Over at SI.com, I take a look at how the loss of Alex Rodriguez though as late as mid-May will effect the Yankees bottom line of wins and losses and conclude that they’ll get by just fine with Cody Ransom at third base for a few weeks. Any one remember Erick Almonte?
It’s not unheard of for a team to be unfazed by the loss of one of its stars for a month or so. The Yankees themselves have survived similar blows in the past. In 2003 Derek Jeter separated his shoulder on a collision at third base on Opening Day and was out until May 13. The Yankees went 25-11 (.694) with Jeter on the shelf and had a three-game lead in the East when he returned. Last year the Rays lost Evan Longoria for a month down the stretch after he suffered a fractured wrist, but went 19-11 (.633) without him and maintained their lead in the East. The previous year the Phillies lost Chase Utley to a broken hand for a month late in the season, but went 17-10 (.630) in his absence and maintained their virtual tie with the Mets atop the NL East. All three of those teams won their division.
"for a month or so"
It's the length of the "or so" part that is a worry.
I just saw that. Interesting thoughts, He just may be right.
It’s the length of the “or so” part that is a worry.
If that's the case, I'm sure the Yanks will swing a trade for a third baseman. If Ransom can't hack it, the Yanks will simply get someone else. They'll keep rotating players until someone gets it right.
I'm warming up to Ransom. I think he can be serviceable.
I do worry that they will give up on Ransom and give Berroa way too many AB
having a legitimate pitching staff will help mitigate the loss.
as far as scoring runs, it would help if one or both of the slow starters (tex and cano) get off to a nice start (though hopefully neither one will press too much) and then jeter/damon/nady/swisher hit at or slightly above projections for this time period and matsui/posada have decent health and molina/melky/gardner/ransom are not automatic outs.
in other words not that much different than we were all hoping for even with arod- just a smaller margin for error now.
i guess having the wbc this year might actually turn out to be helpful time wise.
"not that much different than we were all hoping for even with arod- just a smaller margin for error now."
That's exactly it, Ms October.
On the other hand, the Yankees already had question marks at two positions - CF and C - so their margin of error was already largely built on hope.
If those two don't work out the way we hope, there's the real possibility of having three black holes at the bottom of the lineup again. Last year we saw how well that works out..
[7] Or they could make that trade for Mike Cameron
If those two don’t work out the way we hope, there’s the real possibility of having three black holes at the bottom of the lineup again. Last year we saw how well that works out..
They were still in the thick of things. If they perform better against the weak sisters of the league last year, they may make the playoffs.
The Yanks generally suck in April and May anyway...
@7
Exactly. DH too and I'd venture 2B, SS, and RF as well and besides the inevitable regression from Damon.
Where before the Yanks had "write in pen" contributions from only 1B and 3B, now they're down to exactly one surefire contributor to the lineup. Worse news for all the Teixeira lovers - where does A-Rod play in two years or five years, let alone 7years or 9 years?
I'll be shocked if the Yanks score 850 runs this year. So they better be preventing less than 700. Just a horrible job from the front office in upgrade the offense. Where Teixeira should have been the starting point, his contract made him the endpoint.
I can easily imagine this lineup at some point the first two weeks of the season:
Damon
Jeter
Teixeira
Matsui
Nady
Cano
Ransom
Molina
Gardner
That's just plain disgusting.
Pete Abe reports that Brackman has been optioned to Charleston. That's a bit discouraging. High-end college grads generally start out in High-A.
[13] Lilkely weather related since he's rehabbing from TJ. Tampa is a lot warmer this time of year.