New York Yankees

Contributor: Brent Nycz, mvn.com/mlb-yankees

2007 Record: 94-68

2007 Summary: The 2007 New York Yankees got off to a rocky start, falling as far back as 14.5 games behind the Boston Red Sox on May 29th. However, the Yankees forged a comeback to get as close to the division lead as a game and a half back in September. When all was said and done, despite not being able to overcome the Red Sox's division lead, the Yankees won the Wild Card over the Seattle Mariners and Detroit Tigers.

The Yankees' offense was propelled by Jorge Posada's career year and Alex Rodriguez's MVP season. Despite Johnny Damon's decline, Jason Giambi's diminishing health, and both Bobby Abreu and Melky Cabrera's offensive streakiness, the Yankees still lead the league in runs scored with 968 runs.

The Yankees had 14 different pitchers start a game during the 2007 season, including 6 rookies. After beginning his season on the DL, Chien-Ming Wang earned 19 wins (while pitching a 3.70 ERA) for the second straight season. Andy Pettitte came back "home" and became the Yankees' stopper with 6 of his 15 wins coming after Yankee losses. Mike Mussina was anything but consistently great, posting a 5.15 ERA with a declining fastball. Roger Clemens gave Yankee fans the ability to see the 7 Cy-Young winner one last time. However, his last pitched game saw him limp off the mound on October 7th with Phil Hughes taking the ball and helping pitch the Yankees to their only postseason victory against the Cleveland Indians.

2008 Key Additions: The Yankees mostly stayed with the same team they had last year. The only real key additions the Yankees got were RHP LaTroy Hawkins and RHP Jonathan Albaladejo (on a trade for Tyler Clippard), and IF Morgan Ensberg. On the coaching side, the Yankees signed Joe Girardi to replace Joe Torre. Other new coaches are Dave Eiland (pitching coach), Rob Thomson (bench coach), and Bobby Meacham (3rd base coach).

2008 Key Losses: 1B Doug Mientkiewicz, reliever Luis Vizcaino, and 1B Andy Phillips. On the coaching side, manager Joe Torre as well as half the coaching staff (bench coach Don Mattingly, pitching coach Ron Guidry, and 3rd base coach Larry Bowa) left. All but Guidry left for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

2008 Starting Lineup:
1. Johnny Damon LF
2. Derek Jeter SS
3. Bobby Abreu RF
4. Alex Rodriguez 3B
5. Hideki Matsui DH
6. Jorge Posada C
7. Jason Giambi 1B
8. Robinson Cano 2B
9. Melky Cabrera CF

2008 Starting Rotation: Chien-Ming Wang, Andy Pettitte, Mike Mussina, Phil Hughes, Ian Kennedy

2008 Closer: Mariano Rivera

2008 MVP: Though many have said he WON'T have the same numbers again, there isn't a player like Rodriguez in baseball who is fully healthy (i.e Albert Pujols) and so devastating with the bat.

The Yankees will be successful if: the Yankees find stability in both the starting rotation and the bullpen. The Yankees hope that a recipe of Wang, Pettitte, an aging Mussina, and the Trip Aces will bring the Yankees better consistency in the rotation than last year. If the rotation starts to go haywire, the Yankees will look to their developmental depth in the minors to provide better results than the likes of Chase Wright, Matt DeSalvo, and Tyler Clippard last year. Though the "bullpen by committee" provide Girardi and Cashman many arms to work with, there is little telling and great uncertainty of what to expect from the bullpen.

2008 Season Prediction: Despite going through the Trip Aces in the rotation, the Yankees still have a playoff-contending team. If Hughes, Kennedy, and Joba Chamberlain provide the Yankees great pitching and if the bullpen provides consistency, the Yankees are playoff and pennant-bound. However, those are two big ifs. The Yankees will contend for the AL East, but will ultimately fall short, taking 2nd place and winning the Wild Card for the second straight year.

Standings Prediction:
1. Boston Red Sox
2. New York Yankees
3. Tampa Bay Rays
4. Toronto Blue Jays
5. Baltimore Orioles