The Captain's Blog

A note of caution to optimistic Yankee fans: Having lots of top prospects is nice, but most rebuilds don’t work, and even those that do, often have setbacks.

The Yankees’ young talent is undeniable, but even players with All Star potential often struggle early in their careers. That, of course, does not bode well for the 2017 Yankees, who have leveraged their season to the immediate success of the team’s up and comers. However, if the Bronx Bombers struggle, don’t blame it on their youth. After all, that’s what gives this year’s team a glimmer of hope. The real limitation on expectations comes from a lackluster core of veterans borne from several years of roster neglect and financial entrenchment.

Starting with the positive, the Yankees’ bullpen could be one of the best in baseball. The dominant duo of Dellin Betances and Aroldis Chapman gets all of the attention, but the bullpen runs deep. A veteran like Tyler Clippard could close on some teams, but he’ll anchor the seventh inning, at least until Brian Mitchell dislodges him. Adam Warren as a swing man, and Tommy Layne as a situational lefty who can also handle righties, speak further to the bullpen’s depth, and that’s before considering young power arms like Jonathan Holder and Ben Heller. If the Yankees get leads, they should be able to hold them.

Although the Bronx Bombers could boast one of the most dominant relief corps in the majors, the big question is how many innings will they be forced to pitch? Without a single starter who is a lock to throw 200 innings, Joe Girardi may be calling on his bullpen earlier and more often than he’d liked, which, by the end of the year, could seriously mitigate the team’s strength. Perhaps, if the rotation made up for its lack of quantity with quality, the epidemic of short outings wouldn’t be as much of a concern, but, aside from Masahiro Tanaka, the Yankees cannot reasonably expect much better than league average performances from the rest of their starters, and even that’s being optimistic.

A blockbuster offense and a dominant bullpen are the best way to overcome a weak rotation, but the Yankees’ lineup, though improved, not only lacks depth, but also the kind of middle of the order experience that defines consistency. When Gary Sanchez and Greg Bird hit, the Yankees will score runs. If Aaron Judge breaks out, they’ll score even more. But, it’s a little unfair to expect three hitters with less than a year’s experience between them to be the engine of an offense.

Young players have growing pains, so, when Sanchez, Bird and Judge suffer the inevitable pangs, who will pick up the slack? Matt Holliday comes to mind, but can he stay healthy for a full season? Otherwise, the Yankees lineup is filled with disappointing veterans (and Didi Gregorius) whose recent track records suggest mediocrity as a baseline. Players like Jacoby Ellsbury, Starlin Castro and Chase Headley should be the ones providing leadership, but instead, they are actually the supporting cast, and that’s why the offense is unlikely to carry the team as much as it will need.

The Yankees have upside. Young prospects can breakout, and talented veterans can rediscover old glory, but when you’re depending on both, mediocrity is often the result. However, don’t expect the Yankees to hover around the .500 mark. Because of the team’s reliance on youth and veterans with mercurial talent, peaks and valleys are likely to define the season. The timing of those ups and downs could further impact how the team approaches the trade deadline. If the Yankees catch a hot streak during the summer, the organization will need to determine if the team really can make a run, or if another downturn is just around the corner.

Following are 10 key questions outlined and answered in the context of reasonable best, base, and worst case scenarios. Also, scroll below to see how well the Captain’s Blog has predicted the Yankees’ annual win total in the past, as well as a forecast for the rest of the league. Continue Reading »