MLB Season Preview: New York Yankees

A series examining the upcoming baseball season begins with the AL East defending champions, the New York Yankees, who used the offseason to improve upon a roster that won 97 games last year.

A-Rod can still hit with the best of them,
when his body allows him to.

Offense: New York returns virtually the same lineup that scored the second-most runs in the majors in 2011. Age is the biggest enemy: Derek Jeter is 37, Alex Rodriguez is 36, and Raul Ibanez and Andruw Jones will be DH-ing. Fortunately the Yankees aren't relying on those guys for huge offensive numbers, as Curtis Granderson and Robinson Cano are the centerpieces of the lineup. Cano in particular could have an MVP-caliber season hitting in the 3-hole. Much of the offense's upside rests in Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira. A-Rod played in only 99 games last season, but enters the year healthy after an experimental knee procedure. Teixeira has a good chance to bounce back from last year's .248 batting average while continuing to provide excellent power. In the nine-hole, Brett Gardner could lead the A.L. in steals if he gets consistent at-bats. And after years of being a slow, plodding lineup, these Yankees are actually an above-average defensive and baserunning team.

Bud Selig is investigating claims that Sabathia's
arm is actually bionic; Mariano Rivera has been
targeted in the same inquiry.

Pitching: After several years of mediocre pitching depth, the Yankees have assembled an impressive group of arms. C.C. Sabathia leads the way as usual, along with sophomore Ivan Nova, who exceeded all expectations as a rookie. New imports Hiroki Kuroda (3.07 ERA in 2011) and Michael Pineda (3.74) replace the innings of A.J. Burnett and Bartolo Colon. And a healthy Phil Hughes is looking to forget last year's struggles. Yet one of those pitchers could be bumped from the rotation by May, as Andy Pettitte is slated to make his return to the big leagues. Meanwhile, Freddy Garcia provides veteran depth, if he's not traded, and there are solid options at Triple-A if something goes terribly wrong. The bullpen is one of the strongest units in baseball, led by the shutdown late-inning trio of Mariano Rivera, David Robertson, and Rafael Soriano. Joba Chamberlain probably won't make an appearance this season following Tommy John surgery and a nasty ankle injury, but David Aardsma will make his Yankees debut by midseason. Hughes might also get bumped into the bullpen by Pettitte's return, but he really should be starting full-time.

If Michael Pineda doesn't perform in New York, he will
forever be referred to as "Not Jesus Montero."

Breakout Candidates: Since the roster is laden with established veterans, there aren't many young Yankees primed for a breakout season. The obvious name is Michael Pineda--he may not immediately become the ace he's expected to be, but he offers huge potential with his imposing frame and powerful arsenal. The likelier candidate might actually be Phil Hughes, who is still only 25 (it's true, I swear) and just a year removed from winning 18 games. He's enjoying an excellent spring, now healthy and in shape following a nightmarish 2011 season, and could take a big step forward. Another option is Ivan Nova. He got quite lucky last season, but pitched like an ace down the stretch with a revamped slider and could experience further growth. In the lineup, the only real candidate is Brett Gardner--if he develops any kind of consistent offensive game to pair with his elite defense and baserunning, he could become one of baseball's best all-around players.

3 Key Questions: Will the veterans--A-Rod, Jeter, Rivera, Pettitte, Ibanez--stay healthy? How will Pineda and Kuroda adjust from friendlier divisions and ballparks? And which pitcher will step up to become the #2 starter behind Sabathia?

Best Case Scenario: A-Rod and Texeira hit like it's 2005, Robbie Cano wins the MVP, and the Yankees ride Sabathia to a world championship; Andy Pettitte retires for good after getting the win in Game 7.

Worst Case Scenario: Kuroda and Pineda get bludgeoned in the AL East, Hughes and Nova regress, an aging roster gets hit with injuries, and the Yankees miss the playoffs in a cutthroat division.

Predicted Finish: The Yankees have the balance and depth to finish first in the AL East and make a deep playoff run.