Derek Jeter Will Never Be the Same. By: Mike Lindsley 3,000 hits. Well over .300 batting average. The rings and the pennants and the October moments. Derek Jeter is a first ballot Hall of Famer and no one should doubt that. But Derek Jeter will never again be that Derek Jeter. The injured ankle is a lot to come back from, even for Derek Jeter. Jeter said Opening Day was his return date. And it wasn't even close to the return date. And now we wait until at least late July for the return of the Yankee captain. Derek Jeter will never again be THAT Derek Jeter because his feet are important to his game. A repaired and once broken ankle doesn't help. He needs both feet to move laterally and effectively at shortstop. He needs that left foot to both plant and drive the ball to mostly right field, a swing we have been so accustomed to since 1996. Jeter also turns 39 in June. His body isn't what it was. And no matter what Jeter says, ANY injury is harder to come back from at 39 as opposed to 25. Jeter was great. He may surprise us when he returns this year and beyond to finish his amazing Yankee career. But don't expect to see Jeter be the old Jeter consistently ever again. By: Mike Lindsley, "Mid-Day with Mike," 1-4, Yankee pre/post-game host on 104.5 ESPN Radio. Follow him on Twitter @MikeLSports. Ichiro is First Ballot Material. By: Mike Lindsley Over 2,600 hits. A .322 lifetime batting average. More than 3,400 total bases. 450+ steals. 1,200+ runs scored. Over 600 RBI and over 100 home runs for a non-power player. Ichiro Suzuki is not a Hall of Famer. He is a first ballot Hall of Famer. And the reason actually has nothing to do with numbers. The numbers above would qualify him to be in the discussion as a first ballot guy. But it is his pioneering of the game from Japan that puts him up a level to earn the label of a first ballot Hall of Famer. Look at the amount of Asian players in the game now. Hideo Nomo was one thing for pitchers. But Ichiro carried the torch in the early 2000's and paved the way for hitters who never really made it over to play Major League Baseball. Ichiro set the tone for decades in the Far East. Now, teams scout differently and put more finances in the Far East and general managers look for the next Japanese player to help their team. That didn't happen pre-Ichiro. Ichiro has played the game with class, dignity and respect. Hopefully, the baseball writers return the favor by making him a first ballot Hall of Famer in Cooperstown. The guy deserves it. By: Mike Lindsley, "Mid-Day with Mike," 1-4, Yankee pre/post-game host on 104.5 ESPN Radio. Follow him on Twitter @MikeLSports. Leadership Still Key For Yanks. By: Mike Lindsley Talk all day long about the 2013 replacement players in pinstripes. Talk about general manager Brian Cashman taking chances. Talk about the starting pitching being good enough in spots. Talk about whatever you'd like as the main reason for the Yankees' demise not quite happening just yet like some thought. The real talk is the leadership and presence of Mariano Rivera, Derek Jeter and Andy Pettitte. As long as those three are in the Bronx, it starts and ends with that. One of the big reasons why the Yankees are where they are is because guys like Vernon Wells, Lyle Overbay and Travis Hafner get into the clubhouse and don't want to fail in front of Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera, and now in front of Derek Jeter, who is the captain and back in the dugout watching games (which you know drives him crazy). These guys are Yankees. They are core Yankees. Hall of Fame Yankees. And they have rings. These three make everyone better from just being there, talking to players and having a presence that rubs off on others. Rivera, even more than that, is dominating at age 43. Players marvel at that and respect him. Think Michael Jordan making the 1990's Chicago Bulls six-time champions. It is the same thing. Obviously, these three legends are not 30 anymore and in their absolute prime (Rivera might be challenging that), but them being around the team and playing at a high enough level alone makes the Yankees' demise a tad premature. When Mo, DJ and Pettitte are officially gone and their skills completely diminished on a baseball field, however, it will be one scary future in the Bronx. By: Mike Lindsley, "Mid-Day with Mike," 1-4, Yankee pre/post-game host on 104.5 ESPN Radio. Follow him on Twitter @MikeLSports. Yanks' Leadership is Slowly Dwindling. By: Mike Lindsley Bernie Williams and Jorge Posada, two core Yankee players from the Joe Torre era, are long gone. Mariano Rivera, another quiet leader by example, is retiring after this season. Andy Pettitte is near the end. And the Yankee captain, Derek Jeter, won't be back in the lineup until who knows when and is nearing 40. Leadership used to be a huge piece of the Yankees' winning puzzle. That leadership is dwindling away. Some players lead by example and don't have to say much. Some players are more vocal but do it behind the scenes. Some players talk the right way to the media as the team leader and representative. Jeter, for example, has done all three well but mostly the first two to perfection. If Robinson Cano signs a big deal, he could lead the team, but we have not seen any signs of him being a leader up to this point. CC Sabathia is a quiet leader, but not an original Yank. Curtis Granderson might not even be in the Bronx next year. Brett Gardner? Uh, no. Mark Teixeira? Not likely. Ivan Nova? No way. Winning ballgames cures everything. When you win, no one worries about chemistry or leadership or anything else. But when you go through losing streaks and tough times, those things come up a lot and leaders are needed more than ever. The Yankees are coming to the point where leadership will be lacking and that is a scary thought. By: Mike Lindsley, "Mid-Day with Mike," 1-4, Yankee pre/post-game host on 104.5 ESPN Radio. Follow him on Twitter @MikeLSports. Farm Pitching. By: Mike Lindsley Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain and Ian Kennedy never panned out. Now, the best in the Yankee farm system is Manny Banuelos, who is out for the minor league year with Tommy John surgery and who knows if Dellin Betances will ever emerge like the Yanks said he would two years ago. The Mets on the other hand...They don't have the rings and pennants and division titles or the fan base like the Yankees do, but strictly speaking about the pitchers in the farm system, they have what the Yanks need. Matt Harvey is a stud and Zach Wheeler (acquired in the Carlos Beltran deal) is coming through the minor leagues now and appears to be the real deal thanks to his mid-90s fastball, plus curve and big league-ready changeup. The Met phenoms are what Banuelos from the left side and Betances from the right side were hyped to be two years ago and are supposed to be now. The Yankees haven't developed a farm pitcher since Andy Pettitte. They sign and trade and trade and sign. But don't develop. Championships are won with farm system pitching in today's baseball age. Ask the Giants, not the Yankees. By: Mike Lindsley, "Mid-Day with Mike," 1-4, Yankee pre/post-game host on 104.5 ESPN Radio. Follow him on Twitter @MikeLSports. How much is Robinson Cano worth? By: Mike Lindsley Brian Kenny of MLB Network recently suggested that Robinson Cano should get $252 million after this year because he is worth seven wins per season in the stupid category of "Wins Above Replacement." This category is almost as stupid as giving Carl Pavano $40 million over four years. Why? Seven wins in the regular season means nothing in the postseason if you don't hit and lead, which Cano has yet to do either. So that brings us to how much Cano is worth after this season, his free agent year. He is a clear five-tool player with talent so the Yanks do want to keep him and rightfully so, and Robbie dumped agent Scott Boras for Jay-Z, so the deal should be a little easier to close for Hank and Hal (if they even remember they are running the team) and Brian Cashman. 10-years is too long of a deal. Five years is too short. Think seven years and $20 million per season. Pitchers like Justin Verlander are getting that kind of money, but they DO make a difference. Until Cano makes a difference in October and leads the team (which he probably never will because it isn't in his DNA), he is worth more than $15 million annually, but not quite worth Albert Pujols money. By: Mike Lindsley, 1-4 daily host and Yankee pre/post game host on 104.5 The Team. Follow him on Twitter @MikeLSports. 2013 New York Yankees preview. By: Mike Lindsley The Yankees are the same, yet so different from last year. No Nick Swisher. No Raul Ibanez. No Russell Martin. Enter Kevin Youkilis and some baseball nomads. Other than that, they look the same. The difference? They aren't healthy, not by a long shot. There are injuries or holes at first base, center field, third base and catcher. The pitching staff is pretty much the same. Here is a breakdown of the Bronx Bombers (using that term lightly, of course). Greatest strength: Pitching staff. Don't laugh. This team is a mess offensively. And the bullpen is a question if for nothing but Mariano Rivera coming back from a torn ACL and turning 43. At least the Yanks can trot out five starters who give them a chance to win with David Phelps making spots starts if need be. Greatest weakness: Age and injuries. Mark Teixeira (torn tendon), Curtis Granderson (forearm), Derek Jeter (ankle), Alex Rodriguez (everything) and whoever is next. This team is so beat up and all of the players mentioned are a year older. Even the general manager went down in the offseason skydiving for war veterans. It will be a challenge to keep the roster together at any time this season. Most important player: Robinson Cano Too easy of a choice. With Jeter’s lingering ankle injury and the injuries to Tex and Granderson, Cano must produce. He is also in a contract year and will be the face of the franchise if he isn’t already. Cano went back to some of his old habits in the postseason last year, however, and has to get his focus back and play harder, plus come up with big hits in October to get the big paycheck. The Yanks need him now more than ever. Most important pitcher: Ivan Nova We already know what CC Sabathia will do if healthy (bulldog, innings eater, stop losing streaks, etc) and what Andy Pettitte will do (get hurt by July, come back in September, pitch average in October and contemplate another year). Phil Hughes will never materialize. Hiroki Kuroda had a nice 2012 and should be fine. The wild card is the all-of-a-sudden not-so-confident Nova. He won 16 games in 2011 and fell on his face in 2012 and barely stayed in the rotation. He is the absolute key to this staff because he is young and brings so many different pitches to the plate against all types of hitters. Key part of the schedule: August 9-22. The Yanks play three against Detroit, three against the Angels and three at Boston with a day off and then a three-game homestand with Toronto. This may very well be the make-it or break-it time in the schedule and will set-up September and a playoff run. Plus, it will show if the Yanks are legit or not. Key six-pack: Derek Jeter, Mark Teixeira, Robinson Cano and Curtis Granderson, Mariano Rivera and CC Sabathia. By late May, the Yanks need these six healthy and playing well. If not, things will get ugly very quickly. Projected record and finish: 92-70. AL East champs. ALDS first round loss. Yea, the Blue Jays made moves. The Rays have pitching. Buck's boys in Baltimore are somewhat back. But Boston is still way down. Toronto has to prove it. Tampa Bay has no offense. And Baltimore can’t do what they did last year again, can they? This division is still New York’s to lose. And the Yankees still have enough talent and offense to win games in the regular season and beat #4 and #5 rotation pitchers. The problem is the postseason, where they are still nowhere near built for a run or a ring. Breaking Down the Rotation. By: Mike Lindsley Ok, so we know that the Yankees pitching staff (and most of the team for that matter) will look pretty similar to 2012. That isn’t necessarily a good thing. Below is the 1-5 rotation and the upside and downside to each pitcher this season, along with who is in line to join the staff should an injury happen or surprising progress take place. 1. CC Sabathia. Upside: CC wants the ball. He stops losing streaks. He eats innings. He saves bullpens. He is the horse of this rotation and has pitched through postseasons, which in New York, is literally priceless. You could make the argument that CC has been the best big game pitcher in MLB since 2008 and certainly the most important ace to a respective team in all of baseball as well. Downside: Weight and work. When does Sabathia finally crumble due to his frame and amount of work? While he does eat innings and save bullpens as mentioned above, you feel every year that his arm is going to snap off or his big body will cause injury. Is 2013 the year where he breaks down or starts to break down? 2. Hiroki Kuroda. Upside: Kuroda proved he could pitch in the AL East and helped erase the unknown question mark that was the Yanks staff going into 2012. So the proof is there. Downside: Teams may have figured him out. Elite hitters (Major League hitters for that matter) coupled with the amount of video are cause for concern that Kuroda won’t be able to give the Yanks 16 wins and nearly 220 innings pitched from a year ago. 3. Andy Pettitte. Upside: The Yankee veteran on this team and one of the greatest Yankee arms of all-time keeps the staff steady and is the lefty they need. He works with the youngsters and is another guy who wants the ball in big spots and isn’t afraid of failure. He also attacks people as opposed to #4 to come. Downside: The usual Pettitte injury, wait for him to come back, and then not be himself by October. This has happened the last two years. Frankly, the Yanks should have let him walk after 2012. Is it really worth $12 million to get 4-12 wins? Eventually, time is going to be up for #46 who turns 41 in June. 4. Phil Hughes. Upside: He is still just 26 and has an arsenal of pitches. He is a power guy who’s fastball, when it is on, can set-up one of the most devastating curve balls in the game. Downside: How long can you wait for Hughes to be a big part of the future in the Bronx? The Yanks have developed him the right way for the most part, now it is time for “In Phil We Trust” to come to fruition. That starts with Hughes attacking hitters and not nibbling around the strike zone. 5. Ivan Nova. Upside: Nova (PP believes he will beat out David Phelps for the 5 spot) won 16 games in 2011 and is only 26 years old, like Hughes. He throws four pitches and brings a unique style to the staff from the right side. His down year in 2012 after success the prior season is part of the growing pains in the big leagues. The problem with that is you aren’t allowed growing pains when you wear a New York Yankees uniform. Downside: Confidence. It was enough that Nova regressed from 16 wins to 12 and his ERA ballooned from 3.70 to 5.02 from 2011 to 2012. But Nova’s confidence was shot in the early going and he never recovered. He has to get his mind right in Spring Training. Next in line: 1. David Phelps. Upside: 26 years old and a utility arm you can use in the rotation and bullpen who throws strikes early in the count. Downside: Hasn’t developed enough for the Yanks to this point. 2. Michael Pineda. Upside: Throws 97+. Just 24 years old. Fastball-slider combo has the potential to be lethal. Downside: He is recovering from a torn labrum and appears to be damaged goods. This was Brian Cashman’s worst trade in years, acquiring Pineda from Seattle for top prospect Jesus Montero on January 23, 2012 (Hector Noesi was shipped to the West Coast as well and could have been used as trade bait in another deal). The Yanks don’t expect much from him in 2013. The Yankees’ 5 Burning Spring Training Questions. By: Mike Lindsley 1. How will Derek Jeter (ankle) and Mariano Rivera (torn ACL) return from injuries? They are a huge part of this team obviously, a team that is pretty much the same club as last year. The Yanks are hoping for production from both Core Four guys considering the make-up of this team is still built around DJ and Mo (for good and bad reasons). The Yankee bullpen must get another solid year out of Rivera because it isn’t as deep as last year or the year before and doesn’t have Rafael Soriano to fill-in or spot close. Jeter must hit in key spots because the Yankees are a one dimensional, home run-hitting team until they prove otherwise. 2. Who plays center field? Curtis Granderson has been there and Brett Gardner returns, the normal left fielder. But the Yankees are exploring their options in center because of Granderson’s weaker arm and declining fielding ability. Both players are fast and can close gaps quickly. Granderson turns 32 on March 16 while Gardner doesn’t turn 30 until August 24. Does that age comparison of two years make more of a difference than pure skill set and potential? Only Yankee brass has the answer. 3. How much production will the team get from Kevin Youkilis? The former Red Sox player and hated man is now the third baseman for the Yanks while Alex Rodriguez rehabs from hip surgery, steroid use, more steroid use, a broken down body, more steroid use and a more broken down body. How much can Youk produce for the Bombers? Expect the 33-year old to perform similarly to 2012 with a little less production. Let’s count on a .275 batting average, 15 home runs, 40 RBI and slightly above average glove work at the hot corner. He has shown the ability to hit the other way at times, which would benefit him this season thanks to the short right field porch in Yankee Stadium. 4. Who is catching? This is perhaps the weakest link on the Yankee roster. No more Russell Martin (signed with Pittsburgh for way too much money anyway). The days of Jorge Posada are long gone (Did you appreciate him enough when he was in pinstripes?). And Yogi Berra probably cannot catch. So who is the guy? Francisco Cervelli, Austin Romine and Chris Stewart will battle it out for the starting role. But the reality is these guys are all platoon players and not good enough to start on a regular basis. Expect Joe Girardi to split time with all three with Cervelli and Stewart getting the most time with Romine (good defense, poor offense, especially hitting off-speed stuff) grooming underneath the others with a shot at the starting role in 2014. 5. What’s next for Cano? This is the biggest year in pinstripes for the Yankee second baseman. He is signed through 2013 but that is it. Cano regressed in the postseason by not hitting in the clutch, showed some of his lazy tactics again out of the batter’s box and had 24 less RBI in 2012 than 2011. The Yankees have a lot of options. 2013 will set-up a three-year deal, a long-term deal or maybe the Yanks even trade him halfway through the season to replenish the farm system which is overrated and down when compared to over half of Major League Baseball teams. Mike Lindsley’s Top 5 Reasons to Hate Alex Rodriguez Right Now. By: Mike Lindsley 1. He lied again. So A-Rod not only took steroids back in the day and announced it with the Yankees, but he also later said he was all done with it, done with the performance enhancing drugs that helped him hit all of those home runs and drive in all of those runs. Not the case. BALCO East, or Biogenesis or whatever you want to call it has links to A-Rod getting PED’s and taking steroids this whole time. What a liar and a cheater and a fraud. 2. Even worse teammate. Everyone, even Derek Jeter, defended the guy. They defended him and understood that people can make mistakes. If I am a Yankee and I know I am playing clean and have played clean, I wouldn’t even look A-Rod in the eye. 3. Can’t stay healthy. Due the steroid use and age, A-Rod needed hip surgery that may keep him out the entire 2013 season. So not only did he lie and cheat again, he cannot even stay healthy through it all to help the team win. This is called a waste of money. 4. Money owed. This is why baseball contracts, which are guaranteed no matter what, are the worst in sports. How can anyone justify Alex Rodriguez not only getting paid what he does, but getting paid $130 million more on his current deal while cheating, not producing AND HELLO, NOT EVEN PLAYING??!?!?!!?!?!?? His contract is the worst in sports. You have to blame the Yanks the most, however, because they could have been out of the first contract in 2007 when Rodriguez opted out during the World Series (this was before A-Rod admitted to steroid use for a three-year period of time and before he carried the Yanks in the 2009 World Series, but the contract was still insane and the Yanks would have been better off long-term as a team without Rodriguez). 5. Bad example. For kids and baseball and records and everything else, Alex Rodriguez is a terrible example. Here is a guy who we are supposed to remember as a five-tool, all-world baseball player who was an all-time great and attracted the American and Latino masses. Now we see needles and drugs, cheat and scam, drama and disaster whenever his face comes on TV or any medium or his name comes up in any discussion. It is amazing to think it has come to this for a baseball player who didn’t even need the steroids to begin with. The guy is an embarrassment to the Yankee uniform, an embarrassment to the game of baseball and is a total disgrace. The Best Possible A-Rod Scenario. By: Mike Lindsley Forget for a second, even though it is hard to do, about the years remaining and the money remaining on one Alex Rodriguez’s contract. Five years. $130+ million. Yea, scary and hard NOT to think about. But the Yankees make enough money to cover up plenty of mistakes, and so believe it or not, no matter what the years and dollars say, this is the best possible scenario: to have A-Rod NOT PLAY at all for the Yankees in 2013. The beautiful thing? It may actually happen. General manager Brian Cashman recently went on ESPN Radio 98.7 in New York City and told Michael Kay and Don La Greca that there is “a chance” that A-Rod’s hip surgery could keep him out of the entire 2013 season. This is amazing news for the Yankees and for Yankee fans and for the general make-up and productivity of the team. A-Rod is a lightning rod in the clubhouse and around the media. He is full of drama and headlines you don't want. And there has to be a little of that jealous of Jeter stuff still lingering. But mostly, the guy is completely and utterly DONE as a ballplayer. He can barely run. He can barely field his position on a day-to-day basis. He can barely get the ball to the outfield thanks to his broken down, steroid-ridden body. The money and years left on his contract are asinine and astronomical and frustrating all at the same time. But don’t worry about that. Worry about the team being good. They are not as good with Rodriguez in there. He doesn’t move people over. He doesn’t get people in. Hell, he cannot even hit home runs, which is the only thing he used to be able to do. And that hurts considering that A-Rod always hits somewhere in the middle of the lineup. So, Who cares if the Yanks pay him not to play if it is better for the team?!!?!?? “Not I, says the Captain.” Well, Jeter would probably say that. The Yankees are always patient and savvy and have a veteran presence when they win. But when they lose? Oh, how old the pinstripes are and how slow the team is. Well, the latter is now actually starting to come to fruition. Jeter (coming off of foot surgery), Andy Pettitte, Mariano Rivera (coming off of ACL injury), Mark Teixeira and Ichiro are all a year older. When does C.C. Sabathia start breaking down? A-Rod being in there and NOT producing just adds to the age thing. So, if A-Rod misses the whole season, this is a good thing. You take out a selfish player who doesn’t produce and is a distraction for the betterment of the team. Sure, the Steinbrenner family isn’t paying him to actually play and produce, or not produce, but they are paying for something else. The Steinbrenner family riches are, in the end, indirectly paying for the ballclub to be better. What the Yankees Batting Order Should Be. By: Mike Lindsley The Yanks said good-bye to Nick Swisher and Russell Martin in the off-season, may lose Alex Rodriguez for the whole season due to hip surgery, will figure out if Kevin Youkilis fits well into pinstripes and if Curtis Granderson can do anything besides hit home runs. Then there is Derek Jeter, Robinson Cano, the return of Brett Gardner, Mark Teixeira and Ichiro. Here is an early look at the 2013 Yankee lineup: Derek Jeter (SS) Ichiro (RF) Curtis Granderson (CF) Robinson Cano (2B) Mark Teixeira (1B) Kevin Youkilis (3B) Eduardo Nunez (DH) Chris Stewart-Francisco Cervelli-Austin Romine (C) Brett Gardner (LF) Against right-handed pitching, just switch Jeter and Ichiro around. The key will be the 6-9 spots in the order. Can they manufacture runs or get on base for Jeter and Ichiro to hit them in? After all, last year we learned that home runs are sexy and fun in the regular season, but you need to do more to score runs in the postseason. Jeter and Ichiro are the only guys on the team who have the offensive skill set to score runs by singling, getting sacrifice flies, hitting the occasional home run and GULP, bunting people over or in on a squeeze play. If Alex Rodriguez comes back, plug him into the 7-hole as a DH. $25 million to DH. Incredible. The key to this offense is obviously Robinson Cano. He must produce runs from April through October if the Yankees are to win another World Series. He had a dreadful 2013 postseason and seemed to drift away mentally and not hustle again. If Cano performs like that again this October, should the Yanks make it to postseason play, New York will have to think long and hard about one of those mega contracts for the star infielder. Spring Training isn't that far away. But the Yankees doing anything differently offensively than last year seems like an eternity away. 2013=2012. By: Mike Lindsley Going into 2013, the Yankees look this way. They have a third baseman who is injured again and won't be able to hit in the clutch when he returns. His replacement is another baseball nomad who is overpaid and overrated and had his day five years ago for a bitter rival. There is no productive catcher. The pitching is a question mark. The team is old and slow and lacks speed. The team lacks depth on the bench. They are one dimensional. Sound familiar? 2013 will be a lot like 2012 in the Bronx. Things will be exciting at times, sure. The Yankees will hit a lot of home runs. They have stars. Derek Jeter will get more hits in his quest for 4,000 career. CC Sabathia will save the day a few times and the now-Core 3 will try and put together one more magical run. The Yankees and Mets will play silly Subway Series games that the media and fans go bonkers for. The Red Sox will come in for the usual rivalry games. And Joe Girardi will be on the hot seat for some reason or another. But let's look at this seriously. The Yankees don't have the horses or the pieces or the anything to win a championship. And that is what it's about in New York. Division titles are sweet. Pennants are sweeter. World Series titles are the sweetest. The Yankees didn't have a good off-season. They signed Kevin Youkilis to replace A-Rod. Youk is what the Yanks already are: slow, old, overrated and overpaid. There is no room for one more. The Ichiro one-year deal makes sense but Ichiro brings a different dynamic than most players the last 20 years so he almost doesn't count (and he is getting up there in age). Andy Pettitte is back for more staredowns from the mound, but another injury and comeback and soap opera are sure to follow. Ivan Nova seems to have regressed and Phil Hughes is the ultimate enigma. There was no addition to the bullpen that lost Rafael Soriano. The catcher spot? Good luck. This team is good enough to win the division. Or good enough to claim the Wild Card spot or the handout Wild Card spot. But there is no reason to believe this team is any different than last year. The only way that happens is if New York learns how to hit with two outs or Curtis Granderson can hit the ball the other way or if Ivan Nova and Phil Hughes attack and finish hitters. Or if they magically develop a farm system player (GULP) and he instantly makes something happen in the rotation or if Michael Pineda comes back and throws lightning and makes Brian Cashman look somewhat smart for trading the best prospect in the organization (Jesus Montero) for an average number two pitcher. Or if the average age gets a little younger than 36.5. Until then, 2013 is going to look a lot like 2012. Same Old Yanks. By: Mike Lindsley Before Yankee fans get bent out of shape about an article that slams the Yanks (this is more realism, however, than anything), it is important to note that it is fully known that New York won the World Series in 2009 and reached the American League Championship Series this past season and makes the playoffs every year. However... This is more about how the team is built. The average age of the Yanks is 35.6. The third baseman is out 4-6 months and is due $114 million over the next five years NOT including incentives. Right field is weak. There is no one to play catcher. All they do is hit home runs. And the pitching staff, which includes two up and down guys (Ivan Nova and Phil Hughes) and a 40-year old Andy Pettitte, is still a monster question mark long term. Oh, and when does CC Sabathia break down and Huroki Kuroda underachieve? Ah the Yanks. Blessed with more money than baseball Gods can create. Now they have offered Kevin Youkilis (puke in mouth now) a one-year deal for $12 million dollars to replace A-Rod for the time being. Yep, $12 million. Isn't Wade Boggs around instead? I understand the national media's perspective on New York and Yankee haters' opinions. They are old and slow when they lose but gritty, tough and patient when they win. But right now, it is more of the former. And it's not even close. See this is the same old Yankees. They haven't groomed a farm arm since the previously mentioned Pettitte. They keep going back to the free agent well where old, crusty has-beens await a big contract to finish out their career and sit back to enjoy retirement. And those players know they will get it, because the Yankees overpay and cannot build a team anymore. This is the pinstripe system now, and Hank and Hal seem to be ok with it. Remember Gene Michael? Remember how he wouldn't trade Bernie Williams or Derek Jeter or Mariano Rivera or Andy Pettitte? Remember how the team was built around core farm system players and then the right pieces through the free agent market and big dollars? It isn't this way anymore. Yet the rest of baseball is doing it that way. The Giants, for example, are doing it that way and won the World Series with free agents and trades built around a farm system pitching staff and National League MVP Buster Posey. The Yankees may win a World Series here and there, but they aren't setting themselves up for runs like the Cardinals or Giants (or even teams who haven't won like the Nats). The Yanks won it all in 2009 with A-Rod carrying them and Sabathia pitching and Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsusi grinding out at-bats, which is great news in the Bronx. But it isn't the Giants' run in 2010 and 2012 or the Cardinals' run since 2006. Those are TEAMS. The Yanks are an old, has-been, overpaid, broken down collection. And in that collection there is certainly no place for Kevin Youkilis. Andy Pettitte, Again? By: Mike Lindsley How many times can you do the exact same thing? You can pay rent every month. You can ride a bike every day in the Summer time. You can tie your shoes over and over and over again. You can eat pizza every Friday night. You can brush your teeth every day and get dressed every day. You can say good-bye to family members every morning on your way out for work. Christmas happens every year. So does the New Year and July 4 and Memorial Day and well, you get the point. And, apparently, you can sign Andy Pettitte to one-year deals if you're the New York Yankees. Over and over and over and over and over and over again. Pettitte will be 41 years old in June, 2013. The Yankees need to get younger and faster and better. You don't do it by signing a 41-year old pitcher who is coming off of a broken fibula, 5-4 2012 season, even if he is a member of the Heroic Core Four. See, these one-year deals are getting as old as Pettitte. It is the same thing every year. Pettitte has no idea if he wants to pitch again after the season. He then gets verification from his wife and kids if they are ok with him playing again. Plus he has to figure out if he has “the drive” again. And then the Yankees overpay him and sign him to a one-year deal. And then he gets injured in some capacity, comes back for the stretch run, and then we do it all over again. It's old. It's boring. It's a waste of time. While some would think there isn't anything else out there, maybe the Yankees haven't looked hard enough. Maybe they haven't scouted hard enough to find another Hiroki Kuroda. Surely they haven't groomed enough starting pitchers over the years because none of them are healthy or ready. A good idea might be to pass the torch to David Phelps just by default to see what the youngster has. At least with Phil Hughes, Ivan Nova and David Phelps the Yankees are younger. That problem is solved. The other problems of production and winning games is not solved, but certainly both are fixable considering what upside we have seen at times from all three. Yankee fans understand the importance of Pettitte over the years. It isn't about that. It isn't about three Game 2 wins during the 2009 World Series run or beating John Smoltz head-to-head in Game 5 of the 1996 World Series. It isn't about the .633 winning percentage or the 245 career wins or the 2,320 career strikeouts. It isn't about the cutter into right-handers and away from lefties. It isn't about the stare to home plate. It isn't about that bulldog mentality or the pickoff move to first base. It isn't about being a borderline Hall of Famer and the second greatest lefty in Yankee history. It's about what's best for the Yankees. And because they need to get young and stop living in the past, it is about the team first and the future, not trying to make it like it is 1996, 1998, 2000 or 2003 all over again with these silly Andy Pettitte one-year deals. What's Next For A-Rod? By: Mike Lindsley Two options. The Yankees keep him and deal with his broken-down body and lousy play and pre-Madonna acts or they cut Rodriguez and pay for him to NOT play on the team. Option two is the best but not likely. From what Brian Cashman is saying, the general manager of the Yanks, New York is committed to the aging star and Alex Rodriguez is committed to contributing and helping the Yanks get back to the World Series. The problem is both sides are in denial. A-Rod is done. Shot. Toast. Cooked. Never again will he be a productive player. And he is old. And his body is breaking down more and more from the needle. Both sides know it, they just don't talk about it. They probably don't even talk about it with each other. And the reason for that is simple, because A-Rod has always gotten a free pass for just about everything, and plenty of freebies from the New York Yankees, the team that has paid him far too much money and delivered him an opportunity to finally win a ring. What should happen is that both sides understand 30 million times over again that this was never going to work in the first place. It was never going to work because A-Rod always wants more. He wants more fame, more money, more women, more everything. He proved it in 2007 by opting out of a 10-year deal worth $250 million during the World Series so he could get a $300 million deal with incentives from the Yankees who had no problem running to his feet, kissing his toes, handing him half the franchise and walking away happy about it. If you're a Yankee fan and hoping that the Marlins recent fire sale to Toronto made room for Rodriguez in Florida and that this opens the door for a trade, good luck. A-Rod is a nobody in Miami, and he knows it. Sure, he can speak some solid Spanish with the belly dancers and strippers, but Miami is not a baseball town, even if it is one of his three homes. New York, however, is a baseball town. It might be the strongest baseball town of all. The new Yankee Stadium, despite NOT being the old one with the ghosts and the history and the real fans, is still superior to the fish tank aquarium in Miami. A-Rod would be a goldfish there at best as opposed to a beta or small catfish in New York City. So, make no mistake about it. A-Rod will be a Yankee until the end of his baseball time. He will miss fastballs and not be able to make it to first and limp around 3rd base. He will be a hole in the lineup bigger than the Grand Canyon and continue to fail in October. Off the field, he will make news that isn't all good and be a lightning rod for reporters and fans, both home and away. He will continue to talk during post games about getting better and helping the team and blah, blah. This will continue unless one thing happens. The Yanks cut him and pay him. Don't hold your breath. Mo Returns. By: Mike Lindsley Mariano Rivera continues rehabilitation on his torn ACL from when he was shagging fly balls in the outfield in Kansas City during the 2012 season. In the meantime, we can already make his Hall of Fame plaque in Cooperstown for election in say...well who knows? Why don't we know? Because Mariano Rivera may not retire anytime soon after his announcement that he will return to the Bronx for another season in 2013. Here are three reasons why PinstripePassion.com believes Rivera decided to come back. 1. The competitor. Mariano loves the game. The game loves him and so do the fans. And most of all, #42 loves to compete and loves the thrill of running out of that bullpen door to shut the door on the opposing team. You know he wants to get after it one more time and win another championship and add to those 608 saves and add to that career .70 postseason ERA. 2. Soriano opt-out. Rivera's replacement last year and the 2011 set-up man Rafael Soriano has already opted out of his contract and will test the market. If Rivera is ready to go, there is no way in hell the Yankees give the closing role back to Soriano, not just because Mariano Rivera is Mariano Rivera, but because Rafael Soriano is trying to get more money from MLB teams than a team that can pay players and closers the most money in baseball, the New York Yankees. Why Soriano would leave that money on the table AND not fight for that closer's spot is beyond comprehension. It shows you the difference between Rivera and Soriano as competitors and Yankees. 3. This can't be the end. Mariano Rivera doesn't want his last baseball image to be getting carted off the field with a torn ACL. He wants it to be on the field, competing hard and striking people out with that cutter he has baffled hitters with and broken bats with since 1996. Even if the Yanks don't win a championship in 2013, Rivera will be on the field trying for it as opposed to sitting on the couch. And all Yankee and baseball fans will remember that more than the ACL injury, which is just how the Yanks legend wants it. Be Careful With Cano. By: Mike Lindsley He is talented. He is five-tool. He is one of the top five all-around players in baseball. His smile is perfect. His glove is flawless. His arm is strong. Teammates seem to love him. Fans really seem to love him. Former players say "best hands in the game since Rod Carew." But it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter for two reasons. One, because Robinson Cano seems like he doesn't care that much about playing the game. Two, because Robinson Cano couldn't hit a lick in October, 2012. Five or seven more big hits might have sent the Yanks to the World Series the way their pitching staff and bullpen came together. John Jay doesn't seem to have issues hitting. Austin Jackson, the Yanks farmhand in Detroit, doesn't seem to have an issue. But Cano does. Nick Swisher and A-Rod didn't either. But it is different with Cano. It is different because Robinson Cano is the best player on the Yanks. He was supposed to take the team over. He was supposed to lead and take over with Derek Jeter on crutches and preparing for ankle surgery. He was supposed to make-up for Swisher, Curtis Granderson and A-Rod. But instead, Cano went 3-40 in the playoffs. No big hits. 0.75 batting average in the playoffs. 0.53 average against the Detroit Tigers in the American League Championship Series. A botched double play. And not a care in the world. And so now the Yankees have a decision to make. The Yanks have a team option for him for the 2013 season on his five-year, $44 million contract which is up after this year. What do you do with him now and after 2013? How many years? How many dollars? How much trust do you put into a five-tool player who hits in the regular season and not the postseason? How much trust do you put in a player whose talents are through the roof but the effort and clutch hitting are through the basement? The answer should be simple. A four-year deal with a TEAM option for a fifth after management picks-up the 2013 option. Put in clauses and incentives. Put in a "work harder" clause that states more than five turtle runs to first takes away money. If he wins two rings, pay him a bonus. If he wins a batting title, give him a car. Do something to motivate RC. Hell, maybe bring Larry Bowa back to slap him across the face a few times. If Cano and his agent Scott Boras want more than four years with a team option, which they most likely will, don't pay him. Let Cano test the market. Let him walk. New York cannot afford another A-Rod situation in the six to 10-year window of an awful contract somewhere in the Carl Crawford range or Albert Pujols range or A-Rod range. One thing is for sure. The Yanks were still four wins away from the World Series and their 41st American League pennant. At the same time, the Yankees need to build a team again in order to reach the top of the baseball mountain they are so accustomed to. And if Cano wants to be a part of it, he needs to start trying harder and hitting in the clutch in October. [ VIEW PAST ARTICLES ] As 2011 continues to inch towards the All-Star break, it's becoming apparent that starting pitching is the reason for all the success at Yankee Stadium this year. A.J. Burnett and CC Sabathia have both been as solid as ever this season, giving New York the high quality innings they expected when the Bombers inked the pitching duo to hefty contracts. Assuming the Yankees continue to pitch the way they have been, tickets for MLB will continue to be in high demand in New York. COPYRIGHT © 2012 PINSTRIPEPASSION.COM. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. SITE DESIGN BY DESTINED STUDIOS, INC.. COPYRIGHT © 2012 DESTINED STUDIOS.