While it certainly seems like our outfield will improve drastically, some have raised questions on where the lost runs from Damon, Matsui, and Cabrera will come from. Granderson is bound to do well at the plate, but Gardner (who looks to be Damon’s replacement) hasn’t had much success at bat in the majors and some don’t see Swisher coming through again. Either way though, as long as the big guys can stay off IR and remain healthy, there shouldn’t be much to worry about. Plus, with some younger guys in the outfield with a new team, we may just see some changes in their stats as well.

In the rotation, things look even better this year with the addition of Javier Vasquez. The loss of Wang won’t be felt much as he missed most of last season any way, although he is a good pitcher either way. Rivera is expected to be Rivera and hopefully the rest of the pen can stay at it.

It will be an interesting season as the Yankees pursue a repeat title. We still have a dangerous team, but with some big changes in Boston and elsewhere around the league, nothing can be guaranteed. As a Yankee fan, I still place all my faith in our Pinstripes and will be eagerly awaiting October.

For the Yankees this is devastating news, as we really needed him to do well in place of Joba. Hopefully this was just a one night thing, but looking at Kennedy’s performances thus far this year, we can’t count on it. Currently, we are still in third place, but are now 7 games behind Tampa. With the season flying by, we really need to pick it up and start winning soon if we want to make the playoffs. Joba did tell reporters recently that he plans on being back later this month, but until then we really need Rasner, Kennedy, and Ponson to pretty well as a unit.

Even after the outcome of this season is decided, the Kennedy question will still exists (unless he is able to make a quick turnaround of course.) How long will it be until we see IPK develop into a major league pitcher?

The Yankees, as always, didn’t give up as they continued to stay in it with the likes of Darrell Rasner, Dan Giese, and Sidney Ponson stepping up when needed. Brian Cashman responded with a couple of deadline moves, bringing in good replacements for Posada and Matsui with Ivan Rodriguez and Xavier Nady as well as extra bullpen help in Damaso Marte. Yet, the injury bug still didn’t care. It has bit again and Pudge is now out, again leaving the Yanks without a good-hitting catcher. Joba has also been struck, having been placed on the 15-day deal and putting even more pressure on the iffy rotation.

Yet, the Yankees will continue on. We really have no other choice. Andy Pettitte will likely continue to play consistently and Mike Mussina looks like he can keep this up. But, after that it’s still a mess. Perhaps Sidney Ponson will be able to keep up this run, but it’ll have to be something we hold our breath with. Same goes for Giese and whoever the other starter will end up being (for now its Kennedy, but I don’t know how long that will last; hopefully he can surprise us.) Let’s just hope that this group can keep us in it until Joba comes back, if he does this season.

Let’s hope that things go another way and the Yankees end up dominating in the combined six games against our division rivals. A good run can certainly put us right there with them at the top, in what will be an even closer three-team fight.

If any team falls behind in the next week and a half they will still have a shot at getting back to the top, but it will be harder. Just keep in mind that all three teams will be playing each other again, so it won’t be the end of the world for anyone if they lose. It sure would be nice to see the Yanks get to second place though…

Last night’s game was the first in which the Nebraska native didn’t have a pitch count limitation. Without the restriction he will have one less thing on his mind and he will be able to concentrate more on doing what he does best: pitching well. The match against the Pirates also helped Joba get his first win as a starter, another hurdle which he no longer needs to be questioned or worried about.

In his five starts for the Yankees, Joba has been phenomenal, with a 2.03 ERA since he moved up and 26 Ks in 25 innings pitched. He has regularly hit 99 mph on the radar gun and his control seems to be back after a shaky first couple of starts. That’s really a small issue though, considering that it takes time for relievers to ease into a starting role, and such issues are ordinary. As time passes we can expect Chamberlain to get even more comfortable, but I don’t know if the stats can really get any better because they have already been simply amazing. His bb/ip ratio is sure to go down, the only reason it being a bit high is because of the aforementioned transitional side-effects.

Simply put, Joba Chamberlain is going to be one heck of a pitcher for the Yankees. We all knew it would happen, but seeing it actually happen is a lot more than just speculating about it. For the Yankees he will be a potent weapon and for our opponents a nightmare. We are on the verge of an exciting era in Yankee baseball. I for one can’t wait for his future starts.

The Yankees will start a series against the Pirates tonight, so we should win atleast a couple of games against them. Meanwhile, the Red Sox still have two games left against potent Arizona, who’s pitching continues to dominate. This bodes well for the Yankees because the BoSox are bound to lose atleast one more (hopefully) and if the Yanks can keep playing well we will be able to bring the standings even closer.

Tampa will start a three-game series against state-rivals, the Marlins, tonight. The fish have been playing well thus far this season, but I wouldn’t count on them beating the Rays (although it still is possible) due to the lack of pitching. At this point I am not really worried about the Rays though because as long as the Yankees keep winning we will be fine.

The point of this post was just to show that in the past two weeks a lot has changed for the Bombers and good things are coming. Just keep having faith and remember that it’s never over ’til it’s over, atleast for the Yankees.

If you had predicted that we would be hear 40 games in then you really are a genius because I don’t think anyone else saw this. Now the end-of-season standings probably won’t be like this, but for some teams they just might be. I hate to say it, but the Rays really have a chance to keep up this style of play because their young pitchers are just throwing phenomenally. Let’s just hope that our guys can start pulling something together like they did last season.

Our sluggers should start hitting soon and I think the pitching staff will have some bright moments in the near-future as well with Darrell Rasner stepping up nicely and Moose and Wang doing good. Pettitte is bound to start being clutch soon enough and that just leaves one more spot. It is currently filled by Kei Igawa, but I’m not expecting much from him. Hopefully IPK or Hughes will be back soon with their troubles behind them. We can definetely pull through, especially when the Rays’ young guys start making mistakes.

Ok, back to the speculation on which teams will end in the other direction come October… The Marlins are not going to last. The only reason they are doing this well is because of an offensive surge and as we all know offense can’t carry a team. On the defensive side of the ball their guys have been making too many mistakes and it will eventually catch up to them.

As for the other NL team, the Rockies, I think they will end the season out of the playoffs. I expect them to start rebouding soon enough and they’ll probably finish above .500, but I don’t see a playoff berth happening. It is pretty clear that the D’ Backs are taking the division and looking at the way the Cubs, Cardinals, and Astros are playing, the Rockies will have a tough time squeezing out the wildcard. You also have to remember that the Mets, Braves, and Phillies will remain contenders for playoff spots until late as well. I just don’t see it happening for Colorado again, sorry Todd Helton.

Now, back to the AL. In the Central I think we will be seeing the Indians take it again. Their pitching and defense is great and they have much of the same dominant team as last year. The Tigers on the other hand don’t. They have upgraded their bats and starting pitching, but neglected relief and without a good bullpen they aren’t going to get far.

In the AL West, the Mariners currently sit 8.5 games behind divison leader Oakland! Billy Beane has done a terrific job with managing the team and I think this could be the year they make it back to the playoffs (notice I said I think it could be, not I think it will be). I’m not putting my money on them just yet though because the Angels as always are also a very strong team, especially with new addition Torri Hunter. I really don’t know who will take the division, but I do believe that the Mariners will have a tough time getting ahead of both the A’s and Angels. I would still give them a chance, but it will be tough to overtake Oakland and Anaheim, and I really don’t think the wildcard is going to the West. It would be great to see a neck-in-neck battle between the three in September.

The surprising start is bound to make things most exciting, especially during the end of the season. Some great baseball is ahead of us…

What do you think about my predictions? Do you agree or disagree and why? Please comment, I would love to hear all of your opinions.

A few people managed to get copies early, before the book officially goes on sale April 1st. At first it was some Boston columnist, by the name of Joe Lavin who posted about and started a cohort of responses and other posts on the subject. Deadspin later posted some excerpts from the book, confirming that Lavin had the book. You can head over to the site (just click the link) and read some of the excerpts for yourself. The main targets of this book seem to be Roger Clemens, Alex Rodriguez, and Magglio Ordonez. I’m not going to discuss the Clemens situation because that has already been beat and buried to the ground thanks to Mitchell madness.

As for Ordonez, Canseco said that he personally injected the outfielder. Obviously there are those who argue that he is guilty and those that say he is innocent. I really don’t know what to believe about him at the moment, especially due to the lack of information thus far. Deadspin’s excerpts mostly focus of A. Rod and I haven’t seen much more about what Canseco said about Ordonez, so I’m not going to say much on that either. In my mind he is still innocent because just knowing that Canseco said he is guilty doesn’t sway my mind a bit, since I don’t have much if any respect for Canseco and I don’t find him to be a good source.

What I am more concerned about at the moment is Canseco’s accusations of A. Rod. Again, I think Canseco is just a pathetic ex ballplayer who got caught and is now out to get others, just to make himself feel better. Having a personal vendetta like that isn’t exactly a good quality when investigating this sort of thing and I think Canseco just lucked out his first time around, with Juiced. Hopefully Vindicated will be the joke that Juiced was supposed to be and Canseco can stop writing these diaries he calls books.

Looking at the excerpts posted by Deadspin, it really looks like Canseco’s new book won’t be as credible as his first. As Ben from River Ave. Blues said,

“While the passages are in the book, Canseco’s words come across as jealous, bitter rantings. Vindicated will be no Juiced”

I agree with this 100%. The book just seems like it is a 14 year old girl ranting. Canseco talks about how he didn’t mention A. Rod. in the first book because he hated him for apparently trying to get with his wife. He also hates him because “he has no morals.” That is quite a statement coming from a guy who popped pills like there was no tomorrow to get big. Anyway, Canseco said that he introduced Rodriguez to a few steroid dealers. He said that he didn’t see whether or not A. Rod. actually took steroids, but he was sure and still is sure because of one time when he passed A. Rod. on the street and thought that he “looked buff.” What a load of bull. Canseco even admitted that he isn’t sure whether or not A. Rod has taken steroids; combine that with the fact that he hates A. Rod. and his case basically falls apart.

Jose Canseco is just tarnishing his own name further with this book because with most of his accusations he is personally involved in one way or another. He is making himself out to be the king of steroids (if he isn’t already). Forget Bonds and Clemens, I think Canseco should be the eternal steroids poster boy. It will be interesting to see how the media reacts to the book once it is officially released in a few days. Hopefully this will be the end of Canseco and he can go into the corner of his gym and cry his writing career away.

I know there is no formula for deciding whether or not a team is a dynasty, but you have to look at the facts. The Red Sox have not dominated the sport compared to what most baseball historians would agree are the real dynasties. They have not been able to win consecutive division titles, let alone pennants and they have not been the “shoe-in” team. They haven’t even been called the team to beat at the beginning of a season until this year. I am sure it is exciting to finally be winning after almost 100 years, but Red Sox fans must think of it practically. Ok, say they win one or two more championships and they continue to win the division (god forbid both), then they may start talking about a dynasty. But after winning two World Series’ and not even being the dominant team throughout all of those seasons, the word shouldn’t even be uttered.

It took some teeth grinding to admit that the last 3 years were a great achievement, but I had to do it to get the point across. Hopefully this will shut up some of those BoSox clowns fans. The bottom line is: the current Red Sox are NOT a dynasty.

Among the “fighting” positions are first base, starting pitching spots, relieving spots, and maybe even an outfield position. I think competition in spring training is great motivation to work harder, especially for young players and those who want to prove themselves. There will definetely be a big fight for first base with four potential starters (Shelley, Giambi, Betemit, and Ensberg.) The outfield is less iffy, but it will still see its share of competition with Matsui, Melky, Damon, and Abreu all vying for spots. The Yankees have also signed Jason Lane earlier and now have expressed interest in Kevin Mench, both of whom may seem like a long shots, but do have chances.

Then comes the pitching situation. This one has been talked about over and over again, so I won’t go into it too much again. Basically it comes down to figuring out which of the 6 potential starters get the 5 spots and which one gets a relief spot. As for the rest of the relieving spots, it will really come down to who does well in spring training.

I think this competition will only make our team stronger. It will also show us who are the better backups and who are the duds. Plus, with all of these extra players signed we are bound to find good replacements shall the injury bug hit.