that offseason, Vazquez returns to the Yankees following the best season of his career, posting a 15-10 record, with a 2.87 ERA with Atlanta with was good enough for 4th place in the 2009 NL Cy Young voting. Vazquez looks to redeem himself and hold down the #4 spot in the rotation. Overall, this Yankees offseason lacked the blockbusters of previous winters, but they have managed to shed payroll while appearing to improve their starting pitching. While this may not be drastic improvement, how much better could the Yankees really get?
5: Where will the Yankees finish the season? You can find the Yankees at 3/2 to win the American League Pennant and 11/4 to win the World Series over at Bodog Sportsbook. The Yankees were the class of the league in 2009 and they look to be right at the top again in 2010. While they play in the toughest division in the league, the Yankees have talent from top to bottom, including some future Hall of Famers. Their 103 wins last year were no fluke and they should finish around 100 wins again this year.
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