I was flipping through the Sporting News MLB Preview issue. (March 30, 2009.) A column titled, "What Could Stop The Yanks?" caught my eye: "Sporting News asked three members of the defending World Series champion Phillies to identify the Yankees' biggest weakness: OF Shane Victorino: Defense. OF Geoff Jenkins: Middle relief. Closer Brad Lidge: Too much talent.
A formidable list considering the context of recent seasons. Safe to say, the question marks have been replaced by exclamation points. I'll let the experts provide the graphs but my eyes tell me '08's defensive problems have been solved. Especially noteworthy is the right side of the infield. Teixeira's range and soft hands provide a stark contrast to Giambi's imitation of a fire hydrant. Cano's arm combines with fluid grace to routinely rob potential hits. The pitchers are grateful.
The middle relief hole was shrewdly plugged when Girardi changed Phil Hughes' job description. A struggling starter transformed to a dominant stopper. The Great Rivera finally had company.
"Too much talent?" The New York Yankees are the only team that can afford this unconventional issue. A rich group of disparate mercenaries have gelled into a cohesive unit. The results speak. The questions have been answered.
*This post was written by Mark Serio of Baseball Hot Corner
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