PROVING GROUND

The Yankees have everything to prove in the 2009 baseball campaign.  They spent the most money and got the best talent available on the open market.  If they do not win the World Series the season will be a flop.  The Yankees front office has stated this so clearly with the off season aquisitions of Teixeira, CC, and AJ.  Forget Nick Swisher.  He may be helpful off the bench but not a marquee name like the others.  The Yankees have made a big statement.  We are the team to beat.  Let's see if you can beat this lineup and this pitching staff.  If the Yankees don't win.  Who's fault will it be?  I don't believe you can always blame the front office or even the players themselves. There is always something that happens during a season that is out of everyone's control.  It's the unknown.  Look at the Rays last year.  Nobody and I mean nobody would have bet on the Rays to be the American League champs.  That truly was an unknown variable in '08.  There is always something that happens every season that makes you shake your head.  The Rays were the biggest head shaker in a long time.  I'm a Yankee fan but was actually kinda sorta happy that this little team made it big.  It kept the Yankee haters from hating.  At least not at their usual level.  We saw that a small market team with a small payroll can compete.  They did it exactly the way the last Yankee dynasty did.  A great crop of young players that came up through the system and came into their own.  Obviously buying the best and most expensive players guarantees you nothing.  This game of baseball is competitive.  Major league baseball has tremendous talent.  That was proven last season.  Great pitching still beats great hitting any day of the week.  Defense and small ball still rule.  The homerun is nice but isn't the key ingredient to a championship team.  Don't forget that little thing known as "playing as a team".  It must be done.  It's paramount.  Sacrifice and giving yourself up for the team is quite possibly the strongest ingredient.  We will see if the Yanks can come together with all the individual stars up and down the lineup.  Jeter needs to lead.  Not only by example anymore but with his vocals.  Encourage and teach the young.  Lay down the Yankee law to the newcomers and reiterate it to the rest.  Win.  It's that simple.  Be professional.  Play hard.  They know what great weight the pinstripes carry.  A responsibility to give it your all to bring the trophy home.  Nothing less will do and they have it all to prove.