Bleacher Creature Feature

#27: Your 2003 New York Yankees

14 September 2002

These thoughts were mainly prompted by the fact that Juan Rivera has started every game since being called up, leading me to think that the kid is definitely being groomed for the outfield next season. (Given Rondell White's dismal performance, it's possible he's being groomed for the postseason. It's telling that Rivera was called up on 31 August, making him eligible for the postseason roster.)

So what will the rest of the team look like?

Three-quarters of the infield is pretty much locked in. The Jason Giambi/Nick Johnson 1B/DH combo seems to be working. Johnson is coming along nicely, thanks, and Giambi's one of the best hitters in the league. Johnson is also injury-prone, and I suspect that Giambi will become more so as he gets older, so they can sub for each other, and the Yanks have to hope they don't get hurt at the same time. Still, I don't see that setup changing any time soon. Alfonso Soriano and Derek Jeter project to be the Yanks' DP combo for many moons.

Third base is more of a problem. Drew Henson is not exactly turning out to be any great guns. His numbers at Columbus were a paltry .240/.301/.435, with too few walks and too many strikeouts, and his defense isn't earning him any kudos either. I really think the Yanks would be wise to see if Robin Ventura's willing to spend another year in pinstripes. Of course, Ventura would probably get a multiyear deal from almost any other team (the Mariners, to name one team in desperate need of a third baseman). It'll be interesting to see how this plays out. My personal take is that Henson needs another year at Columbus to see if he's the hotshot he was supposed to be and to sign Ventura to a one-year contract, with an option for a second in case Henson is the dud he's looking more and more to actually be.

Catcher, of course, is locked up, with Jorge Posada's deserved multiyear deal. There is no better catcher in the league. He hits a ton and the pitchers love him.

The ideal outfield to my mind has Raul Mondesi in right field, Juan Rivera in center, and Bernie Williams in left.

Yes, you read that right. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, Bernie is not the center fielder he once was. He's been having shoulder problems all year, and that isn't going to improve with age. He's still one of the best hitters in the league, but his arm is substandard, and he doesn't get the jump on balls the way he used to. Rivera is a superior defender, and with a full spring training to prepare, he should make a damn fine successor to Bernie in center. Mondesi isn't the greatest hitter on the planet, but he's no worse than the Spencer/VanderWal platoon he replaced, and his defense is a huge upgrade and worth it, especially since the Yankees have so many fly-ball pitchers.

That leaves a bit of a logjam in the outfield/DH backup pool, as the Yanks have Shane Spencer and John VanderWal and Rondell White -- not to mention Marcus Thames waiting in the wings. VanderWal is the perfect backup -- he can DH, he can pinch hit, he can even play first base. Spencer will never be an everyday player, and every attempt to make him one has failed -- but he's a useful fourth outfielder, and if he's willing to accept that, he can help the club. That leaves Rondell as the odd person out. The question is whether or not this year was an aberration or the beginning of the end. But my feeling is that Rondell needs to be trade bait, with Thames ready in reserve in case someone gets hurt or in case someone craps out in spring training.

Which leads to the pitching staff, which is full of question marks, most related to age. The bullpen isn't so much an issue. Mariano Rivera isn't the superhuman he once was, but he's still better than most, and a bullpen of Mo, Steve Karsay, Mike Stanton (assuming the Yankees re-sign him, and they should), and Ramiro Mendoza still is a force to be reckoned with. They need to figure out if they're going to commit to Randy Choate or not, and if not find someone to replace him (Mike Thurman has shown flashes).

If Sterling Hitchcock shows up for spring training as anything other than a candidate for the coaching staff, the Yankees are fools. Since he returned from the DL, the Yankees have been playing with a 24-person roster. He's utterly useless, and the biggest waste of money on the team.

That leaves the aging, creaky rotation. A decision needs to be made about Roger Clemens and his bizarre option. I think it's safe to assume this year is a minor speed bump in Mike Mussina's career, and Andy Pettitte doesn't show any significant signs of slowing down (the Yanks should definitely pick up his option for next year). Jeff Weaver is the pitcher of the future -- the problem is, he's the only one we've got right now.

David Wells and Orlando Hernandez are huge question marks. Wells could blow at any minute, but he's also not likely to be picked up by anyone else (and he's under contract to the Yanks for next year in any case). I suspect that this tenure with the Yankees is the last of his career, it's just a question of when that end comes. He's still a useful fifth starter, and he keeps coming through when needed, and that counts for a lot. Hernandez, on the other hand, is of indeterminate age, is a head case, keeps not communicating, and could also blow at any minute.

I think that Rondell and El Duque need to be traded for some strong pitching prospects, and the Yankees need to get some younger arms into the rotation. They've been lucky this year, but the entire elderly rotation is going to be one year older next year, and that's only good news for the one (Weaver) on the younger side of 30.

Still, this is a team that has more upside than downside. Most encouraging is the fact that they're not resting on their laurels, and they continue to think long term. This era of Yankees has been very wise in knowing when to cut their losses when players have outlived their usefulness (see: Mariano Duncan, Jimmy Key, Rey Sanchez, Cecil Fielder, Tim Raines, Chad Curtis, Joe Girardi, Jim Leyritz, Tino Martinez), and been particularly expert about developing talent (see: Bernie Williams, Andy Pettitte, Mariano Rivera, Derek Jeter, Ramiro Mendoza, Jorge Posada, Alfonso Soriano, Nick Johnson, Juan Rivera). I see nothing in the makeup for next season that makes me think that this is going to change. And I don't see any serious challenges in the AL East (though Toronto may finally start living up to their potential next season; Boston, I have no expectations for just on general principles 'cause, well, y'know -- they're Boston).

NEXT: Here Comes the Rain Again ... and Again ... and Again

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