Verducci Picks Yanks

by jscape2000 on Mar 30, 2008 12:55 PM EDT

Tom Verducci picks the Yanks to win the division. He writes:

The Yankees have so much talent it would take a multitude of worst-case scenarios to cut them low. ... Boston seems more prone to a fallback, if only because recent world champions seem to be handed a tax bill the following season -- and if it hits Josh Beckett, look out.

The Red Sox won the division last year by only two games, and their rotation enjoyed nearly perfect health all season while the Yankees' rotation didn't come into focus until August.

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Indeed

Buster Olney picked the Yanks as well.

I think the Red Sox rotation has more questions than people realize. And Beckett hasn't mustered back-to-back dominant seasons yet.

by anaconda on Mar 30, 2008 1:01 PM EDT reply actions

true

the yanks struggled all last year and still surged to be in the RS rearview all of August and Sept. It was clear the RS weren't even sure they were going to win it until the last minute. The RS were healthy and never faltered once during 2007. They had a magical season but it's a rare one in sports and hard to duplicate 2 years running. We were fielding our worst pitchers and saddled with injuries the whole time and we won the Wild Card. A focused, healthy Yankee team will be a force to be reckoned with.

"The secret of managing is to keep the guys who hate you away from the guys who are undecided." -Casey Stengel

by bxgrl1 on Mar 30, 2008 1:15 PM EDT reply actions

I prefer underdog status

I want to see RSN hold first up till the final week & lose the AL East crown to the surging YIPs of the MFY. At home. Isn't the final regular season series Yanks at Fenway?

And then Detroit takes the WC.

Now THAT would be something.

I always feel pressure. What I don't have is fear. -- El Duque

by LateInningRelief on Mar 30, 2008 4:30 PM EDT up reply actions

stranger things can happen

Before this year's SuperBowl some guy at the party said, "All we need to do to win this is to have the defense get to Brady and have the offense come up with a few miracle plays." And everyone looked at him like "Yeah, that's ALL we have to do." And we all laughed and figured we'd just root for our "about to be beaten" football team and have a good time anyway.

"The secret of managing is to keep the guys who hate you away from the guys who are undecided." -Casey Stengel

by bxgrl1 on Mar 30, 2008 7:01 PM EDT up reply actions

agreed...

and there is a healthy contingent on the pro and anti-yanks front this year. i am all for being the underdog... but looking at that lineup below that haggs posted- underdog doesn't really seem to apply.. 17 hours away now-- go yanks!

You don't realize how easy this game is until you get up in that broadcasting booth. -Mickey Mantle

by NumberSeven on Mar 30, 2008 7:46 PM EDT up reply actions

Looking forward

To a great season. This could go down to the wire, and there might not be a wild card to fall back on. Nothing like a good old fashioned pennant race for the last season of the Stadium.

Here's the opening day lineup. Good luck getting through 9 innings of this:

Damon LF
Jeter SS
Abreu RF
Rodriguez 3B
Giambi 1B
Cano 2B
Posada C
Matsui DH
Cabrera CF

http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2008/03/30/girardi-reveals-lineup-love-of-cano/

"Just when they think they got all the answers, I change the questions."
-- Roddy Piper

by matthaggs on Mar 30, 2008 6:15 PM EDT reply actions

I'm giddy

A healthy Giambi batting behind A-Rod will be huge...and I love seeing Cano creeping up the batting order. Man...Matusi is hitting 8th. We're going to score a ton of runs. 1:05 can't get here fast enough.

by bfriley76 on Mar 31, 2008 8:55 AM EDT up reply actions