I'd look for them to make a push for AJ Pierzynski

Not looking as good as Toronto or really better than Baltimore at this point...  Maybe the best pitching of the 3, but arguably the least bats.

1. Roberts (laff) 2B
2. McLouth LF
3. Markakis RF
4. Jones CF (shouldn't be batting 4th, but he probably will be)
5. Davis 1B
6. Reimold/Betemit DH
7. Wieters C
8. Hardy SS
9. Machado 3B
Unless you guy sign Hamilton to DH I don't think I'd trade lineups...

I'm not even going to try to lay out the pitching staff, it's way too up in the air.  But with any luck the back end of the bullpen should be solid again.  Darren O'Day is a stud.

Not as good as Baltimore? Really? Compare the 2 teams position by position and see how many of those the Orioles "win."

EDIT: I did this, and surprisingly closer than I thought.  I like Gardner much more than McLouth in left though (stolen bases, defense), and Cano much more than Roberts.  Id call 1B a toss-up last year, but I'd expect a more "normal" season from both Davis and Tex.

Pitching for Yankees is much better.

I doubt the Yankees are done.   I expect a different C as I don't see them starting the season with Cervelli as the starter.    They have to accept that the window is closing as everyone but Gardner/Cano are on the backside of their career.    It's almost stupid to start the season with a glaring hole. 

81 WINS TOPS

Nah.  Yankees will win 89-91 I think, but I'd say it's unclear whether that will be enough.

Posted by dahsdebater on 12/12/2012 1:32:00 PM (view original):
Nah.  Yankees will win 89-91 I think, but I'd say it's unclear whether that will be enough.

This. They'll probably be in the high 80's but so will Tampa and Toronto. Should be interesting.

Posted by Bilfert on 12/12/2012 9:42:00 PM (view original):

Posted by bad_luck on 12/12/2012 7:05:00 PM (view original):

Posted by dahsdebater on 12/12/2012 1:32:00 PM (view original):
Nah.  Yankees will win 89-91 I think, but I'd say it's unclear whether that will be enough.

This. They'll probably be in the high 80's but so will Tampa and Toronto. Should be interesting.

You guys say this EVERY year, do I need to remind you what happens?

You've got a 95 win team from last year that looks a little worse this year.

I don't think the Yankees have been an obviously less talented team from one year to the next in quite some time.

How are they "less talented"?  Simply because they're older?  Because the anchor called A-Roid is out? 

I'd argue that having Gardner, Rivera and Pineda all season would make them better.   Lost Martin, who hit about .013, A-Roid(for half a season) and Swisher.   Assuming Ichiro doesn't suddenly act 40, Youk can still produce something and Jeter returns at 100%, I think the Yanks are better.

They are older, yes (that's a big deal).  And key pieces are missing.  Swisher was arguably your 2nd best hitter this past year, and I don't think Gardner is a better player.  Rivera simply replaces Soriano.  Martin is better than what you have now (Get Pierzynski and that changes). And Ichiro WAS acting his age for the past few years, and then hit well for 200 atbats with the Yankees.  And it would be foolish to expect anything significant from Pineda this year.

I don't expect Ichiro, Jeter, Tex or Granderson to suddenly fall off the cliff.   They could but I think Jeter and Ichiro have been written off before.  "Rivera simply replaces Soriano" is a silly statement.  Say it out loud.    Martin didn't hit his weight last year.  Cervelli can do the same.   As for Pineda, I guess it depends on which report you read and who you believe.   He was projected for June, he said ST.  We'll see. 

Nonetheless, being 5 months older isn't the death knell for the Yanks.   The parts lost, excluding Swisher, doesn't add up to much.

While "Rivera simply replaces Soriano" sounds funny, it's the stats he's replacing, and Soriano had Mo-like stats last year.

Martin didnt hit for average, but he hit for power, he walks, calls a good game.  There's a reason he got as much $ as he did.  And I would be surprised if Jeter leads the league in hitting again.  I would guess his numbers look more like 2010-11 then 2012.

We'll see.  I'm very interested to see how Toronto competes.  And Tampa losing Shields means they'll probably take a step back.  It'll be fun.

Yep, and Teixeira will be 33 this year and has seen his OPS+ decline significantly over the last 5 years, down from 152 in 08, to 141, then 124, then 121, and then 116 last year. If I had to bet, I'd say it will continue to drop.

I'm also sure that 39 year old Jeter will not suddenly find adequate range for a SS or put up another 200 hit season.