My 2011 Yankees Projected Statistics

2010 Lineup:                                                                                 Statistics:

1. Derek Jeter SS                          157 G   663 AB   .270 AVG   10 HR   67 RBI   111 R   .340 OBP
2. Nick Swisher RF                      150 G   566 AB   .288 AVG   29 HR   89 RBI    91 R    .359 OBP
3. Mark Teixeira 1B                     158 G     601 AB   .256 AVG   33 HR  108 RBI 113 R   .365 OBP
4. Alex Rodriguez 3B                  137 G     522 AB   .270 AVG   30 HR  125 RBI   74 R   .341 OBP
5. Robinson Cano 2B                   160 G    626 AB   .319 AVG   29 HR   109 RBI  103 R  .381 OBP
6. Jorge Posada DH                      120 G   383 AB   .248 AVG   18 HR   57 RBI    49 R    .357 OBP
7. Curtis Granderson CF              136 G   466 AB   .247 AVG   24 HR   67 RBI   76 R     .324 OBP
8. Francisco Cervelli C                  93 G   266 AB   .271 AVG     0 HR   38 RBI   27 R     .359 OBP
9. Brett Gardner LF                      150 G  477 AB   .277 AVG     5 HR   47 RBI   97 R     .383 OBP

2010 Rotation:

1. C.C. Sabathia                           34 GS   237.2 IP   21 W     7 L   3.18 ERA   1.191 WHIP   197 SO
2. Andy Pettitte                            21 GS      129 IP   11 W     3 L   3.28 ERA   1.271 WHIP   101 SO
3. A.J. Burnett                              33 GS   186.2 IP   10 W   15 L   5.26 ERA   1.511 WHIP   145 SO
4. Phil Hughes                              29 GS   176.1 IP   18 W    8 L   4.18 ERA    1.248 WHIP   146 SO
5. Javier Vazquez                        26 GS   157.1 IP    10 W   10 L  5.32 ERA    1.398 WHIP   121 SO

 2010 Bullpen:

1. Mariano Rivera CL                 61 G          60 IP      3 W   3 L    1.80 ERA   .833  WHIP      45 SO
2. Joba Chamberlain RP             73 G       71.2 IP      3 W   4 L    4.40 ERA   1.298 WHIP     77 SO
3. David Robertson RP               64 G      61.1 IP       4 W   5 L    3.82 ERA   1.500 WHIP     71 SO
4. Boone Logan LS                     51 G         40 IP       2 W   0 L    2.93 ERA   1.350 WHIP     38 SO
5. Chad Gaudin LR                     30 G         48 IP       1 W   2 L    4.50 ERA   1.375 WHIP     33 SO
6. Sergio Mitre LR                      27 G         54 IP       0 W   3 L    3.33 ERA   1.093 WHIP     29 SO
7. Kerry Wood SM                      24 G         26 IP       2 W   0 L    0.69 ERA   1.231 WHIP     31 SO

2011 Projected Lineup and Statistics:

1. Brett Gardner LF                      143 G   589 AB   .284 AVG     4 HR   61 RBI   114 R   .391 OBP
2. Derek Jeter SS                          149 G   592  AB   .307 AVG   16 HR  76 RBI    102 R   378 OBP
3. Mark Teixeira 1B                     154 G    599 AB   .286 AVG   35 HR  114 RBI   99 R   .381 OBP
4. Alex Rodriguez 3B                  147 G    556 AB   .304 AVG   41 HR  132 RBI   101 R  .403 OBP
5. Robinson Cano 2B                   161 G    629 AB   .314 AVG   30 HR  104 RBI   97 R   .380 OBP
6. Nick Swisher RF                      153 G   569 AB   .274 AVG   27 HR   84 RBI    88 R    .364 OBP
7. Jorge Posada DH                      138 G   466 AB   .276 AVG   23 HR   71 RBI    72 R    .361 OBP
8. Curtis Granderson CF              145 G  578 AB   .271 AVG   32 HR   83 RBI    85 R    .342 OBP
9. Russell Martin C                      133 G  452 AB   .268 AVG   14 HR   62 RBI    63 R    .363 OBP

2011 Projected Rotation Statistics:

1. C.C. Sabathia                           34 GS   231.1 IP   19 W     7 L   3.24 ERA   1.199 WHIP   193 SO
2. A.J. Burnett                              32 GS   196.2 IP   14 W    10 L  4.21 ERA   1.398 WHIP   179 SO
   
3. Phil Hughes                              32 GS   194.1 IP   16 W      9 L  4.11 ERA   1.244 WHIP   188 SO
4. Ivan Nova                                 27 GS   164.2 IP   12 W      9 L  4.32 ERA  1.315 WHIP   139 SO
5. Freddy Garcia                           23 GS   159.1 IP   11 W      8 L  4.69 ERA  1.401 WHIP   102 SO

2011 Projected Bullpen Statistics:

1. Mariano Rivera CL                 64 G         60.2 IP    4 W   3 L    1.96 ERA    .951 WHIP      42 SO
2. Rafael Soriano SM                  71 G         73.1 IP    5 W   3 L    2.37 ERA   1.093 WHIP     76 SO
3. David Robertson RP               65 G         63.1 IP    6 W   4 L    3.11 ERA   1.390 WHIP     73 SO
4. Boone Logan LS                     42 G         37.2 IP    1 W   2 L    3.91 ERA   1.341 WHIP     35 SO
5. Joba Chamberlain RP             58 G         60.1 IP    3 W   4 L    3.61 ERA   1.283 WHIP     66 SO
6. Pedro Feliciano LS                 64 G            51 IP    2 W   1 L   3.35 ERA     1.402 WHIP     49 SO
7. Bartolo Colon LR                   35 G            79 IP    8 W   4 L   3.89 ERA     1.391 WHIP     70 SO

Here are my predictions for the 2011 New York Yankee roster.  While the sabermetricians will probably just laugh at these numbers, as they are based on my intuition from past seasons rather than on meticulously statistical analysis, I have faith that they will stay relatively true to the actually statistics of 2011.  A couple of observations:

• A-Rod will have  monster season:

Many people think that Alex Rodriguez's game will continue to stagnate.  I, on the other hand, believe that A-Rod will defy these claims and prove that 2007 is not just a distant memory.  A-Rod admitted that he hasn't felt this healthy since 2008.  Because of this, Rodriguez had the opportunity to focus on baseball and strength conditioning this off-season, rather than merely concentrating on rehabilitation (for his bothersome hip) like he's done in the past two seasons.  His 2011 spring training numbers have proved this: 6 Homers, 15 RBI, .388 AVG.  Barring injury, A-Rod will prove that he is still one of the most feared hitters in all of baseball

• The Yankee Bullpen will dominate:

The bullpen has been a huge asset for the Yankees for the last two seasons.  This is in no small part due to Joe Girardi.  Girardi is excellent at juggling the myriad of relievers in the Yankee 'pen, and usually brings each pitcher into a favorable match-up.  The already capable core consisting of Rivera, Chamberlain, Robertson, and Logan received a significant boost through the acquisitions of Pedro Feliciano and Rafael Soriano.  Bartolo Colon will provide substantial support (in the mold of Alfredo Aceves circa 2009) as a long reliever/spot starter as well.  Expect the bullpen to be at the pinnacle of MLB relief pitching

• The Yankees will have a far better season than the pundits' give them credit for:

After failing to acquire Cliff Lee and watching Andy Pettitte retire to his ranch in Houston, many have written off the Yankees as being the future punching bag for the Red Sox come opening day.  I couldn't disagree more.  While the Red Sox do indeed have a better rotation, the discrepancy between the two team's pitching rotation is not nearly as wide as the analysts would have you think.  Boston has two excellent arms in Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz, but their rotation also has some serious question marks after these two young hurlers.  Josh Beckett was awful last year, and when he wasn't getting clobbered, he was spending time on the DL.  Lackey wasn't nearly as effective in the hard hitting AL East as he was in the much softer AL West.  Daisuke is almost as mercurial as Burnett (as unbelievable as that sounds).  Also, the Red Sox lineup, although bolstered by the additions of Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford, still is at best equal with the Yankees' starting 9, and their 'pen isn't quite as good as that of the Bronx Bombers' either.  Look for the Yankees to be in the running for the AL East crown throughout the season.

Garcia vs Colon: The Optimal Fifth Starter?

Despite the fact that opening day is only one week way, manager Joe Girardi hasn't yet finalized the Yankees' pitching rotation.  The first three starters will undoubtedly be C.C. Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, and Phil Hughes; Ivan Nova in all likelihood will take the fourth slot.  But the fifth slot in New York's starting pitching rotation is still very much up for grabs.  The two pitchers vying for the last slot appear to be Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia.  Both veteran pitchers were signed to low-risk, high reward deals after being discarded by the rest of the MLB due to age, inactivity (in Colon's case), and seemingly ineffectiveness (in Garcia's case).  After a competitive spring training and a multitude of innings pitched by both veterans, Girardi's decision hadn't become any easier.  Garcia, who was the clear favorite to win the position, faltered while Colon, who wasn't given much of a chance to make the team, thrived.  While Garcia still seems to be the favorite, Colon has closed the gap between the two and has left the Yankee organization with quite a conundrum: Should Freddy Garcia or Bartolo Colon be the fifth starter?

Freddy Garcia signed a $1.5 million dollar contract with the Yankees in hopes of contributing to the 27 time World Championship franchise.  After posting a solid 2010 campaign, with a 12-6 record and an ERA of 4.64 in 157 innings pitched, it seemed as though Garcia would be a viable option for the diminished Yankee rotation.  Garcia, 35, is a former All-Star known for his experience and reliability.  Even after season-ending shoulder surgery (in 2007) reduced the velocity of his fastball from around 93 MPH to 87 MPH, he still managed to get American League hitters out through craftiness.  Because of his perceived durability, Garcia was tabbed as the likely fifth starter for the 2011 Yankees.  A tumultuous spring training has somewhat shaken this conviction, however, as his stats are anything but promising.  His ERA swelled to 5.93 (in 13.2 innings pitched) after getting lit up by the Toronto Blue Jays last Saturday.  His command, which was a strength during the bulk of his career, has become precarious and unreliable, raising eyebrows in the Yankee dugout.  Despite this, Garcia is still the favorite heading into opening day due to having proven that he can compete at a high a level (based on his statistics from last season).

Bartolo Colon has not pitched in the major leagues since July of 2009 due to a significant elbow injury.  This, coupled with the fact that Colon admitted to being 30 plus pounds overweight made many fans wonder what was GM Brian Cashman's logic for signing this washed up, corpulent has-been.  Colon was quick to dispel his doubters, however, after a wildly successful spring-training campaign.  He has posted an exceptional ERA of 2.40 in 15 innings pitched and has an incredible K/BB ratio of 17:1.  The resurgence of his fastball has also been completely unexpected, as it jumped in velocity and consistently reaches 93 MPH.  These statistics would normally make Colon the clear favorite to win the final spot, but Yankee management is unsure of Colon's stamina: they doubt he can last for the entire season.

I believe that the Yankees should in fact make Bartolo Colon, instead of Freddy Garcia, the fifth starter.  Colon looks eminently better than Garcia, and his fastball is closer to its 2005 form, where Colon won the Cy Young Award.  Also, the Yankees shouldn't worry about his stamina because they only need him to last until the trade-deadline.  By July 31st, the Yankees in all likelihood will obtain another starter via trade in order to plug up any holes in the pitching staff.  Until then, let Colon turn back the clocks to 2005.

The Vilification of Alex Rodriguez

Alex Rodriguez, or A-Rod, has, in recent years, become the pariah of professional baseball.  Whether it's due to his incredible wealth (an absurd annual salary of $33 million), his chimerical and egotistical statements, or the outrageous situations that he seems to constantly get himself into, people love to hate Alex Rodriguez.  The revelation that the superstar had also taken steroids earlier in his career further debilitated his image.  In fact, even some Yankee fans admit to openly disliking Rodriguez.  What many people fail to realize, however, is that they judge and deride the Alex of old.  Since 2007, the year where he won the American League MVP for posting ridiculously good numbers, Alex has visibly tried to bring as little attention to himself as possible.  He no longer made outlandishly arrogant statements, and, according to Tom Verducci and Joe Torre's, The Yankee Years, even tried to dress and act as "vanilla" (plain) as possible.  While he still made mistakes at times (A-Rod's 2007 opt-out clause controversy and divorce of 2008), his attitude was discernibly changing for the better.  Then, in 2009, when his use of performance enhancing drugs became exposed to the public, Alex realized that he truly needed to grow up.  He also realized that despite all the controversy and headache he had caused them in the past, his teammates (noticeably Derek Jeter, whose past with Rodriguez has been rocky) were behind him.  From that point forward, A-Rod put his own needs and desires aside and become a true team player.  He ceased talking about his own personal achievements and stressed that he was now only concerned about both winning and his teammates.  This in turn led to A-Rod's newfound love of baseball, and, because of this, he became eminently more enjoyable to watch.  A-Rod's resurgence paid dividends for the Yankees in 2009.  Despite missing a month of the season and battling a nagging hip injury, A-Rod in essence became the MVP of the Yankees.  The team started winning as soon as he returned to the lineup that May, and A-Rod put to the sleep the not-so-quietly held belief that he was an unclutch player by belting clutch home run after clutch home run.  In fact, his monstrous 2009 postseason campaign near singlehandedly carried the Yankees to the World Series.  Also, his 2 run homer off Cole Hamels and RBI double off Phillie closer Brad Lidge in games three and four of the 2009 World Series were critical hits for the Yankees.  Simply put, without Alex, the Yankees would not have won their 27th world championship.  Therefore, people should begin to understand that the man they relish in scorning, Alex Rodriguez, is not the same egotistical windbag of 2006.  Rather, he is a more focused athlete who only wants to win and enjoy playing the game he loves, much like the beloved idol of baseball, Derek Jeter.  If you A-Rod haters are still unmoved by this argument, then that's fine.  But to point fingers and disparage the man for such nonsensically frivolous matters like walking on a pitching mound or getting fed popcorn by a girlfriend is pure asinine.

A-Rod jokes about popcorn incident